There are, what may be considered by many, an overwhelming number of knife styles that you will find in a modern kitchen- all of which have their own unique use-cases. This can be confusing to wrap your head around if you're simply looking to pick up your first chef's knife. In this article, we’ll hopefully provide some clarity on this topic by going through the various kinds of chef's knives and what exactly their specific intended uses are.
We’ll also cover the specific differences between these knives so that you can pick up the right knife for your exact needs. Let's start with what is arguably the most important knife in every chefs knife roll, the humble and aptly named, chef's knife.
A chef’s knife is by far the most used knife in the kitchen and should be every chefs first purchase. This is thanks to its situational versatility when compared with other knives. A chef’s knife can be used for just about any task in the kitchen, from chopping vegetables and dicing herbs, to thinly slicing meat. The thick heel of the chefs knife allows for powerful chopping while its generously curved blade contrastingly allows for smoother, rock-chopping styles. Premium chef's knives are typically made using stronger steels like Damascus steel, as they have the ability to retain a better edge. High quality chef's knives will also last years with the correct care.
Santoku knives are particularly adept at creating very thin slices, which can greatly improves the overall aesthetics of a dish. The meaning of the word ‘Santoku’s is ‘three virtues’ or ‘three uses’ and clearly explains what it is best used for: the chopping, dicing, and mincing of ingredients. Avoid chopping large ingredients, slicing bread and any precision tasks in general (such as peeling). The Santoku knife has a shorter, wider blade, and a flat cutting edge with a curved tip. The curve is less than that of a chef's knife and is best suited for an up-and-down chopping motion. The Santoku knife is meant for a talented chef with good knife skills who wants to improve the presentation of their dishes. If you are looking for a knife that can be used in a variety of applications we would suggest maybe sticking with either a Chefs Knife or utility knife.
The cleaver is a heavy, wide knife used for chopping through bone, thick pieces of meat and vegetables. A cleaver is usually between 10 and 15 centimeters long and can have either a curved or straight edge. Thanks to its large spine and thick heel, this heavy knife is often used to chop through meat and bones in the process of making soups and stews. A cleaver should not be used for precision work. If precision is more what you are after then a paring or utility knife might be a better choice.
The carving knife has a long, sharp blade that is generally used to slice meat. Typically, a carving knife will be significantly shorter than a chefs knife, making it slightly easier to handle and slightly more manoeuvrable. It is usually between 15 and 20 centimeters long and is designed to glide through large pieces of meat thanks to its long edge. You should not use a carving knife to chop vegetables or slice bread as the fine edge might slip on these ingredients. Carving knives should also not be used to chop through cartilage or bone for the same reason. A good carving knife will have a sharp, straight edge that is designed to slice without sticking. Fun fact: carving knives are the perfect knives for slicing the flesh of a watermelon into small pieces.
The paring knife is the smallest of all the knives used by a chef in the kitchen. It has a short and narrow blade between 3 and 6 cm long and is mainly used to peel, core and cut fruits and vegetables. The small blade and narrow spine allows for delicate movements that are necessary when peeling ingredients. Paring knives are not designed for cutting through meat. If you do a lot of detailed prep work then a paring knife might be a great addition to your collection. Do not however get a paring knife instead of a chefs knife or a larger utility knife, as it will simply not perform well in the situations where these knives are required.
A bread knife is a long sturdy knife with a serrated blade and short heel. It is usually between 15 and 20 centimeters long. Bread knives are specifically designed for slicing through bread, hence the serrated blade. The serrations on the blade allow you to gain traction and easily slice through the crusty exterior of bread without tearing it. Bread knives are also good for slicing cakes and other baked goods that have crusty exteriors. Bread knives should not be used to chop vegetables or slice meat. The serrated blade will not work well for these purposes.
A utility knife can be used as your ‘go-to’ tool for nearly all kitchen tasks. It truly is the jack of all trades when it comes to knives. A utility knife is bigger than a paring knife and smaller than a chef's knife but shares a lot of similarities with a chef's knife as it can be used in many tasks such as cutting, chopping, dicing and slicing ingredients. While other knives may be slightly better for a specific application a utility knife can achieve all these, and is why it is seen as a great all-round knife. It has a sturdy spine with a slightly curved blade that has been beveled on both sides to make a sharp edge. The utility knife is best for cutting ingredients with a soft to medium firm shin or rind like a potato or tomato.
A boning knife has a thin, long, straight-edged blade that curves up to a sharp point usually measuring around 12-17 cm. It is used to remove the bones of meat, poultry and fish. Its small, flat edged blade allows for very precise movements that makes creating the deep cuts and holes required for precision boning easier. A stiff boning knife is good for boning beef and pork, but a very flexible boning knife is preferred for poultry and fish. A boning knife should only be used for meat as the flat edge might slip on vegetables or fruits. If you're a big meat eater, or find yourself cooking a lot of large-scale meat based dishes, a boning knife might be a great knife to pick up.
Pro Tip:
Working with a dull or cheap knife makes prep work frustrating and prone to accidents. A good chef takes care of his knives with constant sharpening and good storage. This will drastically extend the knife’s life. We suggest using a sharpening stone as other methods of sharpening are more likely to cause damage to the knife during the sharpening process.
Keep in mind that a good knife will last you a lifetime, so don't be afraid to spend a little more on a high quality knife. Also, keep your knives sharp! A dull knife is dangerous and will not only be more difficult to use but will also be more likely to slip and cut you. A chef’s knife, utility knife, paring knife, and bread knife are the three most essential kitchen knives. They’re the four that you’ll use most often. A carving knife can be helpful if you regularly host people who like to eat meat. A cleaver can be helpful if you like to make soups or stews that require chopping through bones. A santoku knife can be a nice addition to your collection if your knife skills are up to scratch. Remember, you don't need to get every single knife in one go. We recommend rather spending a little more on a single chefs knife and letting that be your general knife while you slowly build your collection over time.
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