Being a chef is a job with many perks. Being surrounded by all that food and tasty dishes is what many of us dream of. But, don’t be fooled that it’s an easy trade. When you work in a kitchen there are many obstacles you need to face. But the same way an anime character can solve his problems by a simple drawing of a katana, a chef can make some problems disappear if he has the right tools. There are many things you need in a kitchen such as bowls and pots, but here, we are going to focus on a chef’s weapons – knives.
Rare are the dishes that can be prepared without using a knife. In the kitchen, a chef is like a knight without a sword without a proper knife. But, not all knives are the same. Some have more value than the kitchen operator and some less. You don’t need to be a professional to know which knife and when to use it. In this article, we are going to discuss the five most important knives you should have in your kitchen regardless of your professional status. Don’t look at what we’re about to say like it’s gospel but if you want to have a top-notch kitchen you’ll heed our advice.
1. Chef’s Knife
The centerpiece of any kitchen that wants to hold its ground against any professional one. If you want to have a decent kitchen you need a chef’s knife. It is easy to tell which knife this is as its blade is one of the widest you’ll encounter standing at least six inches. Some models even go up to ten. If you’re just starting to form your kitchen and are a pure amateur in the field of cooking this one is used for chopping predominantly. But, don’t think it has limitations. In the endgame, you can use it for many other purposes as it fits the bill ideally as an all-around food weapon. It is quite an international model as it comes in two shapes.
The standard French-style chef’s knife with a curved tip, and a Santoku knife originating from Japan (the anime metaphor makes sense now, right?) which has the so-called sheep’s foot as its ending and is somewhat shorter than the French variant. If you’re not familiar with the meaning of the sheep’s foot it means that the blade is pointing downwards. If you think that you need to equip your kitchen with more than knives you can head straight towards Cookinglife, and see what they have to offer. If you’re in a form more knives keep on reading.
2. Paring Knife
When it comes to kitchen knives they need to be paired if you want to have all fields of cooking covered. A paring knife is a perfect complement to the chef’s knife. It gets the job done in its place. They’re a perfect pairing like Rivaldo and Luis Figo, Picasso and painting, or Will Smith’s palm and Chris Rock’s face. When it comes to food and details this blade will get you the job done. It is a longsword in the department of kitchen knives as it is measured at almost 32 inches. If you want to bless your ingredients with detailed work you’ll use this one, there’s no doubt about it.
3. Bread Knife
A saw among knives. After the two knives from above, which are essential in the kitchen, you’ll understand that you can’t stop at two after seeing this one. A bread knife is what its name suggests, and this is precisely why you can’t do anything without it. It is recognizable by its saw-toothed edge which is recognizable even to children. What makes it a must-have in the kitchen is that it’s used for cutting the bread. If you want little to no crumbs you’ll go ahead with this one.
The serrated blade is one of a kind and when it comes to cutting bread it is unparalleled. The one issue that we need to single out is that it’s prone to getting dull. Most knives are, to be honest, but here’s a catch – this one is not easy to be sharpened. While other knives can easily e sharpened by an amateur, this is not the case with the bread knife. If it loses its sharpness you need to take it to a professional. Because of this trait, you can go a bit cheap when you’re buying this option. This shouldn’t be the case with the two above by no means.
4. Carving Knife
Let’s be honest here – your kitchen could live without this one. It is by no means necessary to a full extent. But? Yes, there’s a but. What about the holiday season? At the time of year when there are a lot of festivities, this knife shows its true value and potential. When the holidays come around the corner most of us focus on a specific type of food – roasts.
Think about thanksgiving and the turkey at your table. You’ll need a long knife with a thin blade. Yes, you could do this with a chef’s knife, but considering that this one is both thinner and longer you know why it makes sense to have it even if it’s once a year usage. No bone or cartilage is safe in the presence of this knife.
5. Boning Knife
We’re going to end our piece with this small but highly useful blade. The name of this knife says it all. It is used for boning various types of meat from pork and chicken to fish. It doesn’t have a straight blade which makes it ideal for doing the work around the bones and joints. You can even dissect a ribcage with his beauty.
If you’re a keen cook, having a good set of knives, especially with a knife block would be a good choice, as all of these issues with standard drawer storage can be avoided.
It is an ideal complementary piece to round up your kitchen’s collection. The name shouldn’t fool you, as it is not intended to cut through any bone, even the smallest ones. Instead is used to do the work around the ones and separate the meat from it. Of course, you need to use it with care as it is easy to injure yourself if you’re not careful.
