Stainless steel pans get splotchy. They rainbow-stain from heat. They look like they’ve been through a war. That’s character. You are not a food stylist; you’re a human who wants to cook without crying.
Surprising fact: professional chefs often have pans that look like they were rescued from a dumpster fire. Those pans cook better than shiny new ones (which they season secretly, like a guilty pleasure).
So, embrace the smoke, forgive the sticking, and remember: the first pancake always fails. But after seasoning, that second pancake will flip with the grace of a ballerina. You got this.
