Most chefs prefer salted butter for savory preparations and unsalted butter for baking and sweet preparations. Here’s why: When preparing savory food and using salted butter, note that there is 1/3 teaspoon of salt to each 1/2 cup butter – the proverbial “pinch.” Baking is a much more exacting food science. By using unsalted butter, it lets the baker control the amount of salt in the mix.