At the International Home & Housewares show a few weeks ago, I couldn’t walk three feet without running into a hyped-up product calling itself eco-friendly, sustainable, all-natural or some other tree-huggy phrase dreamed up to make consumers feel smug and righteous when they buy it. I’m all for going green, but there’s a lot of green-washing going on—eco in marketing, but not in substance. Do we really need another chic, reusable water bottle? Or a lotus-shaped garbage can? Wouldn’t it be better if we just used what we have? It got me thinking about what I’m doing in my own kitchen to reduce, reuse and recycle. And, are there products that can help me lighten my carbon footprint to a tip-toe? ….Excerpt below When Grandma Rush’s hand-me-down set of Magnalite finally gives out, I’ll invest in more lasts-a-lifetime cookware: Chantal's enamel-on-steel Copper Fusion line. I tried out the skillet—the heft alone gave me goose bumps. It's not nonstick, which is a good thing in my book. Lots of companies are introducing PFOA- and PFOS-free "green" nonstick, but there's not enough reliable information about these new materials yet. They say it's "naturally nonstick", but you still need a smidge of butter or oil to prevent sticking. This pan heats faster than anything I’ve ever cooked in. Best of all, it doesn’t have hot spots like some hard-anodized aluminum or cast iron.
Bonus: CopperFusion works on induction cooktops—which I plan on having when we build my dream kitchen. Induction surfaces heat faster, use less electricity and are more heat-efficient because the pan itself is the element of heat (not the cooking surface).  

Chantal, the high-end cookware company with products made for healthy and environmentally-friendly cooking and celebrity chef Tre Wilcox, whose culinary flair and fun-loving personality made him a favorite on Bravo’s “Top Chef” competition last summer, joined forces to promote Chantal’s Copper Fusion® line.

An exercise fanatic who believes chefs need to put more focus on their own healthy eating habits, Chef Wilcox uses Chantal’s Copper Fusion line in his home because it combines the performance of copper with the health benefits and convenience of enamel.  He also lauds Chantal for its high-style, stick-resistant pans which hold heat well and makes for easy clean up at home. 

Tre is currently on tour appearing and conducting cooking classes with Copper Fusion at gourmet shops and cooking schools all around the country.  Check with your local retailer or culinary school to see if they have booked one in your area.