Features, types and rules for choosing chef knives

In everyday life, many of us are accustomed to using comfortable and sharp knives in our kitchen, the quality of which cannot always be called ideal during active work. If this instrument is chosen incorrectly, then it often causes the appearance of painful calluses, severe pain due to a pinched nerve in the wrist. By purchasing a high-quality knife for the head chef, you can now effortlessly and as quickly as possible butcher any type of meat, poultry carcass, make a neat shredder, and quickly chop the greens.

This is a proven device over the years, on which most professionals choose for excellent balance quality, comfortable handle and extremely sharp blade.

Povarskoy is the biggest knife in the restaurant kitchen and it looks really impressive. Its length reaches 300 mm, it has a rather wide and sharp blade. Thanks to this parameter, it can even be used as a spatula to move already cut products. The indisputable advantage of this cooking device is not only in its versatility, but also in its low weight - it is quite light, so even girls who work as cooks in the kitchen can easily use it.

The main advantages of this device are as follows:

• it is the most convenient knife to use in both professional and ordinary kitchen;
• perfect for cooking dishes of European and Russian, Eastern and Southern cuisines;
• provides a high speed of preparation of any dish.

The chef's knife will be the main tool in your kitchen. Its usual length is 20-25 cm or even a little more.However, an overly long blade may not be comfortable for everyone. It is with this kind of chef's device that about 90% of the daily work of preparing dishes is performed.

The ability to use it correctly is a whole science. These knives are used by high-class chefs in the kitchen, striking ordinary people with their masterly preparation of complex dishes. The thin part of the product is neatly sliced ​​and fresh herbs are chopped. The middle part is needed for chopping cabbage, cutting into cubes. The thickest part closest to the handle is used to cut the meat, chop the bones of chickens or fish.

The flip side of this chef's tool can be high-quality beating off tough meat or easily cracking a nutshell. In professional hands, a chef's knife is a rather functional device. You should not use a chef's knife to carry out such complex work as chopping meat or poultry carcasses, they do not peel large vegetables with it and do not open cans.

Among the huge variety of modern chef knives, stand out The 2 most popular options are European and Japanese... The main criterion for their difference can be considered the sharpening feature. The European version will be sharpened on both sides, with an angle of 20 °, the Japanese tool may have the usual sharpening on one side, with an angle of 15 °, but you can also find sharpening according to the European model - on both sides. Professionals fundamentally distinguish between the European instrument and the Japanese Santoku, habitually using both. For the average man in the street, the question of choosing one of the options will most often come down to the convenience of their use.

According to the Rockwell scale, European products correspond to the most durable steels, which have a hardness level of under 60 units. For these tools, the main characteristic is a wide blade with a length of up to 300 mm. The line of the butt closer to the point will be underestimated, the tip is sharp. Such a knife is excellent for chopping, plating and even shredding, in order to quickly cut the meat of fish and poultry, all kinds of vegetables and fresh herbs. European products are divided into the following varieties:

• traditional German - very practical, solid and rather heavy;
• more versatile French - will cope well with the finest slicing of fillets, cheeses and fruits.

In addition, you can find options such as:

• Chef-de-Chef with a very thick and rather strong butt; it is used for cutting seafood;
• Super Cook Chef has differences in butt thickness.

Professional chefs use different types of knives from Europe in their work, depending on the goals and specialization of the restaurant itself. An ordinary person, most likely, will not even see much difference between the two products, but will highly appreciate the quality of sharpening of each blade.

Chef knives of Japanese origin are called Santoku, which means "a blade that does three different actions at the same time." Due to the high quality of the metal and high-quality balancing, this "descendant of the katana" has become very popular far beyond the borders of its Asian homeland. Santoku is great for slicing thin slices of fillets and fish, as well as crushing and cutting. According to the well-known Rockwell scale, this product has a hardness value from 58 to 61. This knife has a rather modest length of 120-180 mm, it has a straighter edge and a slightly lowered point.

Santoku, when viewed in profile, is a bit like a small hatchet. In addition, it has an impeccable polish, balance, and can also have special notches near the blade, which will prevent the adhesion of ingredients. Santoku is lightweight.The knife is very productive in work, is distinguished by increased ergonomics and attracts the eye with the laconicism of its unique design.

Sometimes you can find a Chinese knife in a professional kitchen. It features a wide rectangular blade. It is often called the "Chinese cleaver", although this tool has nothing to do with cleavers - its blade is too thin and light for this to be able to chop something rather hard.

But this product is extremely convenient for shredding, as well as high-quality and fast cutting. Serbian kitchen knife forged from tool alloy steel. The uniqueness of the Serbian chef's knife lies in the straight cutting edge with finer knitting and in the heavy weight of the blade itself.

According to the materials from which they are made, professional knives can be as follows:

• titanium - titanium spraying is applied to carbon steel, making the blade sharp and durable;
• with special plates made of Damascus steel - about 16 layers of carbon steel are applied to the base of the product; after prolonged polishing, the device acquires a characteristic pattern;
• ceramic - the lightest products, with a thin sharp blade; such tools help to preserve the original taste of products, they are convenient for cutting cheese, various types of sausages and various fruits;
• a stainless steel product is one of the cheapest options, the most affordable;
• kitchen products made of damask steel are knives made of quality material, which are distinguished by excellent cutting properties; such reliable items will not succumb to the effects of natural conditions and are famous for their increased wear resistance;
• high-carbon steel knives are considered the best; they can be both stamped and forged, while the latter are considered the most reliable and expensive among specialists.

A good knife will be made from a single piece of metal, and it should fit the entire length of the handle. If in the product the blade passes into the handle only partially or even ends at its beginning, then this knife will be considered weak and will quickly break. Sometimes professional knives can be made of glass or plastic. It is difficult to meet these models in ordinary stores, since they are chosen for work in a professional kitchen much less often. Such products can be found in the collections of experienced chefs who give master classes or participate in culinary competitions. Models made of glass and plastic are produced with restrictions and are much more expensive than the same products made of ceramics or steel.

If you ask the chef which knife is better, he will answer: the copy that will lie perfectly in your hands. Not only the appearance of the knife plays an important role in the selection, it is extremely important that the handle is ergonomic and comfortable for all types of grips. The chef's knife is usually selected individually for each professional. The material of the handle can play an important role, namely:

• steel - guarantees strength and acceptable weight of the tool;
• wood - the most comfortable and environmentally friendly handles; the tree lies comfortably in the hand, looks aesthetically pleasing;
• ceramics is lightweight, but will require the utmost care;
• polymers - these modern types of materials allow the handle of the knife to become very ergonomic and as strong as possible, but cheap plastic will be slippery to work with, for this reason the handles can be very smooth and with a "rubber" non-slip surface.

Chef knives are produced by many well-known brands.

• Especially popular today are manufacturers from Germany and Japan... Their knives are of high quality and the design is pleasing to the eye. Chef knives can be of different lengths, usually from 20 to 30 cm. The long blade allows for deep cuts in just one movement, which is extremely important for the finest cuts. "German style" knives have a slightly curved blade, which is excellent for chopping food with a swinging motion.
• Of the Russian manufacturers, the most famous is JSC "Trud", which began working in the 19th century in the Nizhny Novgorod region. Forged knives of this brand are of very high quality and are sold at an affordable price. Once the brand even received a medal at an exhibition in Paris for the best quality of its products.
• Everyone calls one of the most famous Japanese brands Kasumi Is a company that successfully combines Japanese traditions in the production of edged weapons with innovative developments in the production of professional cook tools. Such products look very impressive. Steel can be painted, titanium-plated or stylish patterns on the blade itself. Japanese devices do not need sharpening for a long time, their handle is perfectly balanced.
• The demanded Japanese brand is Hattori... All knives of this company are made by hand, so they can be called real works of modern art. You are not ashamed to demonstrate them in your kitchen.
• In Europe, the leaders in the production of knives are several companies at once, most of which are located in Germany... When purchasing German products, you can be completely sure of their high quality - all blades are made of hardened carbon steel, which is resistant to corrosion. German products differ from their Japanese counterparts in a more restrained design. Most often this is a traditional combination of colors - the blade itself is in a silver tone and a black handle.
• French Sabatier made by hand from high quality steel. They are distinguished by a thin handle and a rounded base, which makes them an extremely comfortable and elegant instrument. Arcos knives can also be called quite attractive. Their blades are incredibly durable. They serve for a long time and are able to keep sharpening for a long time.

Several companies are in the top German leaders.

• Wusthof - a brand that produces products of exclusive quality. The brand has been making chef knives since 1814. They are in great demand among many eminent chefs.
• Friedrich Dick has been producing products since 1778. Today the brand produces excellent knives and kitchen accessories.
• Zwilling manufactures excellent chef knives with a durable, rust-resistant blade. A characteristic feature of these tools is the fact that their blade is made from a single piece of steel.

When buying a chef's knife you need to pay attention to the following points:

• what material the blade is made of;
• sharpening quality;
• handle characteristic;
• the presence of different rivets.

If you do not prepare food at a professional level, then chasing famous expensive products does not make any sense. You will clearly opt for the most budgetary product that will fully satisfy your culinary abilities. For a professional, his main knife should have several characteristics.

• Maximum ergonomics. This means that it should fit comfortably in his hand. The cooks work extremely hard, so the balance of the product should not load the wrist or hand.Slicing should be done without effort, but as clear as possible. Therefore, you should select only a high-quality device, since a bad tool will spoil the food during cutting. When producing knives, brands should take into account the anatomy of the specialist's hands, the mechanics of the actions performed.
• Sharp blade. A dull or too soft blade will not allow you to cut the fillets as thinly as necessary. The length of the blade itself will also be of significant importance to many.
• The handle should be quite heavy. High-quality, ergonomic, without unnecessary elements, it will play the role of a balancing plumb line, with the help of which the blade will receive an additional impulse.

You cannot choose a chef's knife only by the brand name or by the high cost of the product. It should be right for you, be "sharpened" under your brush. A product that a male chef approves of may be too bulky or inconvenient for a female chef.

For information on what kind of knives chefs use in the kitchen, see the next video.