are more energy efficient because they capture the heat under the steel cook surface rather than letting it escape through the grates into the atmosphere. This design also requires less time to heat up and uses less fuel to cook a meal. Also, flattop grills release less smoke and particulates into the atmosphere because foods and juices are prevented from dropping directly onto burner elements, eliminating flare-ups and reducing smoke. Use Flattop grills are an equipment of choice for seafood restaurants because of temperature consistency, flexibility and capacity. In Cuban cuisine, the Cuban sandwich (ham, roasted pork, Swiss cheese and pickles) is traditionally grilled à la plancha. In Chilean cuisine, restaurants grill beef à la plancha and have a long history of cooking seafood on flattop grills. Flattop grills also share some characteristics with Asian cooking, including teppanyaki and Mongolian barbecue. Flatbreads from India (dosa, paratha, roti and chapati), the Middle East (pita), Africa (injera) and Jamaica (bammy) are traditionally cooked on flattop grills. Front-of-house cooking In restaurants, flattop grills are sometimes used for display, or “front-of-house” cooking, where diners can see, hear and smell the food being cooked in front of them. Unlike butane burners or induction hobs which require additional equipment, the flattop grill can be used as a standalone cooking platform. Display cooking is a notable trend in commercial foodservice, where open kitchens are becoming part of the dining experience, and watching a meal being prepared live-action has become entertainment. French tops A French top stove is similar to a flattop grill, except that it is only used with pots and pans. A large flame underneath the metal plate serves as its heat source, and is directly covered by concentric metal rings. The French top's temperature is usually not changed by its user, instead the user moves his pot or pan to a side or edge of the hot plate for slower cooking. See also List of stoves Comal Griddle Hot plate Teppan Tava Sheet pan References Cooking appliances Barbecue Cooking techniques Stoves Kitchenware da:Grill es:Plancha de cocina fr:Grillade nl:Grill ja:鉄板 (調理器具) no:Grill pl:Grill pt:Churrasqueira ru:Гриль simple:Grill (cooking) fi:Grilli sv:Grill (redskap) tr:Izgara