A well-equipped kitchen isn't complete without a set of quality knives. Different knives come with different purposes, and ensuring you have the essentials to hand will make food prep endlessly more efficient and enjoyable, as well as safer.
Here we explore the most common knife styles that you'll come across day to day, their unique characteristics, and what each is best suited for in the kitchen.
WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING FOR IN A BLADE?
Firstly, consider what your preferences are when it comes to blades. Do you prefer using a larger, weightier knife or a smaller lighter one? What material do you prefer your blade to be made with? For example, we at Katto use Japanese steel called AUS-10 and there are many reasons for this. The main reason is that Japanese steel is of such high quality, that it offers the perfect balance between a hard blade which means a sharper blade, and ease of care. This paired with the fact that the Japanese have been making steel and blades for centuries, dating back to the fourth century AD, shows us that this steel is a great choice.
This could be something like the Santoku, which is lighter and slightly more agile than our chef's knives but can still perform a huge variety of tasks. These knives are deeply rooted in Japanese history and have become a staple in kitchens worldwide. The term ‘santoku’ means' three virtues’ or ‘three uses’ which refers to their ability to perform three key kitchen functions - cutting, dicing, and mincing. This could be the perfect gift for an expert cook or someone who really wants to develop their culinary skills.
WHAT WILL YOU USE THE BLADE FOR?
At first glance, this might seem like an obvious question, but when you consider all the factors, there’s a lot to consider. The casual, at-home cook, might use a knife to cut everyday food but a chef or a real cooking enthusiast, will use a knife for all manner of things from the light butchery and filleting a large fish to dicing vegetables and cracking through crab and lobster claws.
You need something that’s going to carry the versatility needed in order to handle these demanding tasks. This is where something like a chef's knife comes in. Now as we mentioned, all our knives are made with that amazing AUS-10 steel, but the chef knife comes with a versatility and poise that is rarely seen in others like it. Due to its larger size, it's slightly more robust and can handle virtually anything placed in front of it.
One of our favourites is the Chefs' Knife. The perfect all-rounder, it is capable of everything from vegetable and meat preparation to carving.
Katto's Chef's Knives feature an 8.5" Japanese AUS-10 steel blade and hand-carved handle in either walnut, beech, or rosewood. They have a perfectly straight blade that tapers down to a finely pointed tip; whilst the robust heel of the chef knife can be used for these weightier tasks. This would be the perfect gift for a chef. Maybe you have a friend who has just graduated culinary school and needs a good knife or a veteran chef who deserves a present - this would be a great addition to any chef's arsenal.
MAINTAINING YOUR BLADE
Regardless of blade type, a knife won't perform its purpose - and can even become dangerous to use - if it isn't kept sharp. A sharpening stone is undoubtedly the best way to do this; you can follow our guide to using whetstones for best results.