About Chef's Knives | Chef's knife |
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From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia In cooking, a chef's knife, also known as a French knife, is a cutting tool used in food preparation. The chef's knife is an evolution of the butcher knife, and was originally designed primarily to slice and disjoint large cuts of beef. Today it is the primary general-utility knife for most Western cooks. A chef's knife generally has a blade eight-inches (20 cm) in length and 1 ½ inches (4 cm) in width, although individual models range from 6 to 14 inches (15 cm to 36 cm) in length. There are two types of blade shape, French and German. The far more common German design features a pronounced curve towards the tip of the blade which allows the knife to be rocked up and down, chopping the food with the belly and heel of the blade. The French design is more triangular, with much less curve at the tip and a longer straight section of blade; it is designed to be pulled towards the user, slicing the food instead.[1] Neither style is inherently superior; personal preference will dictate the choice. A modern chef's knife is a utility knife designed to perform well at many differing kitchen tasks, rather than excelling at any one in particular. It can be used for mincing, slicing, chopping vegetables, slicing meat, or even disjointing large cuts of beef or ham. In order to improve the chef's knife's multi-purpose abilities, some owners employ differential sharpening along the length of the blade. The fine tip, used for precision work such as mincing, might be ground with a very sharp, acute cutting bevel; the mid-section or belly of the blade receives a moderately sharp edge for general cutting, chopping and slicing, while the heavy heel or back of the cutting edge is given a strong, thick edge for such heavy-duty tasks as disjointing beef. Recently, a Japanese development of the chef's knife, the santoku (literally: "three good things"), a general-purpose utility knife, has also gained popularity in the West. The santoku is primarily designed for cutting fish, vegetables, and boneless or lightly-boned meats such as chicken. The santoku features a sheepsfoot blade with a spine that drops sharply to meet the hardened, acutely-ground cutting edge.
MaterialsThe blade of a chef's knife is made from one of these materials:
The handle may be made from:
Or any of a number of synthetic/composite materials. The edge may be ground in different ways:
ManufacturingFor a steel knife, there are two ways to fashion the blade.
Buying a chef's knifeSomeone in the market for a chef's knife will make a choice based on price, the cost of maintenance, and how the knife feels in the hand (often called the balance). Considered qualities may include cost, maintenance, cutting efficiency, edge geometry, corrosion resistance, and balance. Knife origin and culture also come into play. Typically, a Japanese chef's knife (gyuto) will possess different edge geometry and harder steels (60-62 Rc) than those of most Western manufacturers, thus allowing a more acute cutting angle. Technique Wikibooks has a book on the topic of Technique for the use of a chef's knife is an individual preference. Nevertheless, professional chefs commonly follow certain practices.  Perhaps the most basic difference in technique has to do with how the cook physically places his or her hand on the knife. Some prefer a grip around only the handle, with all four fingers and the thumb gathered underneath as in a clenched fist. Others prefer a grip on the blade itself, with the thumb and the index finger grasping the blade just to the front of the finger guard and the middle finger placed just opposite, on the handle side of the finger guard below the bolster. The size and shape of the particular knife, and the job it is being used to do, are also important considerations. Actually applying a chef's knife to different kinds of food in an effective way is a matter of demonstration and experience. For example, a good chef's knife can be used to dice both tomatoes and onions, but the characteristics of each vegetable require different motions with the knife which may not be immediately obvious without instruction. Some techniques seen on fast-paced cooking shows should likely not be attempted by anyone without professional experience. Regardless of how the knife is being used, the cook should be mindful of their own comfort, safety and confidence when using a chef's knife: a knife in hurried hands can cause a nasty cut. A good motto is "Know where the sharp part is pointing," the sharp part being the entire edge from point to heel. Knowing how to hold the food that is being cut is equally as important as knowing how to hold the knife, as the hand not holding the knife is the most likely to be cut. For example, when holding large items such as a head of lettuce, the thumb of the hand not holding the knife should never be tucked underneath. Professional chefs may develop very close affiliations with their knives and may not allow others to use them under any circumstances. Knife preference, in terms of length, weight, brand, and nearly any other criterion, is often hotly debated in restaurant kitchens, but even cooks at home should carefully consider a potential knife. A good chef's knife can be a family heirloom as treasured as a cast-iron pan. Extensive, ongoing use of a chef's knife may lead to a hardening at the base of the index finger sometimes called a "knife callus." See alsoNotesReferences
External LinksFree Culinary School Podcast Episode 1 A podcast episode that talks all about chef knives and knife skills. |
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