From Our Chefs
Knife Set: Your Master Guide to Choosing the Right One
If you’re a chef, you know the importance of a great knife. It’s your prized possession. However, if you’re unfamiliar with the industry, it can be disorienting to see thousands of styles. We break down the differences for you and drive home the number one thing that matters: that it’s sharp!
While it may seem counter intuitive, a sharp knife works better. A sharp knife is safer!
When a knife is sharp, it’s predictable and won’t slip. You need less brute force to cut. This gives you more control over your slicing and dicing. Prep work is easier and more enjoyable with a sharp blade.
A dull blade increases the risk that it will slip and you give yourself a gnarly cut. It also results in using more force to cut your ingredients. This force can crush your ingredients and accelerate wilting and discoloration.
Whether you have a beautiful knife block filled with knives on your counter (or jumbled in a drawer) or are just starting out your culinary collection. We breakdown the only knives you really need.
1. Chef Knife
It’s the classic! This bad boy is definitely a must have staple and should be used as the workhorse in your kitchen. Ideal for chopping, mincing and dicing even firm vegetables. Plus, you’ll feel like a pro when you use it.
2. Paring Knife
This extremely versatile knife is great to use when the chef knife is a just too big for the job. Chopping soft fruits, peeling vegetables, slicing cheese and mincing garlic are just a few of the applications for a paring knife.
3. Utility Knife
This guy is basically a cross between the chef and a paring knife. Super versatile and great for multitasking. It’s a great choice for someone with smaller hands or who is just fine tuning their chopping skills. Don’t let that make you think this is a second tier option though, it can be one of the most effective and wide ranging options in your kit.
4. Serrated Knife
The classic bread knife. If you’ve ever tried to tear through a fluffy loaf of bread without one- you know the struggle. The serrations slice through crispy crusts, pies and pizzas without disturbing soft center, filling or toppings. It also makes slicing through fruits and vegetables with soft slippery skins a breeze (say goodbye to the spray of tomato seeds every time you make a salad).
5. Steak Knife
Okay, full disclaimer: at this company we believe that you should be able to cut the best steak with a butter knife. But, this is still nice to have on hand in your arsenal. They make eating any meat dish a breeze, even if it’s not cooked to absolute perfection.
A good rule of thumb when deciding on a knife?
“If you have to use a lot of force or pressure to cut through something, you’re using the wrong knife. If the it’s is slipping across the surface of what you are trying to cut, you’re using the wrong knife. If the blade is bending as you’re cutting, you’re using the wrong knife.” - My Fearless Kitchen
If you really want to ball out and get fancy, this is a great journey for your growing skillset AND your wallet:
Ok now that you’ve got the chops, you’ll need some inspiration to put your newfound knowledge to work. Head over to our Instagram, Facebook or Twitter for some insane culinary inspo.
