Metric Kitchen Guide for Chefs
Every professional kitchen outside the United States runs on grams, milliliters, and Celsius. Metric measurements are faster, more accurate, and scale perfectly — there are no fractions like ⅓ cup or ¾ teaspoon, and converting between units is always a power of 10. This guide walks you through making the switch and gives you every reference table you need to work confidently in metric.
Why Professional Kitchens Use Metric
The key advantage is that 1 mL of water equals exactly 1 g. This means liquid and weight measurements are interchangeable for water-based liquids — milk, juice, and most stocks can be measured in either mL or g without conversion. At scale, this eliminates an entire category of measurement error. Additionally, metric scales are available everywhere globally, while US measuring cups can vary in actual volume by up to 5% between manufacturers.
The Three Metric Rules for Your Kitchen
- Weigh all dry ingredients (flour, sugar, butter) in grams.
- Measure liquids in milliliters using a jug — or weigh in grams (1 mL ≈ 1 g for water-based).
- Set your oven in Celsius. Know your key temperatures: 160 / 175 / 190 / 200 / 220°C.
Oven Temperatures: Celsius Reference
| Use Case | Celsius | Fahrenheit | Gas Mark |
|---|---|---|---|
| Very low (meringues, slow roasts) | 120°C | 250°F | ½ |
| Low (custards, cheesecakes) | 150°C | 300°F | 2 |
| Moderate (cookies, quick breads) | 160–175°C | 325–350°F | 3–4 |
| Moderate-hot (cakes, muffins) | 180–190°C | 350–375°F | 4–5 |
| Hot (croissants, soufflés) | 200°C | 400°F | 6 |
| Very hot (pizza, puff pastry) | 220–230°C | 425–450°F | 7–8 |
| Extremely hot (bread crust) | 240–250°C | 460–480°F | 9 |
Fan/convection ovens: reduce stated temperature by 20°C.
Volume: Metric to US Quick Reference
| Metric | US Measure |
|---|---|
| 5 mL | 1 teaspoon |
| 15 mL | 1 tablespoon |
| 60 mL | ¼ cup |
| 80 mL | ⅓ cup |
| 120 mL | ½ cup |
| 180 mL | ¾ cup |
| 240 mL | 1 cup |
| 480 mL | 1 pint |
| 960 mL | 1 quart |
| 3.78 L | 1 gallon |
Pan Size Conversions
| US Pan Size | Metric Equivalent |
|---|---|
| 8-inch round cake pan | 20 cm round, 1.5 L |
| 9-inch round cake pan | 23 cm round, 2 L |
| 9×13-inch baking pan | 23×33 cm, 3.5 L |
| 8×8-inch square pan | 20×20 cm, 2 L |
| 9×5-inch loaf pan | 23×13 cm, 1.5 L |
| 10-inch (9-cup) Bundt pan | 25 cm, 2.4 L |
| 12-cup muffin tin | Standard, 80 mL cups |
| Half sheet (18×13-inch) | 46×33 cm |