By TIM FORSTER
Gordon Ramsay Is Incorrect About Aluminum Foil
On numerous occasions, celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay has claimed that the dull side of any standard tinfoil provides better heat insulation while the shiny side reflects heat.
In Ramsay's opinion, you should cover a dish with the dull side of the foil on the inside, facing or touching the food. He has even lambasted social media users for not doing this.
However, this is a myth, and both sides are the same. The two sides of aluminum foil stem from how the metal sheets are processed in the factory.
According to representatives for kitchen supplies maker Reynolds, there's a stage of production in which two layers of foil pass through a set of rollers simultaneously.
The sides in contact with the rollers effectively get polished, resulting in a shiny side. The other sides of these two layers rub on each other, resulting in a dull side.
The sides look different, but they're functionally the same. However, nonstick aluminum foil is an exception, as it has a correct, nonstick side that should be touching your food.
The nonstick coating is generally applied only to one side of the nonstick foil. The nonstick side tends to be dull, and the manufacturers usually label it to make things easier.