Q.I have dropped my Cast Iron. Is it covered by the Lifetime Guarantee?

A. Although La Cuisine Cast Iron is very durable the enamel coating is made from fusing powdered glass to a substrate by firing, as such, the pan can crack or chip if dropped or knocked. Unfortunately this type of damage is not covered by the Lifetime Guarantee and we are unable to accept individual items for repair.

Q. Can I use my casserole in the Oven?

A. Yes. Meat can be browned on the hob first. Also, onions, garlic and other vegetables can be softened/sautéed at this stage. Stock can then be added and you can either simmer the dish on top of the stove or place it in the oven. We feel cooking in the oven increases the depth of flavour.

Q. What is the optimum oven temperature?

A. Around 150 deg. C for most dishes. Cast Iron is ideal for slow cooking. This method of cooking ensures meat is extremely tender and flavour is enhanced. If the oven temperature is too high, the stock will dry out and there will be a risk of burning due to the heat retention properties of cast iron. Because cast iron retains heat so well and requires only low-moderate heat settings, it is more economical to use than cooking implements made from other materials.

Q. Can I use it on top of a Halogen or other electrical Hob?

A. Yes, all our products are enamelled underneath to ensure they do not scratch glass hobs.Care should be taken not to bang them down on glass or other brittle hobs.

Q. Are they suitable for Induction Hobs as well?

A. Yes, Cast Iron is suitable for all hobs, including induction.

Q. Does my fry pan have a plastic non-stick coating?

A. No. La Cuisine will never use them on any of our products. Our fry pans have a matt black enamel coating, sourced from Japan. Although technically not non-stick, you will find that a little oil will prevent most sticking. More importantly, though, your fry pan will naturally become non-stick as both cooking oil and natural oils within food gradually penetrate the surface of the pan to form a patina (naturally occurring non-stick layer). Occasional seasoning of the pan will accelerate this process. The advantage of this is that the more the pan is used the better it gets. Plastic coated non-stick coatings eventually deteriorate whereas, as stated above, Cast Iron pans improve as they are used. No matter how good a non-stick coating is, it has a finite lifespan (often only a year or two). Cast Iron pans without a plastic non-stick coating brown better and are therefore ideal for searing food and locking-in flavour.

Q. Are the products dishwasher-safe?

A. Although occasional dishwasher use will not harm your La Cuisine cookware, dishwashers are not recommended.

Q. You mentioned seasoning of the pan. How do I do that?

A. This helps speed up the time it takes for the pan to develop non- stick properties. Heat the pan without oil on a heat source. When hot remove from the heat, add oil which has a high flash- point (sunflower oil, vegetable oil, rapeseed oil etc) and leave to cool. Wipe dry with a paper towel and use normally. Only matt black enamelled surfaced ever need to be seasoned. Cream enamel surfaces do not require seasoning.

Q. Every time I use my grill pan, the kitchen becomes smoky. Why?

A. Firstly, when grilling it is better to use an oil with a high flash point. This means it will only start smoking at high temperatures. Olive oil is not really ideal for grilling as it has a relatively low flash point. The best oils to use are oils such as rapeseed oil, groundnut oil and sunflower oil. The second tip is to heat up the grill pan without any oil in it. Then oil the food and not the pan. Lightly brush your steak etc. with oil on both sides before placing it on the hot grill. You will see a difference.

Q. I have tried lightly brushing the food with oil when grilling but it just sticks?

A. Firstly, ensure the pan is hot before placing the food on it. This is important. Secondly, if you try to turn the food before the char lines have formed, it will remain stuck. As soon as char lines have developed, food release is guaranteed.

Q. Do you deliver to address outside the ROI?

A. Yes, we can deliver to most destinations.

Q. There is rust on the rim of my casserole. Why is this?

A. It could be that the item was left in a damp area or, perhaps, was not dried properly. The function of the item will not be affected.
To deal with the issue, we recommend that the rim be scrubbed with a nylon sponge or brush and washing liquid, washed and dried. Once dried, a small amount of olive oil rubbed around the rim to create a seal will prevent rust from re-appearing.

Q. Can I use metal utensils with La Cuisine products?

A. We recommend that metal utensils are not used on casseroles with glossy cream enamel interiors, as these are likely to leave surface scratches. On matt black enamel interiors such as we use on our ‘Pro’ series, metal utensils are perfectly acceptable.

Warranty

La Cuisine offers a lifetime guarantee on the product for normal household usage and in respect only of manufacturing defects.

Who is covered?

The original retail consumer of the product who purchased the goods as new, either directly or as a gift and has a receipt showing proof of purchase. The warranty no longer applies if the goods are sold or ownership transferred.

What is not covered?

• Damage from misuse, neglect, abnormal and normal wear and tear, overheating, or any other damage caused by not following the care and use instructions.
• Scratches, stains, discolouration, corrosion or damage from overheating to the product and its enamel coating.
• Notwithstanding the above, we will cover scratches on the interior surface of our new matte black PRO range
• Consequential or incidental damage is expressly excluded from the guarantee including damage or the cost of subsequent repairs or replacing other property that is damaged due to a defective product.
• Any costs associated with mailing the product to acquire service under the terms of the warranty, loss of time and loss of use.

What is covered?

We will replace the defective product free of charge with a similar product or one of an equivalent value if the original is no longer available. In the case of a set only the faulty item will be replaced.

This lifetime guarantee does not affect your legal statutory rights.

Please contact your nearest La Cuisine office address as stated on our website www.ellgen.com.my

About our Matte Black Non-stick Coating:

• As tough as it can be! With the new matte black enamel coating developed in Japan, our new PRO series is the ultimate range of cast iron cookware. Stain and scratch-resistant, the pans have textured enameled interiors which promote browning and searing. Designed with commercial kitchens in mind, with all the benefits of the standard range, PRO is even better for high surface cooking and searing. Whether you are a professional chef or not, La Cuisine PRO is everything you could wish for!

Product Use and Care Instruction:

• Clean the pots and pans before use and dry with clean kitchen cloth inside out.
• Brush with some cooking oil in the pots and pans thoroughly. Let it stay for 24 hours or at least overnight prior to use. (Do not rinse the oil off from the pots and pans, just wipe with a clean kitchen paper before use. See important remark below).
• Preheat the pots and pans before laying in food to cook in order to hold a better non-stick effect for all time.
• After cooking, suggest to use only warm water to rinse the pots and pans. They are easy to wash due to non-stick surface.
• After each wash, brush with some cooking oil again in the pots and pans thoroughly. This is to maintain the non-stick performance.
• Do not use the metal washing sponge to wash the outer surface of the pots and pans. Our pots and pans outer surface are not scratch proof.

Important Remark:

• Not advisable to use commercial washing detergent to wash the pots and pans. The chemical materials from the detergent will remove the oil on the non-stick coating which will reduce the non-stick performance.
• In case if the commercial washing detergent is used to wash the pots and pans, remember to brush with more cooking oil thoroughly in the pots and pans after each wash to protect the non-stick coating.
• – If follow the above use and care; our products the longer that they are used, the better non-stick function it will be. Our Matte Black Coating will absorb the oil to produce a natural non-stick coating (patina) performance.