Professional chefs are very specific when it comes to the tools they handle. In fact, the performance of any chef in a professional environment is highly dependent on the quality of the tools. Chef knives always play a vital role in a restaurant and professional kitchens. The chef’s knife is arguably the single most important tool used in cooking no matter the type of kitchen.
A typical chef knife will start at 7 inches and can be larger depending on preference and usage. It will be the most commonly used one in a professional kitchen. This makes this knife worthy of as much attention as it can get. Selection will play a vital role in the efficiency and safety of the chef using the knife. So, here are some of the major considerations when selecting a knife for a pro chef:
1: The Usage and Purpose of the Chef Knife
Firstly, you need to consider the usage and purpose of the chef knife. If the chef is buying the knife on their own, they would be in the best place to make the decision. However, different cooking styles, ingredients and a few other factors contribute a great deal to the type of knife required.
Generally, Japanese blades are thinner than European ones. Japanese blades can be extremely sharp enabling them to make very clean cuts. These types of knives are more suited for meat cutting and other jobs where precise cuts are of the essence.
Hardy ingredients like potatoes, squash and others will need heavier knives too. Salads usually need lighter knives. However, no pro chef will ever complain about a knife being too sharp. A sharp chef knife will be able to handle everything you can throw at it. However, it will ultimately come down to personal preference and user-specific needs and requirements.
2: Feel in Hand and Weight Distribution
How the knife feels in hand in terms of its materials, grip and weight distribution, plays a vital role as well. Work efficiency is highly reliant on how the chef is able to handle the knife. Some chefs will prefer a greater force associated with a heavier knife. Others will like a lightweight option.
Also, the length of the blade and the handle are very important as well. A shorter blade helps improve precision while a longer blade helps cut large ingredients. There are medium lengths available as well. Also, the balance of the knife is subjective. Different chefs will prefer differently balanced knives. Some will prefer handle-heavy knives whereas others will like blade-heavy knives more.
Handling the knife, you should be able to judge if it tends to lean to one side when cutting straight down. Knives made for right-handed chefs will have no angle at the edge on their left side. A 50/50 balanced knife or one that has the cutting edge on the opposite side suits left-handed chefs better.
3: Type of Steel and Its Performance
The hardness and toughness of the blade and its ability to stay sharp for longer will be dependent on the type of steel used. Also, hardness and toughness are both very important for a pro knife. Professional chefs are always cutting hard ingredients including meats with bone.
High-grade stainless steel is known to be one of the most popular materials available for knife-making. It is also rust-free and ages very well too. However, it usually is lower in hardness which may make stainless steel knives lose their edge sooner. Carbon steel is made by mixing iron and carbon with a few other metals in small amounts. This makes for sharper, harder knives. However, these turn out to be a bit more brittle and can rust as well.
Determining the right type of steel is very important. Handmade, forged steel chef knives are the best when it comes to longevity and usability in all requirements.
4: Function Over Form for Pro Chef Knives
Of course, like all things, some knives are made prettier than others. However, pro chef knives should never be judged on the way they look. Little details like the color of the handle and any designs on them can be accepted. However, to go beyond this for a pro knife set invites lower-quality knives.
Attractive blade finishes, colors and other design elements can work well for casual knife users. But, when it comes to professional chef knives, how precisely can they cut and how long will they keep their sharpness, should be the bigger deciding factors.
Even the slightest lower-quality chef knives will wear out rather quickly. What you don’t want is to keep looking for new knives all too often.
5: Cost
The cost of the chef knives will play a vital role as well. Some of the best chefs that are using their knives very frequently, go through quite a few of these. So, it is important to get a chef knife that falls in a good price range. Too expensive chef knives will never be easy to acquire for many kitchens.
Also, when you buy from a good supplier, it is quite easy to find a good quality knife at a reasonable price. However, chef knives will usually cost more than regular knives. Make sure to visit our chef knife page to find some of the best chef knives that are priced right for every requirement.
Why Buy Professional Chef Knives from Damascus Knife Hub?
Damascus Knife Hub is one of the leading chef knife brands in the USA. We have a wide range of custom knives available for every requirement. Our handmade forged steel chef knives are made to last long while keeping their sharp blades. Also, these are the easiest to sharpen as well.
Additionally, we have chef knife sets available for all requirements. All sizes of chef knives are available. Also, we make sure only the best materials are used in our pro knife sets. These will boost efficiency while offering the best product on the market at amazing discounted prices.
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