Pro Chef Tips.. Are Japanese Knives Overrated?
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- Опубликовано: 22 ноя 2024
- What Knives should you get if you are new to cooking or starting as a beginner chef? Today we will discuss just that! and also some makers and Japanese knives as well!
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I appreciate your input. We have a set of Cutco (before I knew that Cutco is crap...I spend a lot of time trying to keep them sharp because they don't hold their edges well). Dull knives are very dangerous, as you know. I thought your video was a good beginning primer. Looking forward to your future knife videos. As I understand it, the chipping is more about which type of steel is used instead of the style/design (e.g. Japanese, European). Hoping you venture into types of steel, and how to know what angle (bevel) you use to sharpen, since if you hold at the wrong angle you'll do more damage to the blade instead of sharpening it.
One comment I would have is that you didn't mention the tang. You talked about handles, but the tang needs to go the length of handle. Correct? The handle should sandwich the tang, and be visible.
the diamond pull sharpener do not work with harder carbon blades like japanese knives, you have a high chance to chip them and ruin them that way. Generally they are not great at best, most shittier than smacking your knife on a rock. If you buy a decent knife you need to know how to sharpen it, with stones its not hard, even a diamond stone to sharpen them (the flat ones like a whetstone) they don't need a lot of maintenance, sharpen fast and are pretty cheap. way better than those shitty pull through crap things. a few youtube videos and you know how to sharpen your knives. The bolster part not being able to sharpen yourself is a myth too, you can do that just fine but you can't go to the extreme point at the beginning no, but you do not use that anyway with those knives. What is most important for a good knife, is the steel and the handle being made for the jobs you need to do with them. All steel is not great if you do a lot of cutting, especially with oils or fat involved.
@@pr0faker not an endorsement, but I use the spiderco sharpening system. Seems to work on the cutco knives. The system can use bevels of 30 and 45 degrees.
Anyone to help to find spatulas that are thin and keep up with the heat?
Using iron skillet but still looking for some "space age" plastic like my old one that I sadly broke after heavy use of 14 years.
All that i have bought melt/shed small parts.
Preferably maybe polycarbonate or nylon. But they only sell really wide ones that cant bend correctly.
@@cubertmiso Mercer Culinary Hell's Tools Hi-Heat Slotted Spatula it full nylon or their Hell's Handle Heavy Duty line of stainless spatulas
What i would say with over 20 years of knifemaking experience is that the most important knife in your collection is a sharp one. Even cheap 3 dollar second hand stainless steel chef knives are often far superior in metallurgical properties than amateur hand made knives. Just the nature of the industry. Get whetstones and learn to sharpen and maintain your edge before you buy nice knives. From the coarsest stones to the finest stones.
This, I have set of knife for cooking out at friend's house. It's from cheap brand most come from dollar store. I sharpen it, and It's sharp than most knife I find at my friend's kitchen lol.
If I forgot at my friend at house? I'll go buy a new one because it's cheaper than gas money anyway.
Well said!
Well said, if you are that interested in knives learn how to sharpen them, its not hard and you dont have to send them out. I find it very relaxing.
Agree wholeheartedly! No sense spending $100+ for a great knife that you don't even know how to maintain. A $10-20 knife you can and do maintain will always be better than an expensive knife that's been worn out and improperly maintained.
i agree with the sharpening part and i think most japanese steels like vg-10, or aus-8 & aus-10 are very overrated & overpriced (zdp189 is great though, but not very stainless).
i don't think you find good or even halfway decent steel on a $3 knife though, that's the lowest of low.
get something with a decent american pm-steel either from carpenter or crucible, if you want damascus get something from the swedish brand damasteel, they are the only company that uses pm-steels for their damascus.
As an ex chef it’s refreshing to see a colleague explaining about knives truthfully rather than home cook bloggers showing off with their horrendously expensive Japanese knives which they don’t know how to use anyway.
Thank you! it means a lot!
Amen. I still use a Victorinox chef knife day to day. The only Japanese knife I own is a fish slicer I got as a gift from relatives who had no idea what I did beyond I was a chef.
Also many of those blogger japanese knifes are total scams - your paying hundreds for a bargain bin knife. I like to actually hold my knifes and feel their weight distribution.
@@Mark-nh2hs think there's generally a lot of suspicious knives that are hard to look up, might not be very easy to figure out which knives are from actual knife makers.
I really appreciate that you recommend affordable knives, especially for home use. I worked in kitchens for 30+ years and most of the knives have been inexpensive (and some as old as I was lol). They got the job done and were no less enjoyable to use (if you can consider chopping 20 heads of cabbage a 'joy' 😂).
Well done! I look forward to your other vids!
Thank you!
Thank you for this! A lot of influencers tend to make you want a Japanese knife or cleaver or those fancy metal zigzag blade mashed together ones and it made me feel like I was missing out but after seeing the price I just felt bad. A video coming from you, a professional chef, makes me feel better that what I own is good enough.
I know what you mean, but for everyday heavy use a German or French knife is a must. As in the west we tend to put our knives through a lot
Omg yes! There are so many knife snobs on RUclips that are all "You're not a serious home cook if you don't use this $5000 knife that needs to be sharpened with a stone of actual diamonds wet with the tears of a thousand angels".
Like dude, chill. I just wanna cut up a chicken.
You felt like you were missing out. On what? They're knives that you cut things with. REALLY? 🙄
@@cypeman8037 they look prettier, seem to do the job better, seem to be easier on the wrist. It's the same for any product like wishing you had a vitamix, or a kitchen aid, or an expensive dutch oven, or a hexclad. Glad you don't get influenced but there's a reason they are called influencers.
@@nollypolly I can't stop laughing @ stone of diamonds and tears of angels lol
Excellent overview, chef. Thank you for emphasizing the fact that you do not need expensive knives to be a good cook, and showing what you carry to work as a chef was a very nice touch as well. Thank you for also mentioning how fragile Japanese chef knives are, it absolutely breaks my heart to see people chip expensive and absolutely beautiful Japanese knives. Only thing I wish you would have glossed over is single vs double-bevel knives.
I've been using a carbon steel Chinese cleaver recently for most of my cooking at home, and I have to say, i'm pretty surprised at how well it handles. Despite its size, it's thin and light, so it it slices through most things effortlessly and is extremely useful for all but the most delicate work, like boning.
Thank you!
Great and very informative video, James!! I'm not a professional chef, I didn't study for that, but I grew up in the kitchen and since I was a teenager I worked in a lot of Mexican and Chinese restaurants, that's how I've learned a lot about knives and how to use them properly and sharpen them, especially to butcher and dissect a pig quickly, we always do that for christmas and new year.
Thank you!
Great video, an often overlooked subject! I have the Wustoff Grand Prix I set, got it for a wedding present 20 years ago. The wife's been gone for 15 years but I still use those knives every day.
very nice!
Still have grand prix knife set from around 20 years ago too .... ! Chicago cutleries, victorinox before that. And now move to kurosaki, shibata, tanaka, tetsujin etc. As getting older, love the light, nimble, and precision Japanese ones, very beautifully made too ...
I have a Victorinox bread knife as well, the one that's one step up from the one you showed. It has an identical blade shape, but with "extra quality", "Swiss made" and some mountains printed on the blade.
It cuts bread far better than any other bread knife I had used before, and while the ~60€ for it weren't quite cheap, I thought the performance was worth it.
However, during my recent stay in Asia, I bought a Seki Magoroku bread knife from the Japanese knifemaker Kai, for only 17€. It cuts even better than the Victorinox, making fewer crumbs and taking less force / slicing through faster.
Japanese mass-produced knives have very impressive value. The hand-crafted artisan knives are not the only Japanese knives worth looking at.
Now, for some reason the Kai Seki Magoroku Takumi bread knife retails in Europe for 75€. Since it performs better than the Victorinox, I'd say it's still worth the price, but it doesn't make for the crazy performance / price ratio it has at the price point in Asia. So if anyone makes a trip from Japan, that's one of the top picks for what to bring back home in your checked luggage. (Kai nail clippers should also be high on that list.)
Victorinox paring knives with the molded grip are a commodity in Switzerland. The can be bought in every supermarket and cost usually below 5 CHF/€/$. They are present in every household and are called "Schnitzer". I have a dozen of them in my drawer, the original short, the long version, serrated, shaping... I use them a lot, also to just open up vacuum bags etc. To do serious cutting I use the santoku a lot.
I LOVE hearing advice from professionals. I hope you'll do a lot more of these. Anything kitchen equipment related, best cooking and storage practices, how to meal prep, anything like that would be awesome and I'm sure we'd all love to hear your take!
Yes, I'd especially love to hear his thoughts on things like pans!
@@_bats_ agree 100%!
I love how you mentioned that what matters most is the usecase. I myself usually pivot between my chinese cleaver, a kirisame and a santoku for my personal main knives. Kind of funny how its a mood thing sometimes too
Been cooking for a living for a very long time now; this advice is spot on. My Victoronox 8" chef knife was relagated to my home kitchen; have had it 15 years? Still reasonably sharp, with minor work to keep it that way. Best bang for your buck knife you can get IMO.
Invested in others; but my current chef knife is the 9.5" Miyabi artesan. Just such a great knife, though the handle takes some getting used to.
Great video. If anyone needs a sharp, reliable knife, it is a butcher and their knives tend to be as cheap as chips. But, they use a steel nearly every minute. My worst ever purchase was a global diamond steel (today's rrp is £300, Eur 350, $385) it sits in a drawer. Perhaps my favourite is a Victorinox (I think - the logo has long faded) serrated palette knife.
The key thing is learning to maintain an edge on a knife is the most important thing. A cheap, sharp knife is a lot better (and safer) than a blunt, expensive knife
true! I will mention that in the next knife video. it is better to practice and learn how to sharpen with a cheap knife.
Can confirm. ... *Victorinox* knives are great quality at a fair price. From pocket knives to field knives to kitchen knives, they are awesome. I even have a Victorinox I.N.O.X. automatic watch and it's built just as tough as their knives.
They also have super grippy non slip handles. Perfect for a busy professional kitchen. They just lack the Sexappeal of your Wüsthof, Zwilling or high end Japanese knife. But you just can't beat them as a proper tool to get the job done.
@@thorwaldjohanson2526 That's why I love their fillet knives. When your hands are wet and slippery with fish guts, control over that sharp blade (and we ARE going to keep the blade sharp, are we not?) is a serious safety issue. Mercer, F. Dick, and Dexter also make great professional knives that emphasize operator safety.
I know you probably get more engagement on the reaction videos, and I enjoy them, but please don't stop doing the ones focused on your own recipes and cookery tips - always interesting to hear your view on a subject.
I will try, I'm surprised that this video is doing much better then I had thought!
yes please more videos like this and more of your recipes, Thank you, because your videos like this one is like a cooking class with clear description, straight to the point, no useless graphics and music, just direct to the subject, so WORTH every second of watching 👀 oh and inheriting 60 year old knives is like the knife is now a magical knife that will start talking if you accidentally cut a millimeter thicker than tradition 😅
Agree!!!
"We are finally going to be talking about KNIVES"
The martial artist in me made happy noises for all the wrong reasons when you said that.
The feel of the handle is absolutely the most important thing. Especially if things are going to get wet. Nothing hurts more than using any hand tool the rubs you the wrong way.
Excellent as always.
😂
I use Victorinox knives- both chefs and pairing. Many chefs I’ve spoken to in London have told me they use one themselves and that they can be used “roughly” and still last a decent amount of time.
I’ve used both Wustoff and Miyabi and found Japanese knives to require more skill and well trained technique to use well vs European knives which I found to be more beginner and finger friendly.
Money aside, long term maintenance should also be a consideration prior to buying.
Yes I would agree with that, Wustof, and others are easier to learn how to cut with.
Yea, I'd recommend the Victorinox chef knife for anyone who wants to make their life easier with a sharp, consistent knife without breaking the bank.
Agreed ❤
Victorinox is good value. I got a set that has everything I need and use it every time I cook. Sure, there are better ones out there, but they're much more expensive.
i love the calmness in your videos.
Thank you!
It makes me extremely happy to see that this video didn't have a plug from Kamikoto.
Also, never thought to use my bread knife on fruit. I can see that working really well on softer fruit.
Edit to add: I think that sharpening knives is more important then the knife itself. A cheap victorinox will work great IF you keep it sharp. A Wustoff will be crappy if you don't keep it sharp.
Over the years I've come to prefer the Japanese style knives. I've got a Santoku, Nakiri knife and Babish put something out he calls a clef that I've been playing with. I don't know why I've just never been fond of the French style chef knife. I started using a WorkSharp manual sharpening system to do the heavy sharpening but I invested in a Warthog sharpener for the touch up sharpening - I don't use a steel that much because of difficulty with the angle but I do strop them fairly often.
That's just me experimenting to find what works for me with the least energy - I have plenty of time but I lack energy due to chronic fatigue syndrome.
Very useful advice. If I can add some more:
1) The single most important factor in terms of knife quality from the performance standpoint (aside from sharpening, which is entirely controlled by the user) is the steel.
Everything that James said is correct; stainless steel is easier to care for and easier to sharpen, carbon steel can be made sharper but is harder to sharpen and prone to chipping, etc.
However, within those two categories there is great variation.
Sticking to stainless steels, not that Japanese knives are not all carbon steel; AUS-8, AUS-10, VG-10 and VG-MAX are all high quality Japanese stainless steels, in increasing order of hardness and (usually) price. Any of those are more than fine. Avoid AUS-6 and VG-1 (not horrible, but have been superseded) and especially 420J, which is cheap steel for cheap knives (do not be fooled by "out-of-the-box sharpness", it is far too soft). They are still usable, but be aware that the maker is really cutting corners.
Among other stainless steels, avoid 440C and never ever buy 440A; usually made in China, terrible performance, not worth the money.
The most common stainless steel is X50CrMoV15, which is a great choice for the average user in terms of a balance between hardness and durability.
If it is impossible to determine the steel used for the knife, assume the worst. Also, I am sorry to say that if the knife is a Chinese brand, there is a fair chance that the steel is not as listed (but reputable brands made in China should be fine).
you could make bad knives with good steels or decent knives with bad steels.
just going for more reputable brands would probably be good, but there are a lot of knives.
@@smievil I do not think that a knife made of bad steel can be considered decent.
If the knife is well assembled and made of good steel, you are most of the way there.
You can have the best steel in the world and if it's not heat treated and tempered correctly, and ground with good cutting geometry, it will not perform. That is why Victorinox and Mercer knives are so highly regarded and such terrific value - their mastery of process and quality control is unsurpassed.
I'm a huge fan of the chinese vegetable cleaver, it's the best $20 piece of kitchen equipment I've ever bought. I use it for almost everything, and find the only other knives I need to use for home cooking are a bread knife and a small serrated paring knife. The chinese vegetable cleaver has a wider blade, so it can double as a cutting board scrape-and-transfer; and after getting used to the size, shape, and slightly different weight distribution, I find it quicker and more 'maneuverable' than the standard french chef knife, at least for home cooking applications, to the point where I get frustrated with the amount of effort I need to use to cut with a french chef knife, especially large amounts of things.
I completely agree, I also mainly use my Chinese style cleaver (and some smaller Victorinox paring knives that I bought in a set). Cutting is very quick and acting also as a spatula is very convenient.
Totally with you on that one. The cheap $12 Brown & Co. 8" cleaver I bought 30 years ago is still a daily use in my house (I happened to retire from professional cooking just after I bought it. Otherwise, I'd be on my 5th or 6th, by now. Its not a high quality knife). It was suggested by the chef I worked for when I got tendonitis from using a regular French chef knife for a decade in the professional environment.
I always find it so funny that the average Chinese cook only needs one knife, while the entire western world needs a knife block full of cutlery! 😂
Great advice. There are also some excellent budget Japanese knife brands that allow people to experience the performance of Japanese knives at home without great expense and high maintenance. For example, Tojiro and Takamura knives.
I was going to say, Shun and Miyabi are basically scams.
"Masutani" seem quite affordable and particularly thin knives, maybe a bit small in general, and limited to santoku, nakiri and maybe average sized chef knife.
thin and halftang probably makes them a bit fragile but they might feel good.
@joa8593 Not sure l would say scams, but they are more heavily marketed to westerners who often have no clue how to use and care for them, and are generally overpriced for what they are.
When starting to cook at home, it can be helpful to consider a smaller knife (e.g. 5-6 inch chef's knife or santoku). It's a lot easier to control especially if you are a smaller person and/or are working with a smaller chopping board and kitchen space. It can help build confidence with a knife much faster than with the 8 inch knives which most people recommend.
Very true
Really interesting. I love my knives. I’ve had my Sabatier knives for ages. I’ve some super cheap ones too. One with a small serrated edge and large circular end for cutting tomatoes from my mum! Totally agree that you hold the knife first in the shop. Any decent shop is ok with that. Your knives have stories behind them, that’s the way it should be. Each knife comes to you, gifted, handed down or bought, and they age with you.
I'm european, but I've been using chinese cleaver style knives (tao) for everything except cutting bread for 5+ years. Never going back to western style knives. The movement, having 2 fingers on the blade instead of one, balance, everything... just feels so much more natural and easier to me. Surprised they weren't mentioned at all in this video.
Love my Kiwi Nakiri, will grab a pricy one if I get the chance. Maybe not the best for every task but for copping up vegetables it is awesome.
Many chinese cleavers are designed specifically for vegetables with only one sharpened edge. I worked with wok chefs that used them for everything. I tried them out a few times, but they are not as good for breaking down meats as a western style knife. With the heavier emphasis on large cuts of meats in western cooking it's pretty obvious where the influence of popular knife shapes comes from in different cultures.
Nice, thanks for this man. It's so hard keeping all this info straight when you barely cook a few hours a week for yourself and/or your family. Thorough information but efficient as always.
Another important consideration is the balance of a knife: blade heavy, handle heavy or neutral. This affects your fatigue and performance. Thanks for posting :)
Yes it is and that's why it's better to hold the knife in your hand before buying especially when buying a good quality knife
Is there a preferable one amongst those three? Or it depends on the person/use for the knife? Just curious, I've never had a blade heave knife and I think it would feel odd tbh.
@@Yugurta85 For all around use the best is clearly neutral, feels nimble and fatigues you less. Blade heavy is interesting for cleavers as it multiplies your force for heavy chopping and a handle heavy may be good for small ones like paring knives cause it tends to stay in the palm of your hand and the blade acts like a finger.
The weight is seen by balancing the knife over your finger (where the handle meets the blade), if it leans forward it's blade heavy and viceversa.
@@Yugurta85 .. the type of grip you use on the knife also plays into the balance. If you primarily grip the blade (pinch grip) with the handle resting in your palm with just a finger (or two) on it, the balance point will be considerably further forward than the same knife using a different grip. Other things go into that as well. Is there a bolster? Is there a finger relief in the choil? Is it a long blade like a yanagiba or sujihiki? Is it a cleaver? etc.
I love the rocker shaped blade of a French chef's knife. I appreciate your excellent tips. ⚔️
Thank you!
Thanks for giving us knowledge in regards to kitchen tools. They're absolute must haves.
not a problem!
i have 5 main knives as a home cook... paring knife, boning knife, bread knife, chef knife and a slicer knife, as a retired butcher i also have a butchers boning knife, steak knife and cleaver as i still prepare my own meat on the bone. also wet sharpening stones and sharpening steel, taking care of your knives is key, a blunt knife is a dangerous knife!! great video!! love your channel and content.
Yes it is very important! and yes, you are right. You can cut yourself easily with blunt knives. Thank you! 😉
@@ChefJamesMakinson Thank you, keep the content coming please 🤩
I have recently switched my bread knife with one with an offset handle. I find that it is a lot easier to use, and that I now use it for more non traditional uses.
you are spot on like always. i have lost or destroyed so many knives so i will buy cheap stuff only, just good enough to get the job done!
Yeah I know what you mean, its not fun to ruin an expensive knife
No kidding. I had a moment of absolute horror when I discovered that the "cheap" cutco chef's knife id been mistreating horribly for a decade is actually quite pricy
at least it still works alright, but now I feel a little bit anxious whenever I think about it or look at the minor chips in the blade. I might have to buy myself a cheap chefs knife just so I can feel at peace when using it or accidentally leaving it in the sink!
If you find the a utility knife more handy than a chef's knife, keep an eye out for models where the blade is slightly dropped from the handle. This will give you more clearance. Spyderco's Z-Cut comes to mind if you want to test the concept without spending too much. It's like a small utility or a large paring knife, and will replace both in many cases. Also works as a boning or fillet knife for smaller tasks. I was cleaning some pig hearts a while back and it was great for that. I kinda prefer a narrower blade when I don't need the heft of a full size knife.
I would not recommend a honing steel, especially if you go wild banging your knife against it over and over like the chefs on tv. Get a completely smooth one if you must, but a very light touch with a ceramic stick or a very fine stone will give you better results. A leather strop is unnecessary as well, if your sharpening is done right.
I see absolutely no practical reason to get anything but stainless steel knives. If you enjoy the other options that's fine, but the advantage is not there.
I very much agree with not needing to spend much money, and the importance of how well the tool fits you personally. Test all the ways you're going to grip the knife. In many ways the handle is more important than the blade, which is basically going to be good enough on any reputable brand knife. Just try to avoid poorly ground blades, e.g. the thick and low hollow grind you see on many inexpensive consumer knives. Very often the first sharpening/re-beveling will increase the performance of your knife. The majority of knives have thicker edges than necessary, and they can be fairly stressed from factory sharpening.
Pick the knife that feels good in your hand. That was exactly the advise I got when looking for a quality knife at a good knife shop. All the knives they sell will be of good quality, cheap or expensive. Price is less important than how it feels. I actually wanted to buy a Global chef knife, I love how they look, but found I didn't like the weight and shape of the handle and went with a Wusthof instead. A decade on and I am still very happy with my decision.
I worked with a few chefs that I'm pretty sure just bought Globals for the look and cache. Every time I tried one out, it just felt wrong in the hand. The heft of a Wusthof made most kitchen tasks easier. The Global just felt like they were skidding all over the place.
Great video! I would say absolutely spot on info for the home cook. I have around 50 years of cooking at home and have had many knives in that time. The Wusthof and Victorinox are the ones that ive always kept.
Glad it was helpful! :)
Wusthof are great in my opinion - I've been using them for nearly 40 years. Not the cheapest but very good. Victorinox are excellent value if you don't want to spend too much - they'll certainly do the job.
I'm not exactly new in a kitchen. I'm 65 years young and have been cooking since 1974. I just needed a new knife. I ended up buying a stamped 20 cm German style chef's knife at my local store for $18. It's simple, it balances exactly where I pinch the blade when cutting and it's sharp. At that price I'm not afraid of sharpening it myself when needed. I'm always happy to get good advice. Thank you.
I started some 40 years ago (when I left home) using whatever I could afford. 20 odd years ago, I purchased a good selection of Henckels. Three years ago, I started moving into Japanese knives. My recommendations are pretty simple. Don't rush into Japanese knives. Research the steels used for the core and critically evaluate your sharpening skills using stones. Understand how cladding works and which type of cladding material suits your level of care and knife skills. Learn about the tradeoffs of each core steel type (hardness vs. sharpening difficultly vs. edge retention). There isn't a single "best type", just as there isn't a single "best shape". Don't get a single-bevel as your first or even second Japanese knife. The sharpening of them is quite different than the more normal double bevel. Like western knives, there are some knives that are rather narrow in focus, but make a world of difference if you're doing that thing often. If you've got a friend that uses Japanese knives, ask them if you can do some cutting. Thin blades are amazing to work with, but won't tolerate much abuse. Thick blades can be workhorses, but can also do some incredibly fine work. These days, I know which core steels I prefer and can sharpen well on stones. I know which style handle is comfortable to use all day long. I have my cladding preferences based on what I'll be doing with the knife. I know which blacksmiths I prefer for the type/style of knife in question. There's only one blacksmith I'll blindly purchase from - because he knows what he's really good at and doesn't make knives just to fill a slot. Otherwise, don't get hung up on a single blacksmith and thinking all your Japanese knives should look identical. Be critical. Understand yourself and how you work. What works for me might not work for you and vise-versa.
They're tools .. and tools should make the work enjoyable, not harder.
It's a big world. I use for example old german wooden handle cutlery, they also have thin blades (8-10°). As they are not from professionals, abuse is not much a problem, on 5 old poorly maintained knives only one had one small chip.
Thx for the review. Chef here. One little beginners secret... I went to Academy Sports and got myself a cheap filet knife in the fishing section. Along with my other beginners knives, I just bought a cheap slide through sharpener and they've lasted me 5+ years. Obviously not as sharp as when I first bought them but still kickin!
He dropped the knife video! i had no idea you could use a bread knife for fruit, good stuff
For pinapple is super...
@@Fishrespectsuper what? bad?
The only knife for used in cold station for fruits vegetables and breads and sandwiches. Also a petty or pairing knife.
Bread knife is great for slicing tomatoes
@@dankarkoulas1323 I was gonna say that! Although a smaller serrated knife is more comfortable for this
i still have my Mercer knives from when i took Culinary school 10 years ago. They are a great beginner knife and more merciful if your learning to care for them. i remembered Seeing some of the Students buying these Japanese knives but there was one that stood out i could see she was very serious and eventually replaced those knives with a couple Japanese knives and JA Henckles but she knew how to maintain them is what made the difference between having them for show and properly using caring for them and of course get a whetstone and a honing steel to make your knives last longer and the don't forget the Cardinal rule of Knife care never ever throw them in the Dishwasher alway hand wash them. This is a fantastic informative video for Beginners and home cooks to learn about the diffrent types of knives out there.
I never appreciated what difference it would make to have a really good knife until I had one. A few months back. I got a nice $130 knife for about 60 and it has boosted my culinary game significantly. Also just being able to make nice. Even fine cuts easily is so worthwhile
I'd argue you need:
-good steel (plenty of options)
-sharpened
-good balance and hand feel
You probably got them all. There are cheaper knives that fit the bill, tho.
@@BarAlexC Blade geometry is more valuable than simply being sharp because a blade with great geometry will still cut well while not so sharp.
I spent 15 years working all levels of kitchens (literally Beard Award winners to corporate chains). I started my collection with a 8 inch Henckels Classic chefs knife. After a few years I moved up to a 10 inch Wushtof. After a couple years the Wusthof handle cracked. They are not supposed to do that. I took it back to the local knife shop and they replaced it for free. I've handled every major brand and quite a few unique knives that came across the hands of my colleagues. My personal favorites for tasks - the 10" Wusthof Chefs, the Victorinox bread (1000x better than Wusthof), 12" Wusthof granton edge slicer (not necessary for most but great to break down large fish and slice big roasts), and 4" Kuhn Rikon paring knife that comes with a plastic sheath (they come in a lot of colors and the sheath means you can slip in into your pocket - this has saved me when working massive banquet facilities. They are also pretty cheap), and lastly a 6" Kiwi stainless steel thai chef knife. This last one is great for vegetables and occasionally slicing meats. It was less than $10, super light weight, and has become my wife's favorite knife at home.
I do not own a Japanese knife. They are fantastic. They are also expensive and fragile. I've never seen one in a professional setting that was not chipped and most likely missing it's point. The Kiwi I mentioned above checks all the boxes for me a Japanese blade would and I can buy dozens of them for the same cost.
My advice to new chef apprentices and cooks starting out is to get a good set of Victorinox stamped knives. They are durable, sharp, easy to maintain, and at least half the cost of a forged euro blade.
TL;DR - I pretty much second everything from the video.
I really like your reaction videos but I’d love to see more of this type of vid. Really puts your skill set and knowledge to good use
Thank you! The sad thing is these videos I don't think are that popular
@ChefJamesMakinson people love the drama, me included! But keep at it, you are super knowledgeable and your calm demeanor is a really good fit on more educational stuff
@@ChefJamesMakinson One can end up feeding the other. With your reactions racking up your subscribers and clicks, these videos will show up a bit more and gain more traction. Only a matter of time until they get to just the right spot in the algorithm and the popularity of these videos will spike as well. Fingers crossed :)
@@grambottle033 thank you! I hope so!
I can't wait to see what you have to say about the japanese knives. I'm a home cook, but i decided to spend a bit more on a chef's knife (~$80) than you intimated needed to be done, but i have to say i'm happy with my choice. it's coming up on time to either learn to sharpen it properly or go have it sharpened though...
I am planning on it now!😉
3) If you need this advice, the chances are that you would do best with a X50CrMoV15 knife (or equivalent) that is not TOO sharp, because a thicker blade edge will keep its shape far longer. Ironically, people who watch RUclips videos that obsess over the sharpest knife possible may fall into the trap of making their knife so sharp that it becomes dull immediately, and performs worse than the knife that started out less sharp but holds up to regular use far better with minimal maintenance (which is what most users do).
Which is why you need to look at the blade core metallurgy, sharpening angle, and what you will be cutting with it. People like to brag about their expensive Japanese SG2 cores at 10deg sharpening angle with cryoduro to 64 hardness and 160 layers of damascus around it, but those edges are delicate. Be careful with it! A knife like that would be hanging on my wall in a beautiful display box, NOT used in my kitchen!
@@TheCyberMantis Well, it would be spectacular for cutting sashimi, especially if you never even touch the cutting board. I regularly use three chef’s knives (because I have them): a gyuto that I keep very sharp that virtually never touches the cutting board, a German profile that I keep
quite sharp and use for high-volume rock chopping, and a French profile with a more robust edge that I use for the harder stuff. Not that much ever use all three at the same time, I am not a fanatic about it
Nailed it. I'm a chef, sharpener and tutor and you just told the bottom line, exactly what I say to the kids and customers.
When you're serrated Victorinox is so worn it's annoying, don't chuck it, take the edge back and you have a lovely ham / carving blade.
Excellent video, thank you.
For homecooks and beginners I recommend not to go in the more expensive Japanese until you can handle them. Probably MAC or global G-2. As a pro chef I have almost only Japanese, mostly carbon steel who ranges between 150-500$.
I enjoy the MAC knives more than globals for sure
The trio that I think are most important is a good Chefs Knife, a Serrated Knife, and a Pairing Knife. For me, I like the offset Serrated Knives because it feels like a Chefs Knife in my hand, but that is a personal preference.
The best, most comprehensive video on cooking knives. Thank you James.
Very welcome!
I went with the 15 piece Chicago Cultery Essentials set at walmart, and it's served me well as a home cook. No problems whatsoever. The only thing missing was a big chinese cleaver, which I picked up at a restaurant supply house.
My dad grew up 15mins away from Solingen so whenever I travel to Germany to visit the family I make it a point to go to the Henkels factory, they have the shop there where you can even get some B stock for a discount. The steak knives I got, it took me a few years before realising there was a bevel ground on the spine and that tossed them in the B stock bin!!
very cool that you got to visit!! :)
I have a stainless-clad carbon steel bunka that was on the low end of decent (around 130 euros) that was my first proper knife and it was a total game changer. I got one that was a little smaller than I would have liked because I live a sort of itinerant lifestyle, but I really, really love it. The clipped point is great for more fine work so the knife is extremely versatile. I basically do everything I need to do in the kitchen just with a bunka and a bread knife.
Victorinox for me (single home cook). I bought an 8” chef, 5” chef(utility) and a paring knife. I inherited my Mom’s Victorinox serrated bread knife too. I also bought the Victorinox honing steel and it keeps my knife edges smooth and sharp. Eventually I guess I will have to sharpen the edges of my knives but as a single home cook that is a long way off.
I also inherited a chunky santoku knife that I did sharpen and I use it to chop hard stuff like root vegetables. Very handy and it saves the finer edges of my Victorinox knives.
After going down the rabbit hole multiple times, I’ve stuck with just 3 knives in the kitchen: Bob Kramer Carbon 8” Chefs knife, 3.5” pairing knife and a 5” pairing knife all from bob kramer. They’re high maintenance, but I barely ever have to sharpen them, even though I use them every single day. Amazing knives.
kramer knives! very nice!
Good advice. My fist knives were Victorinox and they are still going, 30 years later, wood handles and all. They do feel heavy and clunky though compared to my newer Wustoff. Three, though, is the magic number. It’s all you need. 😊
Well said! 😉
I bought a pile of 70s and 80s Chicago Cutlery knives, many I don't even use. I used that brand in the slaughter house I worked at in my youth. I bought a very reputable stone a few years ago, but I seldom use it. I am a home cook, and what I use I take very good care of and I keep them as sharp as I can with home tools. A several years ago I was given a sharpening wheel, about 24" in diameter. Soon I will restore it. CC knives now are not respected at all, but in my day, they were the brand of choice for basic home/work use.
I've held a few really old CC knives and you could tell they were well made quality tools. But these days you're more likely to find CC as cheap junk in WalMart. It's a shame to see that.
@@ericepperson8409 It is a shame. I hope to retire in a year or so. I am crossing my fingers that I can find a good home for about half my knives. Somebody who loves to cook and isn't enamored with having expensive Japanese or German knives.
I have two Chef knives. A Japanese one made by Goko which cost me a fair bit but I love it, and goes back in its box after each use; and also a Victorinox one which is easy to keep sharp, and I use that for chopping things I don’t want to damage my expensive knife with. I also have 2 victorinox paring knives, and a knife that I saved from an old set that keeps a decent edge. Makes such a difference, having sharp knives that are looked after.
yes it does!
It never occurred to me to have my initials engraved on my knives. Thanks for bringing it up.
My favorite knife is a cheap carbon steel utility knife from the 70s. I sharpen it maybe once a year. Ihave very small hands, so its always been my preference.
Used to have Wustoff and they got lost in the moving. I prefer santoku knives to the western chef's knife. I do have a 6" chef's knife that is easy to use. Most of my knives are cheap ones bought at Walmart, Amazon and restaurant supply stores. I sharpen them even more so upon opening the packaging. They do well.
At two different Hilton Hotels, the GM wouldn't allow sharp knives, saying they were dangerous. (Epic eye rolling!). Needles to say, I didn't stick around for long.
Because I use my own knives at work, I don't spend much in them. Even so, someone has lifted my Choice $5 knives. Also it seems that institutional kitchens such as the homeless shelter or soup kitchens never fail to buy knives, utensils and cookware from the dollar store. So again, I bring my own to work so I can get my job done.
I know lots of knife snobs too. Maybe its just me but they all silently scream insecure person to me. My sister is the biggest snob. She also spent 6k on copper cookware. The most she can manage is to try to warm up something from a can or attempt ramen. She screws that up.
yeah copper is not cheap! you don't have to spend a lot of having good equipment!
@@ChefJamesMakinson I tried to tell her that to no avail. Let her screw up instant ramen.
Copper has been my favorite metal since childhood. I love the shine and gleam it has. A tea kettle and jam pot sate my desire for copper. That said I love my stainless cookware that didn't break the bank.
One other benefit I've noticed of a full bolster is that the blade will somewhat self-align making it easier to get nice, straight cuts.
I'm a home cook, I bought wusthof classic knifes and I'm really happy with them. My father is a cook so i'm used to propper knife handling, and I also have sharpening set (vise+stones). They don't need to be sharpened very often, it's quality steel, they are propperly balanced and nice to handle.
Great video! Thanks for presenting helpful information in a way that anyone can learn from.
I have a beautiful Zwilling J. A. Henckels chef knife I picked up a few years ago. Someone was selling it for $10 at their garage sale because they thought it was too dull to be any good. I sharpened it as soon as I got it home, and have been keeping a nicely honed edge on it ever since. It's so good and was such a steal!
I also like Mercer knives quite a bit. A friend of mine was surprised to see them as the knives used in her culinary school, but after using them she became a big proponent and recommends them to everyone!
Thank you! Zwilling is good!
The fact that your 3 picks for home cooking are the 3 exact knives that are currently sitting on my cutting board, makes my reptile brain very happy!
😉
Your advice is excellent for the average home cook, line cook, or student. I just have to add that nothing cuts quite as well or is as aesthetically pleasing as a beautiful hand made Japanese carbon steel knife, that slices product with thrilling precision and leaves cut surfaces gleaming. I am a home cook but I cook every day, care for my knives meticulously, and sharpen them with fine stones. Sometimes I just look at them. They make prep an enjoyable experience. It's clearly not for everyone (including my wife, who thinks I'm nuts).
Hi James. I always find you so informative. You are very knowledgeable. You even teach in your reaction and review videos. Love it.
I appreciate that!😉
I have a couple of chef knives. One has a very small heel, and I use that for filetting or cutting crap off of big pieces of meat like brisket.
The other one is a pretty large vertically wise one that I use for regular use.
I love to use the Santoku for chopping veggies as it is designed to allow for less food sticking to the knife.
Last is the Pairing knife which is just for whatever, peeling potatoes, opening up product packaging.
Keep 'em sharp and you will always be a happy chef!
😉
I like those kinds of videos. I bought that German peeler from your essential kitchen items or whatever it was titled. Already have many of these knives, but still a good video.
Thank you!
Hi, I was looking to get a new set for my new house. I typed in best knives for the kitchen and one of my favourite you tube guys (Chef James) popped up. Thank you sir ❤
This is a great guide. I actually have a Victorinox multi tool that I got 12 years ago. Every knife is still sharp (not razor sharp but enough to get the job done). I'll have to check them out.
I can't STAAAAAAND it when people at work disrespect/steal others' property, man. It's such a LOW thing to do. Just thinking about it, is raising my blood pressure.
Great knife video, brother. You said everything I would have, and a little bit more...but you knew that already, right? haha
I have more knives than I will ever use. I don't even use a utility knife. Of all the ones I have, I keep coming back to that $11 Santoku with the hammer end, which you've seen so many times in my videos. Had it for years, I don't need to baby it, and it never lets me down. I've used it so much now, that it's really the ONLY knife that feels like a, "friend," when I pick it up.
I have a sharpening stone, which NGL, I never use. haha. I just keep using my honing rod instead....
I have a Portuguese version (Made by IVO, but with Solingen steel) of the Zwilling Professional "S". While it is every bit a premium knife, it lives in the cupboard. I still prefer my $11 thingie, man. haha
Bro hugs!
hahaha if it works for you that's all that matters! it would be funny to see a chef start at a nice restaurant and bring out a set of Ikea knives to use! haha
I live in Sweden and I always recommend Japanese knives Global to everyone. I especially recommend the standard model G-2. Great ergonomics, great steel, and most importantly, a great price. Of course, you can buy expensive knives to impress guests (and boost your ego, like you're a great chef) such as Yaxell Ypsilon or Myabi 5000MCD (yes, I have them and yes, they boost my ego) but I will always recommend the basic model Global. A very good model for beginners and enthusiasts.
This is a great video. Just bought a set of Mercer Culinary Millenia series. Each knife averaged ~ $20. I spent more on a better set of kitchen shears from Material, The Good Shears they were $35. Whole set will last me a lifetime as a home cook.
My pull through diamond sharpener from Warthog USA and a Work Sharp Kitchen Ceramic Honing Rod cost more than all of the knives combined.
Now THIS is how you explain Kitchen knives ! none of the nonsense of most other channels that also point you to their signature japanese knife series ;)
I would have never suspected that they expect you to bring your own tools (knives) very interesting
stay safe
Thank you!
@@ChefJamesMakinson just calling as I see it .. I have no natural filter lol
Good Content! Thanks for that! The Knife that i use most of the Time is my Victorinox 5.2000.15 the Rosewood-Handle last very long without care... (no dishwasher) For me the Knife is perfectly balanced, easy to sharpen and cost here in Germany around 30 Euros, that is fair... Have one new in reserve but my first one is in use for more than 10 years....
Just invested in a Kramer Carbon 2.0 and I absolutely love it. I love the carbon steel when it patinas and shows the history. It also forces me to do dishes right away rather than procrastinating
I have a 6.5 inch Shun nakiri knife and it is a really nice knife. Its a beautiful knife and it works really well. It cuts through hard ingredients quite well and it is sharp.
Thank you. Self taught amateur here, Victorinox are my go to knifes, they can get sharp but do dull easily. They can be brought back easily with steels you mentioned. They are a great working man's/high volume type of knife. I do have nicer knifes for at home or something special at work. Being vocal, loud and a manager helps. I'll tell and yell at them if they use/help themselves with my prized knifes. You have too. Same with some of my teflon cookware. I also try not to get too many in rotation as like you said others start helping themselves or stealing. Vary good advice sir.
i always recommend wusthof knives for serious home cooks. its a serious knife that can do serious work, holds an edge well when sharpened. but most importantly for home use is that in my experience their steel can withstand some mistreatment and abuse.
😉
Very good summary, I don't work in a professional kitchen tho, so don't have to worry as much for chipping. Love my Japanese knives ☺️
Thanks for watching!
I have a 3-piece Fiskars Sensei knife set for about 150€-200€. I love this set.
Funny thing is, I literally live 20km from a Victorinox factory and they‘re so ridiculously expensive here in Switzerland. But they‘re good Knifes.
Yeah the pronouncing on Wüstenhof was quite wrong haha.
We also have a bread Victorinox knife and it‘s been in the family for over a decade. The Chefs knife I use is also from Victorinox but as just a home cook it does the job. I have also a tournament knife from Victorinox but no idea to what that would translate in English.
Thank you for the nice content James! As usual your calm and informative way of explaining is not only good teaching but also very relaxing!
Thank you very much!
Tourniermesser would be "turning knife" in English
Best advice on engraving initials on your knife! I do that with my tools to prevent “ mix ups”. Good video!
Thank you!
Good solid basic advise, great video. I'm still using my father's knives made by people like Gustav Emil, decades old and doing a fine job at home.
I've been advertised Japanese knives a lot lately and I don't know which brand is the best. Thank you for the video James!
Great video! Lots of common sense, was very pleased to hear you give a love of wisdom to the younger generation. Being I'm over 50 I use Old Hickory 1095 carbon steel knives. Keep them razor sharp. For the home cook they work great. As you mentioned. Carbon steel does require a level of care. That hasn't been a problem since I make knives. Look forward to your in-depth view on this subject.
Thank you!
I really enjoy the feel of Henckels. Always had great success with their knives but as we
went to culinary school they supplied our gear with Wustof's. Great quality knife but
nothing beats the grip of a Henckel. I went to the hardware store and bought super
durable tape and put around the handles. Red in colour!
😉
The best chef channel I've seen yet. Thanks for sharing your knowledge.
Wow, thank you!
I also have a serrated, folding Victorinox pairing knife that I throw in my pocket or apron. Comes in handy.
A folding Victorinox pairing knife? nice!
Thanks for this in depth knife tip video. I have some nice knives but I always find myself using the ceramic chef’s knife. It’s light, it’s sharp and it just works. Of course I chipped my first ceramic knife after a week of use, but the second one is 3 years old and still strong.
ceramic knives are delicate
Incredibly useful video, thank you!
I've been cooking at home so much more frequently and a lot of that is thanks to your videos.
Every recipe of yours I've tried has been pretty awesome.
Great to hear! :)
Thank you for the advice, chef. Your suggestions are great for either starting out at home or working in a kitchen. I've been working as a prep/line cook and have done banqueting for 7 years now and your suggestions are spot-on. I especially like all the kitchen supplies you recommend along with the different brands of knives. I use a Victorinox chef's knife, bread knife, and paring knife on a daily basis and highly recommend them. One thing I'd like to also highlight is the importance of taking care of your knives either with a whetstone or diamond stone. I would also highly recommend getting a cheaper or used chef's knife to practice with until you get the hang of it. I was able to get my knives razor sharp, but I also left some nasty scratches on one of my chef's knives after sharpening. This is why I'd recommend starting with something cheaper and practicing with that until you get your technique down. This way you can avoid that mistake I made when starting out. Thanks again and look forward to checking out the rest of your channel.
Thank you so much! I try my best haha don't work to hard!
Great video! Yes, my good serrated knife is the only thing that works well for cutting pineapple slices and removing the spiky flower nubs
they do work well on pineapples! 😉
I have a Shun Classic Kiritsuke, a Chinese style 8" cleaver, a Victorinox boning knife. Other than a cheap bread knife, this is all I need and my favorites.
😉
The bread knife is also a Mercer. 😂 I have a western style chef knife but I almost never touch it. Henkel.
The comforting and good grip of handle is really important and each person have different feeling to it. I have long fingers, so it's sometime pretty annoying to find the one that really fit my hand.
I recommend a heavy cleaver if you not sure about ability to keep your knife sharp all the time because the weight and shape of most cleaver will help you cut thru thing easier
Sincere thanks, James, for posting such a fair-minded, rational assessment of kitchen knives, with such clearly expressed, practical reasons for your recommendations, backed-up by your personal experiences. A very valuable contribution both for your professionals, and for the general home cook.
Mind you, I love my Japanese knives (although I only buy the medium-priced ones), and gain much pleasure in using them. Still, I consider myself lucky to be able to afford them, and to have the time and energy to look after them properly. Depending on type (eg carbon steel), they do require dedication; many are now being made in stainless steel or variants thereof that are lower maintenance. And I still have my trusty Wusthofs, a set of which I bought decades ago. Can't praise Wusthof enough, as they have been, and remain, "great friends " to me in my kitchen!
you are welcome! I don't think I will ever stop using my Wusthof :)
I have plenty of good knives, definitely use the chef, utility, and paring 99% of the time. I really like my 12" chef not for doing lots of work, but I like the balance. I would get a few and spend more on a sharpening system. Edge Pro Apex helps maintain angle and has lots of stone options.
a brand that i love that is in a medium price range is the TUO knives. they have a great feel on the handle, hold an edge fairly nicely and dont break the bank. easy to sharpen too if you know how to do that.
I almost got myself a couple of Japanese knives to upgrade my kit after watching too many videos on youtube. But the more I thought about it, the more the extra maintenance required compared to European knives just felt like a massive pain in the back. I'm all for simplicity. So I went for Victorinox Fibrox and I couldn't be happier.
Great video, thank you!
Great basic overall information!! Can’t wait for more in-depth knife videos. I’m only a home cook but addicted to knives!, lol
That's what Guga Foods claims himself to be. He does not consider himself a chef, but he is world class in making BBQ steaks and has hundreds (if not a thousand) knives.