Nonstick Cookware with PFAS Coatings
In January 2025, Minnesota became the first state to ban PFAS in cookware, including Teflon, marking a seismic shift for professional kitchens nationwide. Beginning on January 1, 2026, multiple states will prohibit the distribution or sale of certain products containing regulated PFAS substances, including cookware used in restaurants, institutional, and commercial kitchens. Others including Minnesota, Colorado and Connecticut, have already passed legislation to phase it out. The controversy stems from studies linking these so-called forever chemicals to serious health concerns, yet celebrity chefs including David Chang and Rachael Ray have vocally opposed these bans, arguing that alternatives don’t perform with the same consistency.
Single-Use Plastic Utensils and Accessories
In October 2023, the New York City Council voted and passed the Skip the Stuff bill, which mandates that food service establishments can’t offer guests complimentary plastic utensils and related items. As of Jan. 1, restaurants and food service establishments aren’t allowed to process, prepare, sell or provide food or drinks in disposable food containers made from polystyrene foam in several states. The Biden-Harris administration announced plans to phase out single-use plastics from federal operations by 2035, as part of the president’s long-term sustainability plan. This push represents a dramatic departure from traditional restaurant operations, forcing establishments to rethink everything from takeout packaging to condiment distribution.
Polystyrene Foam Containers and Cups
Polystyrene food containers and cups are made from styrene, which is considered a carcinogen by the Department of Health and Human Services, and the polystyrene foam food container and cup ban, effective January 1, 2024, applies to ALL retail food establishments in Colorado. The ordinance will take effect on May 1, 2023, for eateries with permanent locations; November 1, 2023, for food trucks; and May 1, 2024, for temporary food facilities, such as farmers’ markets in Los Angeles County. The transition hasn’t been entirely painless for operators, as foam containers remain cheaper and more readily available than many sustainable alternatives. Still, restaurants that have made the switch report surprising benefits, with some establishments saving thousands annually by shifting to reusable systems.
PFAS-Containing Food Packaging Materials
In February 2024, the FDA announced that substances containing PFAS used as grease-proofing agents on paper and paperboard for food contact use are no longer being sold by manufacturers into the U.S. PFAS is banned in food packaging effective Jan. 1 in several states. In January of 2025, the FDA published in the Federal Register that the 35 food contact notifications related to PFAS-containing food contact substances are no longer effective. The chemicals once widely used to prevent grease from seeping through pizza boxes and burger wrappers have quietly disappeared from the marketplace, though many restaurant operators remain unaware of the shift.
Worn or Damaged Cutting Boards
All plastic and wooden cutting boards wear out over time, and once cutting boards become excessively worn or develop hard-to-clean grooves, they should be discarded. Health mandates require cutting boards to be non-absorbent, smooth, easily sanitized, and NSF-certified, which in practice means most kitchens rely on high-density plastic cutting boards rather than wood. Professional kitchens face increasing scrutiny from health inspectors who now routinely check for knife-scarred boards that can harbor dangerous bacteria like Salmonella and E. coli. While the boards themselves aren’t technically banned, regulations effectively prohibit their continued use once damaged, creating a faster replacement cycle that many smaller restaurants struggle to afford.
Untreated Wooden Cutting Boards
Untreated or raw wood absorbs liquids, harbors bacteria in its pores, and deteriorates quickly under commercial sanitation protocols, and health departments specifically prohibit porous, unfinished wood surfaces because they cannot be properly cleaned or disinfected. The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Meat and Poultry Inspection Manual and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s 1999 Food Code permit use of cutting boards made of maple or similar close-grained hardwood, but only when properly treated and maintained. The debate between wood and plastic remains contentious among chefs who prize wood’s natural antimicrobial properties and knife-friendly surfaces, yet regulations continue tightening around what qualifies as acceptable wood treatment in commercial settings.
Gas Stoves in New Construction Buildings
New York state passed a law banning natural gas stoves and furnaces in most new buildings starting in 2026. In 2023, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit overturned Berkeley’s ban, ruling that the Energy Policy and Conservation Act preempts state and local building codes concerning the energy use of natural gas appliances, creating legal uncertainty around municipal bans. Considering that three-quarters of restaurants use natural gas, these restrictions could reshape professional kitchens fundamentally. Restaurant owners and chefs have pushed back fiercely, with some chefs calling gas essential to their cooking techniques and arguing electric alternatives simply don’t deliver the same heat control or performance.
Accessory Items Without Customer Request
Effective in 2024, in line with policies like California’s AB 1276, the ordinance prohibits food service businesses from providing single-use plastic foodware accessories, such as utensils, stirrers, or condiment packets to customers unless requested. From now through June 30, 2024, restaurants that violate the law will be issued a warning, but as of July 1, 2024, fines will be issued in New York City. This seemingly minor regulatory shift has forced restaurants to completely rethink their delivery and takeout operations, requiring staff training and system updates to capture customer requests accurately. The change aims to reduce the mountains of unused condiments and napkins that typically end up in landfills, though operators worry about customer satisfaction when items are inadvertently omitted from orders.
Professional kitchens are navigating a complex maze of emerging regulations that target everything from the pans they cook with to the bags they pack food in. These changes reflect growing concerns about environmental sustainability and public health, yet they come with real costs and operational challenges that restaurant owners must absorb. What’s clear is that the familiar tools and practices that have defined commercial cooking for decades are being scrutinized like never before, forcing the industry to adapt or face mounting penalties and legal consequences.
