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What types of knives do chefs consider essential equipment for the home cook? —Bertha R., St. Louis
As a frequent home cook, the knives that I use most often are:
- an 8-inch chef's knife and a 6-inch boning knife (both from J A Henckels)
- two 4-inch paring knives (one smooth-bladed, one serrated)
- an 8-inch serrated bread knife (also great for thinly slicing vegetables and fruits)
I schlep them over to Bertarelli Cutlery for an occasional sharpening but regularly maintain the edges with a sharpening steel. With the exception of the paring knives (which I tend to lose), I've had the same knives in my knife block for decades.
Since razor-sharp knives are the tools of a chef's trade, they view them somewhat differently. While most restaurants engage a service (such as Bertarelli) to provide and swap out plastic-handled utility knives on a weekly basis, chefs of any stature carry a personal set into any kitchen they visit. They sharpen them personally, using a whetstone. And like a machinist's prized wrenches or a musician's array of guitars, chefs' knives are prized possessions and not usually loaned out.
We asked several chefs to opine on the subject:
Kevin Nashan, Sidney Street Cafe and Peacemaker Lobster & Crab: "For the average cook, I would say three knives are essential: a paring knife, bread knife, and a chef's knife. I own a lot of knives personally...but I also love knives."
Jesse Mendica, Olive + Oak:
"I need 3 knives in life...a chef's knife is the most personal. It takes a lot of trial and error to see what your hand and cutting style requires regarding shape, weight, tang [blade part buried in the handle], etc. I personally prefer a chef's knife that is not too light, not too heavy, with a thin bolster [junction between the handle and the blade]. The handle must have a shape that molds to my clutched hand and is not perfectly straight and round. A thin but firm boning knife performs all small blade jobs (coring a tomato, slicing grapes in half, working the blade around bones and knuckles, and other tight spots). The boning knife can wiggle around everywhere you need it to. A serrated knife makes life so much easier. It slices through crusty breads, comes in super handy when you don't have a sharp enough chef's knife, slicing easily through tough skins like tomatoes, bell peppers, or oranges. I also have a cheap, plastic handled 9" scalloped knife that has been my right hand man for 15 years, making thin delicate passes through vegetables or helping saw down unchecked weeds that have grown into trees in the back yard."
Harry Sexauer, The Tavern Kitchen & Bar: "One of the most essential tools in my bag is not a knife at all, but an adjustable Japanese mandolin with assorted cutting inserts. It's a must have for obtaining a uniformly sliced product, creating garnishes/accompaniments (such as slaws and pickled vegetables), and for slicing cloves of garlic paper thin for finishing sauces like The Tavern's tomato confit or pepperonata. Pro tip: I wear a disposable nitrile glove when using this tool. It's one more line of defense that helps prevent the loss of a fingertip."
Gerard Craft, Niche Food Group: "I think the most important knives to have for a home cook are a pairing knife, a utility knife, an 8-inch chef's knife, and a bread knife. You should also have a honing steel to keep your blades sharp. If you do any kind of butchery, you may need to add on. But honestly, with those knives, you could run a restaurant if you wanted to."
Katie Lee Collier, Katie's Pizza & Pasta Osteria: "I’m not as skilled or fancy as other chefs, so I only need three: a chef's knife, paring knife, and bread knife. I like Wusthof knives the best. They're accessible and affordable. Other tools I need are a Kuhn Rikon peeler and a microplane/zester and grater."
Adam Altnether, Elmwood X Pizza Champ: "Essentials for me are a large and small chef's knife (gyuto in Japanese, which is the style of knife I use), a fish-boning knife called a deba, a poultry boning knife called a honesuki, and then all-around smaller vegetable/utility knives, called petty. Essentials for a home cook would be a gyuto and a petty, in my opinion. But honestly, it comes down to being comfortable with whatever knife you are using. Get comfortable with a gyuto and a petty, and that should be plenty for the average cook."
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