Discover why professional chefs prefer kosher salt. Learn about Diamond Crystal vs Morton, proper seasoning technique, and why it's essential in commercial kitchens.
In professional kitchens, Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt is often the only salt used. Cases of it delivered monthly. Every station has a container within reach. Why? Because when you're seasoning hundreds of plates per service, you need salt that's predictable, fast to pinch, and clean-tasting every single time.
But why do professional cooks consistently reach for kosher salt over table salt, sea salt, or fancy finishing salts? And what makes brands like Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt the industry standard?
In this guide, we'll explore the science, texture, flavor, and practical reasons behind the chef's preference for kosher salt. We'll also give you actionable tips for cooking, seasoning steaks, and everyday kitchen use.
At its core, kosher salt differs from table salt in three key ways:
This combination of texture and purity is why chefs worldwide choose kosher salt for almost every dish.
Among kosher salts, Diamond Crystal is a standout. Here's why professional cooks swear by it:
From 24 Years of Experience: After years using Diamond Crystal exclusively in professional kitchens and at home, it's the only brand I recommend. The lighter, flakier crystals make seasoning more precise and forgiving. Professional kitchens go through cases of it monthly, and I've never switched brands at home. Read my complete Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt review for more details.
Chefs often prefer Diamond Crystal for tasks ranging from brining to finishing, and home cooks quickly notice the difference when they switch from table salt.
Kosher salt isn't just about taste — it's about control and technique. Here's why professional cooks use it for everything from prep to plating:
This technique pairs perfectly with professional tools like a sharp chef's knife and a quality cutting board for optimal prep work.
Even the best salt can be misused. Here's how chefs get it right:
Pro Tip: For steaks, use kosher salt generously on the surface before searing. The large crystals help form a perfect crust while seasoning the meat. See our steak searing guide for more expert techniques.
Beyond seasoning, kosher salt is incredibly versatile in the professional kitchen:
In professional kitchens, Diamond Crystal is used for all of these applications daily. From brining chicken for rotisserie to finishing vegetables at expo, it's the workhorse of seasoning programs.
While table salt is fine for baking or recipes where exact measurement matters, it's less forgiving in professional kitchens:
Kosher salt solves all of these problems, making it the default choice for chefs. In professional kitchens, table salt is rarely used on the line—only kosher salt for cooking and fine sea salt for the table.
Not all kosher salts are created equal. Key things to look for:
For most home cooks and pros, Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt provides the most predictable, reliable results.
Kosher salt isn't just a seasoning — it's a chef's tool. From controlling flavor to creating the perfect crust on steak, it's integral to professional cooking. Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt is a trusted choice because of its texture, purity, and consistency.
After years in professional kitchens and at home, Diamond Crystal remains the only salt I buy. It's been the foundation of consistent, professional seasoning for nearly a quarter-century. Whether you're running a restaurant or cooking dinner at home, it makes a difference you can taste.
Next time you cook, remember: professional chefs don't just sprinkle salt. They season intentionally, layer flavors, and rely on kosher salt to do it right. Try it in your kitchen and see the difference — your taste buds will thank you.
Want to build a complete professional kitchen setup? Check out our Kitchen Starter Kit for chef-approved essentials.
Kosher salt has larger, irregular flakes with no additives, while table salt has fine, uniform grains plus iodine and anti-caking agents. Kosher salt is easier to pinch and control, dissolves at an ideal rate for seasoning, and has clean flavor untainted by iodine. The flake size makes over-salting harder—you can see and feel how much you're using.
It's called kosher salt because the large flakes are ideal for koshering meat (drawing out blood per Jewish dietary law), not because the salt itself is kosher (most salt is). The coarse texture absorbs moisture from meat surfaces effectively. The name stuck even though home cooks use it for general cooking, not koshering.
Diamond Crystal has hollow, light flakes (280mg sodium per ¼ tsp) formed by evaporation, while Morton has dense, rolled flakes (480mg per ¼ tsp) from mechanical processing. Diamond Crystal is less salty by volume, dissolves faster, and is more forgiving—it's harder to over-salt. After 24 years using Diamond Crystal in professional kitchens and at home, I've never switched—it's what professionals prefer.
Use half the amount of table salt as kosher salt, but by weight not volume. 1 teaspoon table salt equals 2 teaspoons Diamond Crystal or 1¼ teaspoons Morton kosher salt. Better solution: switch to kosher salt permanently and use recipes calling for it. Volume measurements for salt are inherently inconsistent—weigh salt in grams for precision, or use kosher salt consistently.
Diamond Crystal dissolves faster (reducing over-salting risk), has lighter texture (easier to pinch evenly), contains zero additives (pure salt flavor), and is less dense (more forgiving in seasoning). In professional kitchens, we use exclusively Diamond Crystal because the faster dissolving rate prevents the over-salted steaks that happen with Morton. Professional kitchens standardize on one brand to ensure consistency.
No—kosher salt and table salt are both 100% sodium chloride with the same health effects gram-for-gram. The difference is that kosher salt lacks iodine (a beneficial additive in table salt) but also lacks anti-caking agents. Kosher salt's advantage is control and flavor, not health. If you use only kosher salt, ensure you get iodine from other dietary sources (seafood, dairy, eggs).
No—kosher salt typically contains no iodine or other additives, just pure salt. Table salt has added iodine to prevent iodine deficiency diseases. If you use kosher salt exclusively, ensure your diet includes iodine from other sources: seafood, dairy, eggs, or iodized salt in baking. In professional kitchens, we use kosher salt for cooking but keep iodized salt in storage for specific recipes.
Pure kosher salt doesn't taste different from table salt chemically—both are sodium chloride. The perceived taste difference comes from table salt's iodine and anti-caking additives, which can taste slightly metallic or chemical. Diamond Crystal's clean taste comes from purity (no additives) and how it dissolves on your tongue (the flake structure affects perception).
Yes, but weigh it or reduce volume by half compared to table salt. Baking recipes are sensitive to salt quantity, and using kosher salt by volume in recipes calling for table salt over-salts baked goods. Best practice: weigh salt in grams for baking (5g table salt = 5g kosher salt), or use recipes that specify kosher salt. I use Diamond Crystal for everything, including baking.
Store kosher salt in an airtight container in a cool, dry place—a jar or container near the stove for easy pinching. Salt doesn't spoil, but moisture causes clumping (especially with humid kitchens). In professional kitchens, we keep Diamond Crystal in large containers on the line for easy access during service. Avoid storing directly in the cardboard box—it absorbs moisture and the box deteriorates.
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Professional Chef • 24 Years Professional Kitchen Experience
Professional chef with 24 years of restaurant experience including Pizzaiolo at Purple Café, Kitchen Manager at Mellow Mushroom, and line positions at Feierabend, Il Pizzaiolo, and Paragary's. A.A.S. Culinary Arts from Seattle Central College, B.S. Business Administration from University of Montana. Every product tested through real professional kitchen use or extensive long-term home testing.
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