The Cookware Brand Gordon Ramsay Reps Is In Serious Trouble Over 'Nontoxic' Claims

It's been a bit of a kitchen nightmare for fans of celebrity chef-endorsed cookware in recent years, as a lawsuit brought against HexClad has been winding through the California courts since 2023. The class action case alleged that Gordon Ramsay-backed HexClad nonstick pans were not quite as "non-toxic" as their advertising asserted. The plaintiffs in the case argued that HexClad is misleading consumers in marketing its cookware as free of harmful chemicals. The brand has admitted to the inclusion of polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) in some of its products. However, PTFE is a type of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substance (PFAS), one of the chemicals which HexClad claims its products do not contain. Now, HexClad has denied wrongdoing, but agreed to pay a $2.5 million settlement to turn off the heat once and for all.

There are 20 HexClad products eligible for the settlement. All of them carry the "Hybrid" label with the exception of the 5-quart saucepan. Also eligible are at least nine cookware sets that came with one or more HexClad Hybrid pan. A complete list of the eligible pans and sets can be found in the Frequently Asked Questions section on the HexClad settlement website. Only HexClad items purchased between February 1, 2022, and March 31, 2024 are included in the settlement. 

HexClad owners who believe that they are among the settlement class members can locate their proof of purchase and begin filing a claim at the HexClad settlement claimant page. The deadline to submit a claim form is November 14, 2025.

HexClad advertises aggressively, and it has a presence among highly rated Costco cookware sets, so it has created a successful brand awareness. A lot of the HexClad buzz can be attributed to that loveable curmudgeon, Gordon Ramsay's, fondness for the HexClad Hybrid cookware. Ramsay was not named as a defendant in the suit, though his name, face, and apparent words cover the HexClad site, including a quote that reads, "The sear I can get with these pans is incredible, with absolutely no stick. The temperature control is utter perfection, and the clean-up is effortless. I love using HexClad at home" (emphasis HexClad's).

This quote is similar to others Ramsay has provided regarding HexClad Hybrid cookware, including a video from the chef's Facebook page in which he touts the cookware line's nonstick properties, searing ability due to its stainless steel ridges, durability, and life-time warranty. Ramsay does not appear to have commented on HexClad Hybrid's lack or inclusion of chemicals such as PTFE or PFAS.