Chefs little help please [Archive]

DeanE

07-02-2006, 10:10 PM

to those who are chefs in the mtb im after a bit of info about what knives that people use. i am 3 months into an apprenticeship and want to buy some knives money if not a problem. but i want some thing that: is comfetable ( sp) to hold. easy to sharpen. looks good, and works well. i have been told about green river/dexter russle knives but only can buy from sydney, i know about globe/furi/victronox but what are they like to use an d your personal preffence(sp), if you could say what ranking you are aswell so i can see all across the bord. cheers deano

I-AM-TEH-FASTEST-11

07-02-2006, 10:19 PM

I used to be a chef,
Global all the way...
the last longer, work better, better range, no crappy (soon to be/aready illegal 2 piece handles)
*illegal for commercial kitchens due to bacteria/food scraps that get stuck in handle joins*

I wouldnt look at anything else

I was a chef for about 3 years. only ever did my first year appretenticeship because the pay was shit and i got an offer to be a head "chef" at a different joint.
But look around every decent chef I know has used Global, they are more comfortable than anything else, and also the range is unchallenged.. so many great usefull knives to chose from.

NeBoS

07-02-2006, 10:49 PM

Ive been working in restaurants for years, and im also about to purchase some very expensive knives soon (for the home, not work). Around the grapevine:

Global are totally crap, as im told by one of the best chefs in Sydney. As this chef instructed, go for a good German of Japanese brand - German knives are good and not too expensive. Japanese knives on the other hand are the best but their bloody expensive.

Ive decided to go for a good Portugese brand, thats very high quality stainless and relatively well priced - Zanger: I have a large chefs knife right now thats awesome. Cant go wrong.

Hattori knives are the bomb - they also cost a bomb!

wtr

07-02-2006, 11:38 PM

In an asian restaurant, cleavers are your best option, except for the fish knives. $70 would set you up with a decent Hong Kong stainless steel cleaver, forgot the name, but can get a photo of one tomorrow. A cleaver, IMO, is far better at dicing/slicing because of the larger surface area that allows your knuckles to slide up and down giving a more consistant thickness of the veg. Thin n light, they dice through things so well that you get addicted to using it. Although there's sometimes the issue of things being stuck to the back side of the cleaver due to surface tension...: A slot of some kind that'll create an air chambers/pockets on a cleaver would be nice.:o

As for sharpening, I could actually do with a little help. There's this particular German brand file that the chefs talks about, but nobody could remember the name.:confused: All they knew was the filing rod would out last a pile of cleavers before becoming useless.

wtr

07-02-2006, 11:43 PM

Hattori knives are the bomb - they also cost a bomb!
It looks too precious for the chopping board:eek:, just imagine the feel of it slicing through a bunch of crisp celery...ohhh yeah, absolute sensual...

scblack

08-02-2006, 07:59 AM

Slightly of off topic, but a neighbour of mine is a butcher, and of course knows his knives. I asked him about the dishwasher blunting (or reputed to do so), due to the water being blasted at the sharp edges, and wearing away the keenness.

He said that it is not the water that blunts knives , but the HEAT in the dishwasher.

Can one of you guys please confirm this? I can see his point, as the heat is reducing the temper a bit.

I am in no way an expert, but the best knives I have come across are Mondial (Mundial?). They are our kitchen knives.

BrumbyJack

08-02-2006, 08:07 AM

If I remember I will ask the Butchers at work today.... The heat bit does sound right.

I have lovely big knives at work, they are all Victorinox, but I'm definitely no chef!!! We had other ones, but they were crap.... Mine are for chopping pumpkins, watermelons etc. LOL!!!! Nice double ended handles for the pumpkins :D We get the butchers to sharpen them for us :cool:

Atomizer

08-02-2006, 08:46 AM

Wusthof Trident is my weapon of choice. In the kitchens I have worked in (washing dishes :o) the Chefs swore by them. I have seven of various types and they are all money well invested.

http://www.wuesthof.de/en/

johnny

08-02-2006, 08:58 AM

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y292/Johnnylovegod/knife.gif
Cold Steel SRK (Survival Rescue Knife)

My choice. Killed, skinned and filleted (phil-et-ed) a goat with this baby once. Burnt the thing to a crips in an overly hot bush oven though :mad:

Probably not the knife you were looking for........

08-02-2006, 09:12 AM

It looks too precious for the chopping board:eek:, just imagine the feel of it slicing through a bunch of crisp celery...ohhh yeah, absolute sensual...

sounds you are getting a boner just by saying that. ;)

NeBoS

08-02-2006, 09:34 AM

It looks too precious for the chopping board:eek:, just imagine the feel of it slicing through a bunch of crisp celery...ohhh yeah, absolute sensual...

Hahaha, I know what you mean - theres nothing worse than trying to cut a tomato with a blunt knife!

Slightly of off topic, but a neighbour of mine is a butcher, and of course knows his knives. I asked him about the dishwasher blunting (or reputed to do so), due to the water being blasted at the sharp edges, and wearing away the keenness.

He said that it is not the water that blunts knives , but the HEAT in the dishwasher.

Can one of you guys please confirm this? I can see his point, as the heat is reducing the temper a bit.

I am in no way an expert, but the best knives I have come across are Mondial (Mundial?). They are our kitchen knives.

I never throw my $90.00 knife into the dishwasher: a) the timber handle would suffer and b) I dont want the blade banging against other shite. Not too sure about the heat.

NCR600

08-02-2006, 11:06 AM

It's not the heat of the dishwasher! Steel has to become bloody hot before you change the temper... around 220c from memory.

Putting knives in a dishwasher is a bad idea simply because they get knocked around.

I'll put in a second vote for Zanger in the kitchen, I also have some mundial knives too.

In the bush I like old Schrade carbon steel knives (USA made, not korean like they are now) or Buck

In general carbon steel blades are easier to get a good edge on, but need more frequent touching up. They also tend to oxidise a bit, which most people don't like

John U

08-02-2006, 12:11 PM

i'm not a chef but have got wusthoff trident, furi, and henckels knives at home. they are all good but i think the henckels has the edge on the others. they do feel a bit fragile though. i don't know how they would put up with a bit of abuse. i look after mine.
henckels site
http://www.zwilling.com/country/ww/language/en/home

Dreggsy

08-02-2006, 01:16 PM

I was a pastrychef by trade alot of years ago,
I think in terms of value
Victorinox = Great entry level knives need lot of looking after get blunt quickly.
Mudial = Great commercial level knives, Edge stays keen for a godd while

at the top level, Anything Japanese bloody expensive but bloody well made.

It could be worth your while visiting Victorias basement if your ever in the city, There's always knife sets on sale. My current set are Mundial which I got for $120 reduced from $695.

scblack

08-02-2006, 01:22 PM

It could be worth your while visiting Victorias basement if your ever in the city, There's always knife sets on sale. My current set are Mundial which I got for $120 reduced from $695.
Sounds same as mine - my wife bought ours from the main wholesale supplier to Victoria's Basement. As well as a $500 stainless steel bin for about $90. And lots of other good bits and pieces.

Inverted

08-02-2006, 02:14 PM

Mundial's are good, mid range and you dont cry when they get beaten. Some of the Jap knives are great, depends on what food you are working with, german knives are great. I have a range of knives filleting, cleavers, paring etc, my small jap chopper is my fav. Go to a good hospitality wearhouse and they should have a decent range. You get what you pay for, a bit like bikes. Get a good steel and stone to keep them sharp, blunt knives are dangerous.
As for the dishwasher and knives, good knives have the steel running through the wooden handle and the heat seperates the wood from the steel. Personally I would cut someones(the dishwashers) hands off if he put my knives through the dishwasher.:eek:
Take care of you knives by cleaning them after every shift and put the back in your case.

Good luck

floz

08-02-2006, 03:50 PM

The wife and I use Victorinox steak knives for everything at home. Probably not want you want to know though. We aren't chefs either.

DeanE

08-02-2006, 05:30 PM

went down town today for a look, there was a set of globals 7 knives for $369, and i lookd and wishof tridents aswell. i like the feel of the globals so i'll probley go with them

donthucktoflat

08-02-2006, 07:33 PM

i have a set of Zanger (Icel) knives at home. beautiful knives to use. stay shard for ages and are perfectly balanced and have a good weight behind them.

they last for ages as well because my parents got these as a wedding present (like 25 odd years ago) and they havent gone fat (or wide or whatever it is called) or really blunt. they have put up with a hell of a lot as well, like dishwasher and people learning to sharpen knives on them. awesome but exxy i think

Atomizer

08-02-2006, 07:42 PM

went down town today for a look, there was a set of globals 7 knives for $369, and i lookd and wishof tridents aswell. i like the feel of the globals so i'll probley go with them

Dean.

Ask the chefs you're working with to get their opinion.

But... I have had two Globals as did my Mum. None of these are currently in existence as they snapped where the blade met the handle. I couldn't recommend them. Comfortable; yes. Long lasting; far from it. Those we had weren't even used professionally so I would be very concerned as to how they would perform when used heavy-duty.

Look into it mate.

-DAvo

08-02-2006, 08:25 PM

In an asian restaurant, cleavers are your best option, except for the fish knives. $70 would set you up with a decent Hong Kong stainless steel cleaver, forgot the name, but can get a photo of one tomorrow. A cleaver, IMO, is far better at dicing/slicing because of the larger surface area that allows your knuckles to slide up and down giving a more consistant thickness of the veg. Thin n light, they dice through things so well that you get addicted to using it. Although there's sometimes the issue of things being stuck to the back side of the cleaver due to surface tension...: A slot of some kind that'll create an air chambers/pockets on a cleaver would be nice.:o

agreed, coming up to 5 years working in the japanese restaurant industry im hooked on the cleavers..

smaller knives though ive had no problems using the standard victorionox knives.. provided your prepared to look after it

08-02-2006, 08:34 PM

carbon steel

carbon steel is just another name for Stainless Steel...small amounts of carbon are added to strengthen the metal...

NCR600

08-02-2006, 09:20 PM

carbon steel is just another name for Stainless Steel...small amounts of carbon are added to strengthen the metal...

Errrr no.

All steel has carbon in it in varying degrees. Harder steels tend to have more than softer steels.

Perhaps I should have said high carbon steel.

Stainless steel generally has a high (11.5%+) chromium content, which prevents corrosion by forming a skin of chromium oxide. It can also have a high carbon content, depending on the alloy.

I'm no metallurgist, but I can safely say that (high) carbon steel is NOT the same as stainless steel.

BrumbyJack

08-02-2006, 09:30 PM

I did remember to ask the Head Butcher at work today about putting knives in the dishwasher.... he looked at me as if I was nuts!!

Me: Hey, Mick.... why shouldn't you put knives in the dishwasher???

Mick: I don't know... why shouldnt you put knives in the dishwasher???

Me: I was hoping that you were going to tell me????

BTW, that could be because he doesn't have one (dishwasher) at home or work. I did tell him why I asked, because he thought I'd gone nuts...

The wooden handle bit is true... you even have to be careful with a sink. My mother had some bone handled knives and they split when someone washed them wrong.

The wife and I use Victorinox steak knives for everything at home. Probably not want you want to know though. We aren't chefs either.

My daughter partially severed (2/3) her thumb with one of them.... they are very sharp :eek: and yes, I still have it/them and we do use them for just about everything.... great on ripe tomatoes :D

Mahoney_007

08-02-2006, 10:30 PM

Well I was always told by the butcher I worked for, that putting a knife under running water was the worst thing you could do as it takes the "shoulder" off the edge. I just assumed the water ruined the very very very fine point you can create on a knife edge. And therefore only wipe my knife with a damp cloth.

I only have one knife at home, I use it only, no one else touches it, well one guy tried, he wont again. It has never even seen the inside of the sink let alone a dishwasher, its about 2 1/2 years old has boned out a heap of roasts/chickens/one neighbours jack russel that was annoying the crap outta me(jk's) and still doesnt have a mark on it.

Its a Victorinox, prolly around 10-12", and still has a mirror finish to it. I dont use it a heap.

PS Oh yeah I can throw it in the air for 3 spins and catch it by the handle :D

-DAvo

08-02-2006, 10:47 PM

PS Oh yeah I can throw it in the air for 3 spins and catch it by the handle :D

pics or it never happened trav! :p

** i am in no way responsible for the damage that may or may not occur during the process of proving said statement**

:D

Mahoney_007

08-02-2006, 10:55 PM

No worries Dave. Ill get a sequence shot for ya's.

I gotta do it in intervals but, you know one spin then 2 then the 3, I cant get 4, I'm to scared to catch the knife, its spinning way to fast. (I use my practice knife most of the time, its pretty blunt so no damage hopefully.)

wtr

08-02-2006, 11:16 PM

LET'S HAVE A KNIFING FRENZY!!!!
Upload pics of vids of you and your knives having an orgasmo time in the kitchen, am very interested in seeing other techniques.

CHOP IT!!!i am in no way responsible for the damage that may or may not occur during the process of proving said statement**
Yeah, what Dave said, and ...

**I'm in no way responsible for encouraging farkiners to become yet another Jamie Oliver fan, I've always hated that show, not because I'm not creative like him, but because I'm jealous.**

-DAvo

08-02-2006, 11:24 PM

haha sound good warren, ill try and get some pics of the tepanyaki plate ;)

ive always been more of a iron chef fan..

"mmmmmmmm.. this dumpling reminds me of my childhood!!"

I-AM-TEH-FASTEST-11

08-02-2006, 11:39 PM

just to re-iterate we used plenty of Global knives of many models in every kitchen I have worked in. NEVER had a problem even when some moron work experience kid tries to cleaver through lamb shanks with a sashimi knife (lol).
Of course you can spend more and go to some insanely good knives.. but global rock, best blades, best balance and far, far, far, far, far better blade deisgns (some really useful knives/models)

freeride_sweet

09-02-2006, 11:40 AM

my step dads a cheif, and was chef (thanxs NCR600) of the year in WA 2002 and will use nothing other than global, he even bought mum a set cause he hates using our old knifes, get knife's,

NCR600

09-02-2006, 01:44 PM

my step dads a cheif, and was cheif of the year in WA 2002 and will use nothing other than global, he even bought mum a set cause he hates using our old knifes, get knife's,

The Cheif of Police?

The Fire Cheif?

I would say Cheif Wiggum, but no way would he get Cheif of the year!

:)

bazza

15-12-2007, 11:57 AM

just bringing this thread back up because im currently hunting around for some to use in the kitchen/for my little brother who usually ends up making me all my food. the brand i was looking at was tojiro knives. just looking at either one knife to do it all or a decent priced kit. cost isn't really a major factor because of certain reasons. however on the other hand if these knives aren't all they are cracked up to be i am leaning back towards Global. any suggestions/ideas/input?

Ham

15-12-2007, 12:13 PM

i fucking hate bad knives i have worked in my share of restaurants, one place in particular always bought $20 knives and wondered why they wouldnt cut any thing after a month.

Dont skimp on quality as a good knife will last ages i have a set of victorinox knives in my own kitchen that were given to me about 8 years ago there probably about 12 years old and they are awesome only had to sharpen them a couple of times.

bazza

15-12-2007, 12:22 PM

also if i was to get one 'majority of things' knife what size should i get? 180mm ?

gravelclimber

15-12-2007, 09:23 PM

Ryan

15-12-2007, 09:55 PM

I worked as a cook for 3 years, in my opinion, Global are decent knives with decent balance, quality blades and are generally pretty well made pieces of kit.

If you want something that's all of that with better designed handles, reasonable prices and far easier to sharpen though, can't go past Furi. Their sharpening system is superior to anything on the market and using it, you can get a better, sharper, longer lasting edge that 99.9% of chefs can put on a knife. That's a big selling point in my books. Most chefs think they're hot shit with a steel but end up doing more harm to the knife than good. With the Furi gear even the shit-kicking first year apprentice can put a decent edge on his knife and yours without fear of fucking things up.