Cooks?
- Thread starter TonyH
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Most of my pro chef buddies keep globals in their rolls. I use henckels at home.
Shuns seem to pretty popular home choices as well.
Shuns seem to pretty popular home choices as well.
Someone told me one day: A cook does everything a chef doesn't want to do.
I guess I'm a cook...
Henkel is my first choice, I got the main chef knife, medium knife and veggie knife. I must add that Henkel customer support is awesome! I sent them an email a couple months ago for something (one to Henkel Canada, where the knives where bought, one to Henkel Australia, where I live), both came back within 24 hours. Awesome! I have those knives for the past 6-7 years, great knives!!
I guess I'm a cook...
Henkel is my first choice, I got the main chef knife, medium knife and veggie knife. I must add that Henkel customer support is awesome! I sent them an email a couple months ago for something (one to Henkel Canada, where the knives where bought, one to Henkel Australia, where I live), both came back within 24 hours. Awesome! I have those knives for the past 6-7 years, great knives!!
I'm an amateur cook at best. I got into cooking for myself during college just because it was cheaper than eating out and it brought a sense of enjoyment.
I know very little about knives and such, but what are your opinions on santoku knives?
I know very little about knives and such, but what are your opinions on santoku knives?
At work I use
Misono UX10, 240 MM gyuto or chefs knife.
Hattori FK, 210 gyuto
Tojiro DP, petty or pairing knife. I forget the exact blade length, I think its 130 mm
I have other knives in my roll but these are the ones that get used.
For prep the Misono gets used the most. I am in the market for something to replace it, something in the 270 mm range. I have been looking at this for quite some time. The reviews are pretty good.
http://www.epicureanedge.com/shopexd.asp?id=85678
Its western handled brother also looks pretty nice, but I have read that the blade is thicker then on the traditional handled Yoshikane
http://www.epicureanedge.com/shopexd.asp?id=86482
My chef frequently borrows my knife or sometimes he will just take over my prep station.
At home I have some Hattori's, Tojiro's and a bunch of other stuff. Wustoff, Henkels etc.
To maintain them I have 5 different grit water stones.
I have a santoku at home and to be honest it doesn't get much use. My kids love it. Several guys at work have santokus and they like them. I just find it to be to small and not the right shape for me.
Misono UX10, 240 MM gyuto or chefs knife.
Hattori FK, 210 gyuto
Tojiro DP, petty or pairing knife. I forget the exact blade length, I think its 130 mm
I have other knives in my roll but these are the ones that get used.
For prep the Misono gets used the most. I am in the market for something to replace it, something in the 270 mm range. I have been looking at this for quite some time. The reviews are pretty good.
http://www.epicureanedge.com/shopexd.asp?id=85678
Its western handled brother also looks pretty nice, but I have read that the blade is thicker then on the traditional handled Yoshikane
http://www.epicureanedge.com/shopexd.asp?id=86482
My chef frequently borrows my knife or sometimes he will just take over my prep station.
At home I have some Hattori's, Tojiro's and a bunch of other stuff. Wustoff, Henkels etc.
To maintain them I have 5 different grit water stones.
I have a santoku at home and to be honest it doesn't get much use. My kids love it. Several guys at work have santokus and they like them. I just find it to be to small and not the right shape for me.
This is a great thread. I am just a hobbyist cook at home, but I am glad to hear that some pros prefer Henkels at home. Nobody ever brags on Henkels, anymore. They are what I have always used and I have never had any reason to change, except everyone always going on about their fancy Japanese knives and me wondering what all the fuss is about.
Tim
Tim
Their is absolutely nothing wrong with Henkels. They are a great knife. The German knives typically have much better fit and finish then Japanese knives. Handles are more comfortable, spines are rounded, rough edges are sanded smooth etc. Japanese knives typically have better steel, are harder, the blade is thinner and lighter. They also hold an edge much longer. All things being equal I want a thinner blade that will hold an edge longer. Its not that big a deal when cooking at home. Cooking at work is another matter. Cut up 50 lbs of potatoes, dice 15 lbs of tomatoes, dice 4 pineapples, 8 mangoes, 8 papayas, chop several bunches of parsley and cilantro, slice lbs of mushrooms, dice several onions, Julienne a couple of gallons of jicama, mince 4 cups of shallots, 4 cups of chives, throw in some protein prep like peeling and de-veining and butterflying 2 to 10 pounds of shrimp, clean a couple of whole tenderloins and then portion steaks etc etc, and the difference is noticeable. The volume of cutting is just very different. With my Japanese knives I can fix some of the fit and finish issues (if their are any) with sand paper or my water stones and time. The Misono ux10 as a line has great fit and finish but the steel isn't as nice as my Hattori FH. Both knives are also very light weight so its easier to use them for extended periods of time.
Part of what makes a chef's knife great is what you are used to handling. There have been times during the course of my working in restaurants where the knives that we had on hand changed. It took time to get used to the differences between the old and the new.
In general, I prefer a 10 inch chef's knife with a tall blade for general purpose work.
In general, I prefer a 10 inch chef's knife with a tall blade for general purpose work.
Over the years I've bought quite a few knives. From fairly inexpensive Mundials to German models then to Japanese. Now a few customs.
So what do I use? Depends on what I'm doing. For peeling and paring nothing in my hand beats a cheap Victorinox paring knife. For wacking leeks that are sandy a 10 inch Henkels. For boning out a chicken my Mundial boning knife purchased in 1979. For general slicing and dicing a Japanese guyuto (sp).
Still I guess I use whatever I have on hand.
So what do I use? Depends on what I'm doing. For peeling and paring nothing in my hand beats a cheap Victorinox paring knife. For wacking leeks that are sandy a 10 inch Henkels. For boning out a chicken my Mundial boning knife purchased in 1979. For general slicing and dicing a Japanese guyuto (sp).
Still I guess I use whatever I have on hand.
It's been my experience that the vast majority of professional chefs are amongst the least knowledgeable to ask about knives. Many will use whatever they used in school, and the rigors of their job demand a very utilitarian device. Few know how to properly sharpen, as well. Of course there are exceptions, but they usually confirm the rule. For every Ripert or Morimoto there are thousands of Dexter wielding line cooks
Old saying- what's the difference between an amateur and a professional? A professional has everything he needs, and an amateur has everything. So ask a chef how to cook, and ask an amateur knife nut for advice about knives.
The original poster is already in the 99+ percentile of knife owners- Henckels (I have a big drawer full of them) and Global are two terrific brands that just about everyone has heard of. Sullybob touches upon the remaining 1%, which can easily become a B&B worthy obsession.
Old saying- what's the difference between an amateur and a professional? A professional has everything he needs, and an amateur has everything. So ask a chef how to cook, and ask an amateur knife nut for advice about knives.
The original poster is already in the 99+ percentile of knife owners- Henckels (I have a big drawer full of them) and Global are two terrific brands that just about everyone has heard of. Sullybob touches upon the remaining 1%, which can easily become a B&B worthy obsession.
There is nothing wrong with Dexter knives. Well at least the old ones. Yes they do loose their edge faster but they sharpen up real quick also. Most of the Japanese knives that I have seen and worked with have very fine fit and finish.
Japanese blades seem to be quicker in the hand.
Ouch you are partly right. Most of the guys and gals that I have worked with have their own blades and take very good care of them. It is your everyday line cook or prep cook that uses the cheaper blades. Mainly because they do not know better and they also receive lower pay and must rely on what is in the kitchen. Which in most cases is pretty poor. Usually due to said kitchen doesn't want to spend the dough on something that can get lost very quickly.
The problem with Henkels and other German style knives is that the heavy bolster starts to get in the way of sharpening by hand. After awhile the bolster will come in contact with the board before the belly or edge of the knife will. If you file down the bolster while sharpening you eliminate that problem. It is just extra work.
Japanese blades seem to be quicker in the hand.
Ouch you are partly right. Most of the guys and gals that I have worked with have their own blades and take very good care of them. It is your everyday line cook or prep cook that uses the cheaper blades. Mainly because they do not know better and they also receive lower pay and must rely on what is in the kitchen. Which in most cases is pretty poor. Usually due to said kitchen doesn't want to spend the dough on something that can get lost very quickly.
The problem with Henkels and other German style knives is that the heavy bolster starts to get in the way of sharpening by hand. After awhile the bolster will come in contact with the board before the belly or edge of the knife will. If you file down the bolster while sharpening you eliminate that problem. It is just extra work.
I have a Dexter cleaver I've used every day for 25 years.
Would go the same route, but not a pro, or even a cook for the public.
Love Henkels, and absolutely adore Global's.
They are a bit more fragile than the German steel, so I would love to have a block of both brands.
I take my cooking seriously, it's just I have no formal training, and getting my timing down so everything is finished at the right time is my biggest challenge.
- Thread starter
- #14
It's been my experience that the vast majority of professional chefs are amongst the least knowledgeable to ask about knives. Many will use whatever they used in school, and the rigors of their job demand a very utilitarian device. Few know how to properly sharpen, as well. Of course there are exceptions, but they usually confirm the rule. For every Ripert or Morimoto there are thousands of Dexter wielding line cooks
Old saying- what's the difference between an amateur and a professional? A professional has everything he needs, and an amateur has everything. So ask a chef how to cook, and ask an amateur knife nut for advice about knives.
The original poster is already in the 99+ percentile of knife owners- Henckels (I have a big drawer full of them) and Global are two terrific brands that just about everyone has heard of. Sullybob touches upon the remaining 1%, which can easily become a B&B worthy obsession.
So I'm curious Ouch...are you implying that I don't know knives or that I don't know how to cook? It would seem that my pedestrian knife choices are not up to your standards, but by your own admission I have what I need. Knives are very personal to the individuals that use them, and what really blows one cook's hair back may be totally wrong for another. I suppose that being in the spirit of open mindedness I will follow your advice and stop asking my master mechanic uncle for advice on auto repair and just start using the amateurs at the parts store instead. They're probably more fanatical and professionals rarely are informed anyway, right?
Although I am no longer a cook, I was one for nearly 8 years. Three knives were all I ever needed in those years. Thus my roll held just a steel, a Wusthof Classic 12" Chef's Knife (great for quickly plowing through piles of mise, nimble enough - with practice - for just exactly perfect brunoise), a Wusthof Classic Paring Knife and a Wusthof Classic Boning Knife.
At home, I prefer to use a 10" Vintage Sabatier Chef's Knife in high carbon. Compared to the monster German blades, it is like driving a sports car.
At home, I prefer to use a 10" Vintage Sabatier Chef's Knife in high carbon. Compared to the monster German blades, it is like driving a sports car.
I'll bite.
I can see where you gathered that, from where I said "the original poster is already in the 99+ percentile of knife owners".
What I meant is that if you already have what are regarded to be some of the better knives available but want additional insight, chef's may not be the best place to go.
What exactly what did I say regarding that? Was it "ask a chef how to cook"?
They're not, but-
What you need is up to you, not up to me. I would never suggest otherwise.
Of course they are. So why did you ask if you didn't want to entertain responses?
By all means ask for his advice regarding auto repair. But I'd advise against saying to him "I have a pain in my chest, what do you think it is?" (I also wouldn't ask that of a podiatrist.)
They are expert within the confines of their profession. Which brings us back to my original point- cooks are expert professionals in the art of cooking but it has been my experience that most of them don't know very much about knives.
Whatever else you decide to read into my comments is simply that.
- Thread starter
- #18
Ok Ouch. For starters, I'd like to apologize for a bit of hostility. The intent of this thread was simply "Hey, here's what I use. What do you use?". I wasn't interested in criticizing what anyone else wrote or liked, and certainly wasn't looking to classify anyone based on their choices. You don't like what I use, fine. I use what's best for me and don't feel the need to be the guy in my kitchen that everyone asks "What's that?!". Sticking with my earlier analogy, if I were on a mechanics forum and said "I use Snap-On, what do you use", I wouldn't expect to be insulted for my post or lumped by another "expert" into a tidy category based on my three or four sentence post. I come to this site for fun, to read what other guys are into, and to (very) occasionally offer my own opinion. I just didn't expect the kind of tone that I read in your response, nor the derisive attitude that I feel was directed at me simply because I choose one thing over another. I'm aware that Ferraris exist, but I drive a Ford. I didn't think that it mattered that much among adults.
I'll sign off now, again offering apologies for being testy, but wiser for the knowledge that I should just keep my opinions to myself and go back to lurking where I won't be concerned with being insulted.
I'll sign off now, again offering apologies for being testy, but wiser for the knowledge that I should just keep my opinions to myself and go back to lurking where I won't be concerned with being insulted.
Don't go back to lurking. There are many different people here with many different opinions. I didn't think anyone was being critical of yours, just offering different opinions.
For what it is worth, I have known excellent cooks who use high end knives and others who use those white handled safety knives. Fact is, restaurants are demanding, fast paced environments in which knives often take a beating. Bringing a high end one into a kitchen is just asking for trouble. Its far too easy to envision a pastry cook using a Hattori Damascus to cut on a stainless counter top simply because it is the closest knife. Or a prep cook cutting a few gallons of tomato concasse. Nope, my Wusthof took and held a good edge, devoured everything that came its way and could still cut a gallon of small diced carrots - each one identical to every other - or spend the afternoon butchering chicken and lobster. What more could a professional cook want out of a knife?
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One learns more by participating. Damm the insults, full discussion ahead!
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