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Choosing a Knife For Chef School

Choosing a knife for chef school is a very important decision. As they say, a craftsman is only as good as his tools, so it is vital to choose a chef knife that will do what it's supposed to do, and do it well.
What is a chef knife?

Knives come in many different shapes and sizes, all designed to tackle different jobs. However, the definition of 'chef knife' is a knife that is able to handle lots of different types of job effectively. Because of its multipurpose nature, a knife for chef school must be of good quality. Learning chefs especially need tools that aren't a struggle to use. Poor quality chef knives will only make training harder.


What is a chef knife made from?

There is a wide variety of materials used to make chef knives, each with their pros and cons.

Carbon steel -- carbon steel is a popular material for chef knife blades. Carbon steel blades are easy to sharpen and generally don't need to be sharpened as frequently as other materials, but this does come at a price. Carbon steel generally needs more care than other materials, and is more vulnerable to rust. Therefore, it may not be an ideal material for a knife for chef school.

Ceramic -- ceramic blades are by far the blades that hold their edge for the longest. However, they are more fragile and may break if dropped. They are also prone to chipping during use, and require specialist equipment to sharpen them. For a chef who is still learning, and may be more clumsy with his knives, ceramic blades may not be the best choice.

Stainless steel -- stainless steel blades are the most popular and have many benefits, especially for budding chefs. They are resistant to discolouration and corrosion, they do not taint the food's flavour, and although they don't tend to hold an edge for as long as other materials they are tough and easy to sharpen. High-grade stainless steel can hold an edge for a superior length of time, but is more expensive. Cheap stainless steel will require more regular sharpening. However there is a great selection of mid-range stainless steel knives that would make good choices for chefs in training.
What other knives will I need for chef school?

When you embark on a culinary course, you will need to buy a set of knives, all for different jobs. However, when you qualify and go out into the big wide world of cooking, you will likely find that you will only use two or three of your knives on a regular basis. Learning to use the same knives for different jobs is far more convenient than endlessly swapping knives when you're working to a tight schedule in a busy kitchen.

Most professional chefs find themselves always coming back to their trusty chef knife, along with a paring or utility knife for finer work. For this reason, you can see why choosing a chef knife of excellent quality is very important.

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