What Should I Carry in My Knife Bag?

So you're starting out as a Cook, and you haven't taken enough courses at Cash Cow Culinary Academy to be "given" a knife kit. Or maybe you're a Line Cook trying to go deeper into the craft. You need a better knife, and they aren't cheap. So, what knives will help you the most and make a big difference at work?

The Mystery Set. . . except that one in the middle.

Well, let's explore what it is you'll be doing at your job, shall we?



A: You're a Garde Manger Cook (fancy name for salads/pastries/cold apps cook) then you might benefit from a tool that makes precise cuts and garnishes easy.

B: You've graduated to Sauté Cook (stove jockey) and now you have to filet fishes and slice proteins to order.

C: You've been promoted to Grillardin (broiler/grill slave.) Congrats. Hope you like trimming PSMO! Luckily there's a knife for you, too.

D: Let's say you've been blessed(?) with the title Rounder. Any station, any job, anytime. You've got major cred and major headaches from rebuilding other cook's stations on their days off, but by now you probably avoid those rental knives like Salmonella. . . unless zombies attack!

Cut to the chase and aim for D. 
Of course you want to carry what the Rounder carries in his/her kit. You want to be a badass at this, right?

Disclaimer/Metaphysical Insight: Skills create confidence, knives don't. 
Practice produces skill. 
Mistakes produce skill. 
Reaching produces skill. 
Nobody can sell you confidence.

Start Where You Are.
Don't spend a Grand on knives for your job. You're a working class cook! Start by finding a knife that will help you do the job you have now, and ask lots of questions of knife-geeks that you know. Chances are 90% you will benefit from the Big 3 right away.

The Big 3: Steel, Chef, Paring

The Steel is actually the most important tool in your bag. Without it, none of your edges will hold, period. Somebody at work is probably using the house steel (which was worn smooth a decade ago) to chip ice in the ice machine. Keep yours on you and you'll never be sorry.

The Chef knife doesn't have to be a French shape. Must be something multi-use that rocks when you flex your wrist, something that is big enough for large vegetables, something that is VERY comfortable in your hand. You can chop, slice, mince, or crack peppercorns with the flat of it. A Santoku or hybrid Cleaver can also work fine here (but you may need a longer paring knife, see below.)

Paring. You need to have something with a sharp point that can excise tomato cores, slip under silverskin on a piece of beef, or score a flap of dough. (If you're an Asian chef-knife lover, consider getting the 5-6" blade size, as you'll ned a bit of length to handle basic meat fabrication.) This little guy will need honing more often than any other knife when used heavily - but that's OK because you will keep your Steel handy.

I and many other Chefs have done every job in the kitchen with these 3 tools. Again, practice creates confidence. 

It must be said that a knife with a "forged" blade (better quality than "stamped") at the low end of the price range ($100-$200) will be much better than anything you can rent from your local knife service. It will take a sharper edge and hold it longer, be more comfortable and ergonomic (if you select one based on fit) and give you at least 5 years of constant service. That 5 years is a minimum lifespan for very hard use. A decent knife can last several decades, especially if you use that honing steel properly. I'll wager that $250 will cover the Big 3 for most people. (Expect to spend more for extra length or width on that Chef's knife, though. . . and Asian knives cost more.)

Are you covered on these? OK, now we're in the realm of What Might Help Me Perform Faster or with Greater Precision? Or, Wish List Knives for the Aspiring Cook.

The Precision Chopper (Shun Edo Santoku)

The Wicked Flesh-Carver (Shun Classic Carving)

The Equalizer (Wusthof 6" Cleaver)

These type of knives may not be strictly necessary but will make your work more efficient and more pleasurable. A super sharp chopper that cuts brunoise effortlessly makes chopping a 22qt of Kimchi something to look forward to. A Boning/Carving knife that goes into crevices easily and shaves unwanted bits off that steak adds literal value to every piece of meat you cut. A heavy bone-cracking, chocolate-splitting Cleaver makes tasks that would defile more delicate knives straightforward and easy.




These knives will save you time and boost your precision after you have gotten to know them and they become extensions of your hand. But now let's examine another dimension of this whole "Rounder" thing. Rounders are the elite foot-soldier of the chef, and they specialize in solving problems. In fact, this role is the same one that the Chef must be capable of in order to succeed - and as they say in the business: "You do the job before you earn the title."

So, if you want to do what the Rounder does, look at the whole package together:

The Rounder Kit (plus whetstone*)

 Specifically these bits right here:

The Utility Belt

From the top; a ruler, Butcher's twine, a zip-tie, 3 common garnishing tools, a pliers multi-tool, a lighter, a peeler, and a business card.

As you already know: Shit is gonna break. On your side. During service.

Be a Scout here. Measure that broken fitting before you call the repairman (so he can bring one with him and save your boss some $.) Ticket rail pulled off the wall, tie it up. Cord from the printer hangs onto your station, zip it up. Your "special" needs to be prettier than it is, so make a garnish. The knob broke off the fryer, use a pliers; someone dropped the slicer guard and bent it, bend it back. Pilot lights need fire. NEVER LOOK FOR A PEELER. . . just have one. And if you're lucky: Someone wants to know your name.

This stuff separates the Truly Resourceful Cook from the Clock-Punching Whiner. This is what makes you a veritable Ice Vendor in the Land of Fresh Hells. Chefs and Owners will love you if you can cope with difficulty in the kitchen. In the big picture, your resilience to the little breakdowns increases your ability to Just Cook. It's a paradox: learn to keep the fire burning so you can forget about the fire and get back to Sauté. Got it?

Any Rounders out there want to share their special tool? Shoot me a comment!

Knife Geeks want more to drool over? Try these. (Why yes, that IS fossilized Mammoth Bone!)
And these. St. Louis Master Craftsman!

*As for that whetstone, it's the $50 tool that will save you hours of aggravation with knives that aren't quite wrecked enough to send to the Knife Hospital, but just aren't getting it done. Stone-age technology, anyone can learn how to do a good job using one. Don't fear the stone.

As sure as there's a mighty oak tree within an acorn, there's a Rounder within every aspiring cook. Now, get equipped and go to work!

Namaste.