Of course, they do. If you've been to a BBQ place and ordered beef brisket or ribs, you may have seen liquid smoke is used. And if you've ever wondered what it is, here's the answer... Liquid smoke is created by burning hardwood sawdust and then bubbling the smoke through water that contains various flavorings. The liquid itself actually isn't very smoky (I've tried it myself, and I'm definitely a fan). It's smoky in the sense that the flavor of the smoke is there, but it doesn't have the consistency of traditional browned meats, so it's not like you'll get that nice, brown coating on your meat. So, it's great for things like BBQ. Still, suppose you want that smoky flavor with your meatballs or burgers. In that case, you're better off with traditional methods like smoked paprika and chipotles in adobo sauce or bacon. So yes, chefs use liquid smoke (well, most do, anyway), but it's not really that useful if you're trying to re-create the smoky flavor of browned meats.