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Every professional trade is performed using a certain set of tools, from the carpenter to the painter. The kitchen worker is no different. Whether you are furiously prepping salads or working sauté, you use certain tools in the kitchen constantly – the most obvious being the knife. It is one tool that becomes an extension of your hand and sees a serious amount of action, which is why most serious professionals choose to invest in a high quality knife.
What makes a high quality knife?
A quality kitchen knife is a functional tool that accomplishes its intended purpose as effectively as possible. This means buying a knife that is designed to hold an edge, is created with your particular cutting needs in mind and fits in your hand comfortably for hours and hours of use. Good high carbon steel, thoughtful design and durable handle materials are a must.
High carbon steel is designed to both hold an edge and to be sharpened easily. There are numerous steel configurations, from the high grade BDZ1 high-carbon stainless steel in the Ken Onion Rain series of knives to the cromova 18 stainless steel of Global knives. Each has its advantages and disadvantages – the most obvious being that the higher the carbon content, the less “stainless” the knife becomes. The balance between edge retention, sharpening ability and stainless qualities ultimately comes down to individual preference.
A well designed knife will be crafted to perform a certain cutting task or range of tasks. A paring knife, for instance, is small and easily maneuvered to peel and core vegetables and fruits, while a chef’s knife is designed to chop vegetables into numerous different cuts as efficiently as possible. Some of these knife designs are quite old, but certain knife makers – such as Ken Onion – do improve upon older designs with modern engineering.
How much should you spend?
When it comes to kitchen knives you can spend next to nothing or thousands of dollars. Working professionals must find a sweet spot in this range, a price that is high enough to buy a really good tool but not so high that you never want to use the thing. Cutting by definition involves a certain amount of wear and tear. It is worth remembering that chefs and cooks cut as many plastic bags as they do heads of lettuce or lamb chops.
For cooks just starting out or who want knives that they can use without constantly worrying, knives like those in the Chef Works Chef & Kitchen Knife Collection are ideal. Made from German forged steel, they are designed to hold an edge and to get the job done with minimal fuss. Considering how often knives are dropped in the rush or wander off in a professional kitchen, value based knives like these make up a good portion of the tools found in restaurants.
Some chefs want to take their cutting performance to the next level, though. If you are in the market for something made from high-grade materials and designed to cut as efficiently as possible, the Ken Onion Rain series definitely falls into the category of high quality. The rain pattern on the knives makes them slide through food with as little drag as possible – something that cannot be said for less expensive knives.