Chef's debate?!


Question: what is the best brand of knives and how many pieces should be in your set??

i want to see what answers i get.... please give kinda serious answers


Answers: what is the best brand of knives and how many pieces should be in your set??

i want to see what answers i get.... please give kinda serious answers

I am a firm believer in not buying knife sets. You get what you pay for on the cheaper ones, and you don't need most of the crap you get from the better brands.

Any cook only needs a few knives, and most of the gadgets out there are useless. Here is my list of essentials, from a fifteen year kitchen pro:

8" chefs knife- i like the wusthof classic for this workhorse knife. I've had mine 7 years now, using it everyday. I could not do without it. about $80-90

boning knife: a must for preparing meats. wusthof or global are good brands.

serrated bread knife: there is really no point in buying an expensive serrated knife. they wear out quickly and are impossible to sharpen. just buy the cheap ones and replace them about once a year

Vegetable peeler: i like the OXO brand. they are comfortable to use for a long time and they come with easily replaceable blades.

Microplane grater: these things are great for garlic, cheese, ginger, citrus zest, etc. and so inexpensive

paring knife: for those hard to get to spots. again: wusthof, global are quality brands that stand up over time.

sharpening steel: it just feels good to hone your knives on one of these

The rest of the knives are just a waste of space, unless you need a cleaver for hacking through joints, something the home cook has gotten away from lately.

if your hiring let me know.... i dont talk back.... Report It


Other Answers (5)




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  • cass20058's Avatar by cass2005...
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  • I like sysco i have 6

    Wusthof - 8 will do
    http://www.consumersearch.com/www/kitche...

    8 Piece Block Set - Wusthof Trident Classic -Item # 8418
    Regular price: $518.00
    Sale Price: $299.95 - http://www.chefsresource.com/wusthof-8-k...

    Wusthof's best selling set: the 8 piece knife block set. This solid assortment in the Wusthof Classic line has an open stock retail value of $518 and comes with the following items:
    3 1/2" Wusthof Paring Knife
    4 1/2" Wusthof Utility Knife
    8" Wusthof Bread Knife
    8" Wusthof Cook's Knife
    6" Wusthof Sandwich Knife
    9" Wusthof Sharpening Steel
    Wusthof Kitchen Shears
    Wusthof 17 Slot Block

    Best kitchen knives.Wusthof knives beat the competition in nearly every comparative review we found. These top-quality, high-performance kitchen knives are the default choice of professional chefs and cooking enthusiasts. They have fully forged, high-carbon, bolstered-steel blades that hold a razor edge. Plus, the tang extends the full length of the handle for balance and durability. Two variations, the Wusthof Grand Prix II and Wusthof Culinar, differ only in handle design. The Grand Prix's handle is made of seamless, molded, textured polypropylene; the Classic's handle is made of the same material, but is riveted to both sides of the tang. The Culinar line has an ergonomic handle that not everyone finds comfortable

    Knives are a personal choice and most chef's tend to mix and match what they have. For instance, I have a thirty-five year old butcher's knife that has been honed down to a very thin blade. According to the butcher that gave it to me it was once a twelve inch knife with an inch blade. Now the blade is less than 1/2 inch.

    My set of knives are very mixed - have Santuko knives that were handmade and very expensive, I have smaller knives that came from a Chicago Cutlery set and other brands as well. I have purchased some very expensive sets and ended up throwing out or giving away all but one knife.

    So that I do not have to continually clean and wipe my knives while cooking I tend to have several of one type for instance chef's knives - I use five or six while cooking for a large party and just toss them in the sink to wash later, so that I don't slow down.

    I just went and checked and I have twelve knives on the counter and a drawer with another sixteen knives in it.

    Buying a knife set:

    Cutlery can be purchased in individual pieces or as a set. A basic knife set should come with several starter pieces – a paring knife, a chef’s knife, a utility knife, a carving knife and a bread knife. You may find that some sets will also come with scissors and sharpening steel. If your knife doesn’t already come with one, you should get a knife block. It’s the best and safest way to store your cutlery because it protects the blades from nicks and dents.

    Shun Classic 7-Piece Knife Block Set $645.00

    There are quite a few different types of knives. Every knife has a specific use, and you should use the proper knife for every cutting task.

    Chef’s knife: because it’s so versatile, this is probably the most popular knife. It’s the one you’d use for everyday chopping and slicing.

    Paring knife: has a blunt tip and straight edge. This knife is a bit smaller, which makes it great for precision tasks like dicing veggies.

    Slicing knife: is used to slice cooked meat. It works especially well for carving a turkey. It has a rounded tip with a very long, straight cutting edge. This long cutting edge enables you to cut large pieces of meat into clean, even slices.

    Carving knife: is intended for cutting through cooked meat.

    Bread knife: just as the name suggests, this knife is great for slicing bread. Because it has a scalloped edge, this knife will cut through soft, fresh bread without tearing or mashing it.

    Utility knife: is good for cutting almost anything. It’s a good all-around knife. You can cut fruits and vegetables easily with it.

    Santoku knife: a great multipurpose knife. It has all the great features of a cleaver and the versatility of a chef’s knife. This knife works very well for mincing, dicing and slicing.

    Boning knife: a narrow-bladed knife that works very well for removing the bone from meat.

    Cleaver: is a very large, heavyweight knife that’s ideal for chopping through meat and poultry with bones in a single stroke.

    Tomato knife: you guessed it – this knife is great for cutting tomatoes. The serrated edge allows you to slice through the tough skin of a tomato without tearing it.

    hope this helps. good luck.

    I don't know a whole lot about brands, I would test them if i'm considering purchasing one. A knife collection should be taken somewhat slowly. Think what you would use it for, and then test it in that circumstance.
    As for number, that depends on how many tasks you can do with each, and how many "specialty" knives you need. When I say specialty, I mean a knife that is needed for a task because you can't do it with any other, no matter how hard you try.
    To start, though, you'll need a good STURDY chopping blade. For good movement, get one that has a blade that is wider than the handle, because then you'll have finger, and you can use the whole blade.
    Second, a paring knife. This will do a lot of small work, such as peeling (if you can,'cause I can't), carving, and anything else where a large blade is too unwieldy.
    Next, there is the serrated knife, which I use to slice bread, carve meat, and whatever is too delicate and yet slighlty tough to chop properly, like tomatoes!
    Finally, a boning knife, which has a long thin blade perfect for cutting things like cakes, because there isn't much blade to get stuck to and drag, and crumble, and pull, and generally make a mess.
    I hope that is helpful.





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