What are your "must haves" in the kitchen?

[B34NS]

I hardly a chef, but I do like to cook a bunch of different random things. I just wanted the input of some more seasoned "cookers" as to their preferences in regards to the most basic must have blades... I'm sure many would love to have the full selections available, cleaver and butcher knife all the way down to a 1/2" clam knife, and everything in between, but you really don't "need" 13 Knives to get around the the kitchen so I wanted to know what you guys fealt are the most basic "needs", like if you went to someone else's house (who is hardly a chef), and started preparing a meal, what Knives are the ones that every kitchen, even the most basic, should have available... If you had zero Knives, say your kitchen burned down or your ex kept them all, and you had to start from scratch but were on a tight budget, what are the first Knives you would look to reacquire to get back into preparing decent meals?

So far really great suggestions in here!:thumbup:

Here's my current home setup, granted many of these are retirees from kitchen service in fine dining. Some I've had well over a decade. The 9.5 MAC chefs (to the right of the serrated) and the 5 inch MAC utility (in between the boner and skinner) are my most used day to day. If I lost those, they'd be my first to replace. Nice balance between stainless and carbon, western and eastern designs, easy to maintain, and realitively inexpensive. Similar brands like FKM series Fujiwara and Tojiro offer similar benefits perfect for home use, usually more affordable than the MACs in some cases, but just as good if taken care of.

 

[davegreg]

Chef's knife — 8 to 10 inches;
serrated knife;
Paring knife;
Serrated knife

 

[haburn]

You really just need 2 knives (or 3 if you eat a lot of crusty bread)...

1 Guyto
1 Petty
(breadknife)

For home chefs a 180 - 210 gyuto will be perfect (females tend to like smaller knives), and a 120 - 150 petty will be fine.

The next question is carbon or stainless, i prefer sanmai with carbon core and stainless clad.
You also need a leather strop with a diamond spray, and if you are into it a stone to sharpen the knives.

Most makers can't do a great kitchen knife, you might be better off with a Torjo DP (stainless).
The ones that makes a great kitchen knife will cost you really heavy.



A leather strop and diamond spray works insane good on 5200 steel

Solid advice right here. The only thing I would say is to note that one might interchange the petty with a parer, but some petty's could be called a parer. I suppose different makers/folks differ in the nomenclature they use.

 

[ichor]

Some might argue that once you get the gyuto, the nakiri and santoku are a bit redundant.

+1 the gyuto is plenty.

 

[tsarloff]

I suggest a quality (avg. price between 50 - 100 dollars and due diligence in selection process) new French chef knife 9 to 10 inches long as your first and in the beginning as your only knife. Use it for as many tasks as you can...a chef relies on his main (chef) knife for 90% or more of his tasks. Learn to sharpen, steel and clean that knife like it's your first born. Then and only then proceed to your next knife. Knife sets always seem to be a bargain but other than the chef knife (and paring) they are rarely used. Basic knife care: never use a power device to sharpen a knife (to much material can be unnecessarily taken off ,heat developed can change knife hardness) ...always wipe clean your knife after every use prevents cross contamination....never place knife in dish washer.....place knife in a knife block / slot/mag strip after use.....use cutting board not plates or a granite counter.

 

[ichor]

I can almost 100% agree with this advice. But it goes just a little too far. I think it borders on irresponsible, if not cruel, to suggest that a person in the kitchen (particularly a beginner buying his/her first knife kit), use a 10" chef knife for everything. Sure there are those who can peel a carrot or potato with a chef's knife. Few and far between. And those who can are mostly just showing off. I think its downright silly, if not stupid, when there should be a 2 1/2 to 4" paring knife just inches away. YMMV.

 

[MangoFreak]

I realize this is a knife enthusiast forum but I am of the opinion that buying niche knives for a specific purpose is a complete waste unless you are a professional.

The only things you need are:

8-12 inch Gyuto/Chefs Knife, length being determined by your comfort level and space you have to work with. So many chefs suggest the big guns without realizing they're total space hogs in small kitchens

4 inch paring knife or 6 inch petty, depending on preference.

8-12 inch Bread Knife. Even if you don't cut a lot of bread its unbelievably useful for slicing tender things like tomatoes or fatty meats without misshaping or crushing the food.

Everything else is on a need to need basis. If you break down a lot of chickens or something, a boning knife is useful. If you slice a lot of meats then a Suji might be handy, etc etc

 

[tsarloff]

To ICHOR: What a wimpy response to a logical approach to becoming a skillful knife user! Peeling vegetables may not be easy with a chef's knife and one may take a little more carrot off the stick than necessary but my advice is far from irresponsible... beginning cook or not. Your assumption that stratagy9 or any other prospective cook is a klutz , mine is that he is an eager student willing to do what's needed to become a good cook or chef. Your training wheels have been on way too long! GAG

 

[Rhinoknives1]

A lot depends on what you like to cook and how you purchase your meats/fish?

Most of the folks that buy my knives purchase their meats & fish a;ready broken down. Also, NEVER spend more than about $25.00 on a bread knife. You need the teeth to saw through crusty bread, bagels etc. You do not need a serrated knives for tomatoes or meats if you know how to sharpen or get your knives professionally sharpened.

It also matters how many are cooking? Does the man cook? the Lady? Putting guests to work for large holiday meals?

My typical set for one of my customers is hardly ever more than five knives.
9 3/4" or 7 3/4" Asian chef, or Euro style up to 11 3/4"
6 1/2" rhino chop for vegetables, cubing meats.
9 3/4" carving/Slicer with a fork
6" utility/slicer/ sandwich knife
4 1/4" Mini Santoku for small chopping of vegetables, Radishes for the lady of the house.
Paring knives 3 to 4" two usually works fine.

 

[ichor]

4 inch paring knife or 6 inch petty, depending on preference.

8-12 inch Bread Knife. Even if you don't cut a lot of bread its unbelievably useful for slicing tender things like tomatoes or fatty meats without misshaping or crushing the food.

Everything else is on a need to need basis. If you break down a lot of chickens or something, a boning knife is useful. If you slice a lot of meats then a Suji might be handy, etc etc

I have no need for a bread knife if I have a really sharp chefs knife (and fewer crumbs) there is a huge difference in the uses for a 4" parer and a 6" petty knives . a 4" parer is used for...well paring. Petty/utility knives are for slicing that tomato, on which you apparently want use a chefs knife. If I break down chickens, I can do it just fine with a chef knife. If I am "boning" chicken I will use a paring. See Jacques https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C1TVuntUh2Q I think you are genuinely confused.

 

[ichor]

To ICHOR: What a wimpy response to a logical approach to becoming a skillful knife user! Peeling vegetables may not be easy with a chef's knife and one may take a little more carrot off the stick than necessary but my advice is far from irresponsible... beginning cook or not. Your assumption that this individual is a moron, mine is that he is an eager student willing to do what's needed to become a good cook or chef. Your training wheels have been on way too long!

Oh Oh PLEASE Mr. 5 posts, tell me how stupid I am. There's NOTHING logical about your approach. Ask any professional chef if they peel carrots and potatoes with a freaking chefs knife. LOL

 

[tsarloff]

It's not if they do it's if they did. You ask them if they think it's a good idea to become as skillful as possible with a chef's knife is important in all aspects of fine cooking. Your agreed with me nearly 100% now your getting mad because your conflicted. 1492 posts do not a chef make. GAG

 

[ichor]

You ask them if they think it's a good idea to become as skillful as possible with a chef knife is important in all aspects of fine cooking. Your agreed with me nearly 100% now your getting mad because your conflicted. 1492 posts do not a chef make. GAG

I'm not in the least conflicted. And I'm not even slightly "mad". I stand by my original post that I agree with everything you said except using a full size chef knife for peeling small vegetables Not logical to me. If its logical to you...do it. But I still don't think you should give beginning chef the idea that professional chefs peel small veggies with and 8-10" chefs knife....cause they don't. You know it and I know. So, shall we just agree to disagree?

 

[tsarloff]

Your still getting the wrong idea. The training required to use a chef's knife competently is extremely important. It's not like I'm saying one can never use any other knife but a chef's knife. It's the idea of taking one step at a time, becoming proficient at one thing before moving on to another. Peace and love

 

[strategy9]

Well this thread started getting interesting...

First, thank you all for the input. I do appreciate it. To give some quick insight to my purpose behind this thread, no, I'm not an aspiring chef, (although I am eager "student" in life). Without getting too in detail, I find myself in a rather unique position, working in the steel business, rather discontent at times, on the verge of potentially acquiring pretty much my choice of equipment from a full machinist/metal shop, and have a passion for sharp things. That, coupled with my ever creative juices since childhood currently stagnated in my present situation, but longing for a new outlet, I very well may embark on knife making as a new full blown hobby within the next yeat or so, and this was a piece of the "R&D" puzzle if in fact that plan plays out... Now I'm far from an expert, but one of my strengths is being able to acknowledge and embrace my weaknesses, and remain teachable. I presently have in my countertop block a set of an 8" santoku, a 7" euro style chef (that ofy times leaves me longing for more), a 6" utility, (my mini-chef), a 3" paring, and a 3" curved paring knife, and I find it sufficient for nearly every task I face, but as I pointed out earlier, I'm also hardly a chef... Just a guy that likes to cook from time to time.

I also have a drawer of "extras", a 2nd older set, mismatched pieces, in there is a boning knife, a bread knife (though I do like to keep my counter top Knives sharp enough to cut bread with ease, most people come over when my Knives are " dull" and compliment me at how sharp I always keep them), but I wanted input from more seasoned cooks as to if I was missing anything, as resources will be limited early on, but if I were to make a basic set of kitchen Knives, what Knives should I be most focused on, and which ones could I leave for a later date.

Again, all the input here was greatly appreciated...

 

[B34NS]

Oh Oh PLEASE Mr. 5 posts, tell me how stupid I am. There's NOTHING logical about your approach. Ask any professional chef if they peel carrots and potatoes with a freaking chefs knife. LOL

I've had to do it a few times, not the most fun when times against you. When you have to peel more than 50LBS of anything, this is all you'll ever need, or want. For other peeling, a birds beak paring knife is living the good life. We use a lot of tools in commercial kitchens, never just one.

 

[Rhinoknives1]

Well this thread started getting interesting...

First, thank you all for the input. I do appreciate it. To give some quick insight to my purpose behind this thread, no, I'm not an aspiring chef, (although I am eager "student" in life). Without getting too in detail, I find myself in a rather unique position, working in the steel business, rather discontent at times, on the verge of potentially acquiring pretty much my choice of equipment from a full machinist/metal shop, and have a passion for sharp things. That, coupled with my ever creative juices since childhood currently stagnated in my present situation, but longing for a new outlet, I very well may embark on knife making as a new full blown hobby within the next yeat or so, and this was a piece of the "R&D" puzzle if in fact that plan plays out... Now I'm far from an expert, but one of my strengths is being able to acknowledge and embrace my weaknesses, and remain teachable. I presently have in my countertop block a set of an 8" santoku, a 7" euro style chef (that ofy times leaves me longing for more), a 6" utility, (my mini-chef), a 3" paring, and a 3" curved paring knife, and I find it sufficient for nearly every task I face, but as I pointed out earlier, I'm also hardly a chef... Just a guy that likes to cook from time to time.

I also have a drawer of "extras", a 2nd older set, mismatched pieces, in there is a boning knife, a bread knife (though I do like to keep my counter top Knives sharp enough to cut bread with ease, most people come over when my Knives are " dull" and compliment me at how sharp I always keep them), but I wanted input from more seasoned cooks as to if I was missing anything, as resources will be limited early on, but if I were to make a basic set of kitchen Knives, what Knives should I be most focused on, and which ones could I leave for a later date.

Again, all the input here was greatly appreciated...

I've been making knives for my livelihood for going on 20 years and if you want to get into making Culinary knives I suggest that you start with the one that you have a burning desire to make. 8" Chef? 4" Parer? 6" Petty? My first culinary was 7" Santoku because I wanted one and at the time I didn't have the money to buy the one I wanted so I made it!

Have fun & stay Safe.

 

[strategy9]

Thanks... I used to do construction in my younger days, dock building and roofong mainly, some other odds and ends as well though. Went school to work on cars for just over a year. Did log cabin fabrication and finishing in a steel foundry before as well... All that combined over the years I actually have a pretty extensive know how around tools of all sorts, including grinding metals and wood work, and I am 110% confident that I can make a decent knife with the right materials and tools available. I'll be starting that route, grinding, as it would be well within my comfort zone, and maybe down the road I'll look into the art of forging. Attend some "seminars", hammer-ins, and build a mini forge on the property, but again, thank you all for your input...
(Maybe there would even be a nice GAW here whenever the first batch is in the books?)

 

[Rhinoknives1]

Thanks... I used to do construction in my younger days, dock building and roofong mainly, some other odds and ends as well though. Went school to work on cars for just over a year. Did log cabin fabrication and finishing in a steel foundry before as well... All that combined over the years I actually have a pretty extensive know how around tools of all sorts, including grinding metals and wood work, and I am 110% confident that I can make a decent knife with the right materials and tools available. I'll be starting that route, grinding, as it would be well within my comfort zone, and maybe down the road I'll look into the art of forging. Attend some "seminars", hammer-ins, and build a mini forge on the property, but again, thank you all for your input...
(Maybe there would even be a nice GAW here whenever the first batch is in the books?)

I made my first few with hand files. Then I started buying the knife making specific tools like a 2 x 72" belt grinder etc..

 

[cchu518]

Chef knife
Chinese chef knife (looks like a cleaver)
Filet knife
that's about it! I can make magic happen with those three knives.