How does flavor transfer?
There are two different types of flavors:


The fundamental tastes that are chemically detected by the taste buds directly: salty, sweet, bitter, sour, and possibly "umami"
The flavors that are detected by aromatic molecules being detected through aroma, through the olfactory system--the nose has connections directly to the mouth as well as the outside world.


The first type of flavor can transfer directly by being physically transferred, or dissolved from one food to another, but I imagine that is not what you are asking aobut.

The aromatic types of flavors are usually more characteristic of specific foods.  To be perceived, they must be atomized into the air to be smelled; this contributes to the sense of taste.

There are several major ways that aromatic flavors can be dissolved, and thus let them become atomized:


In water
In fat 
In alcohol


The flavor compounds dissolve in these vectors; the vector then physically transfers from one food to another.  

Additionally, for finely chopped or pureed foods, the solid components of the food may be suspended in liquid or sauce, and thus physically transfer or adhere to another food in the same dish.



Non-stick pans differ from more traditional pans in that browned bits do not generally stick to the pan.   This can be either an advantage or a disadvantage.

If the flavor from browning is highly desirable, and you want it dissolved into a sauce (for example, in classic French dishes where the sauce is made by deglazing the pan with wine), flavor creation and transfer is facilitated by the pan.

In other cases, not having flavorful compounds stick to the pan will leave more of them in the food itself.