Chinois
A chinois is a conical sieve with extremely fine mesh used to strain sauces, soups, stocks, and custards, producing ultra-smooth textures by removing seeds, skins, and impurities.
A chinois is a conical sieve with extremely fine mesh used to strain sauces, soups, stocks, and custards into silky-smooth textures. Professional kitchens rely on this tool to remove seeds, skins, lumps, and other impurities that would otherwise compromise the refined quality of classic French sauces and purees.
The term “chinois” comes from the French word for “Chinese.” French cooks named it this because the cone shape resembles traditional Asian conical hats, not because the tool originated in China. This is a common point of confusion, but the naming is purely descriptive of the silhouette.
How a Chinois Works
The chinois features a long handle and hooks on the opposite side that hang over bowls, pots, or dedicated stands. This hands-free setup lets you pour or press ingredients through the fine mesh without holding the strainer. The conical shape concentrates ingredients toward the pointed bottom, making it easier to extract maximum liquid while leaving solids behind.
Most chefs use a pointed wooden pestle—typically beech or maple—to press ingredients through the mesh. You can also use the back of a ladle. The pressing action forces soft solids like tomato flesh or cooked vegetables through while filtering out skins, seeds, and fibrous material.
Chinois vs. China Cap
A chinois is often confused with a China cap, but they serve different purposes. The chinois has extremely fine mesh for creating smooth, refined textures in finished sauces and custards. A China cap has larger perforations and handles coarser straining tasks like removing bones from stock or straining mirepoix from broth.
If you’re making a velouté or straining crème anglaise, use a chinois. For basic stock work or straining larger solids, a China cap is faster and won’t clog as easily.
Sizes and Materials
Chinois strainers come in sizes ranging from 7 to 16 inches in diameter. An 8-10 inch chinois works for most restaurant applications. Larger sizes handle high-volume sauce production but require more storage space and bigger receiving vessels.
Stainless steel construction is standard, with options for fine mesh or ultra-fine mesh. Ultra-fine mesh creates the smoothest results but clogs faster and requires more effort to push ingredients through. Choose based on how refined your final product needs to be and how much time you have for straining.
Beyond Straining
You can also use a chinois to dust powdered sugar, cocoa powder, or other fine ingredients over plated desserts. Hold it over the plate and tap gently for an even, professional coating. This dual-use function makes it worth the investment even in smaller kitchens.
Maintenance Tips
Clean your chinois immediately after use. Dried sauces and purees lock into the fine mesh and become difficult to remove. Soak in hot water, then scrub with a stiff brush from the inside out to push debris through the mesh rather than deeper into it. Dishwasher-safe models exist, but hand washing extends the life of the mesh.
Common Uses
Chefs use a chinois during sauce production to strain velouté, béchamel, and other mother sauces into perfectly smooth consistencies. Pastry chefs rely on it for straining crème anglaise, lemon curd, and fruit coulis to remove any cooked egg bits or seeds. It's also essential for creating refined vegetable purees and consommés in fine dining environments. The tool appears primarily in professional kitchens rather than home settings due to its specialized nature and the precision it offers for high-end sauce work.