A chef, like a mechanic or a carpenter, takes the raw material provided (in this case, food) and creates something beautiful and pleasing with it (a meal). Like a mechanic and a carpenter, or any artisan or master of his craft, a chef needs his tools. A chef’s tools are different from those of his fellow master craftsmen. Where they may have use of a hammer or a screwdriver, a chef’s tools will only make use of one type of tool: his knives. Slicing, dicing, carving, pairing — a chef does all these things, multiple times, all day long. Unfortunately, there are so many types of knives out there, each with their own specific purpose, that it is hard to know what knife to use at any given time. Luckily, a kitchen knife (chef knife) can meet all your culinary needs.
The Chef Knife Is a Necessity in Any Modern Kitchen
The chef knife is one of the most popular knives used today. It first came to prominence in parts of Europe (mainly in Germany and France) and in Asia (Japan). While the European version developed into what we now call a chef knife, the Asian/ Japanese version branched off slightly and is now known as the Santoku knife.
Once news of how useful the chef knife could be spread across the globe, its reputation as a versatile kitchen tool became a mainstay in most kitchens. In the West, especially, it found popularity among culinary professionals.
Typically, a chef knife ranges from 6 to 14 inches in length, measuring the blade only. The 8-inch chef knife is the most popular size of chef knife, however. It has a broad, sharp blade that helps to make this type of knife versatile and easy to use.
It can handle a wide variety of necessary kitchen jobs. From carving to cutting and just about everything in between. Let’s look at four of its common uses:
1. Complex/ Versatile Cutting
Whether you’re using the julienne cut to make thin, matchstick-like carrot sticks or the chiffonade cut to create a nice garnish, the kitchen knife is readily at your disposal. Capable of doing the simplest job in the kitchen to the most complex cut, the chef knife is the answer to most of your needs. Whether it is for a meal, a garnish, or a salad, it’s the tool for the job.
2. Cutting, Slicing, and Disjointing Meat
Need to carve up a chicken for dinner, a turkey for Thanksgiving, or a rabbit if you’re feeling adventurous? The chef knife can do all of that for you. From the first cuts to the final slice of meat, and even disjointing and separating each part, this carving knife is ideal. A further advantage of the chef knife is that its pointed tip is well-suited to separating chicken parts.
3. Slicing Cheese
Cheese is a treat that has many different varieties and flavors. Each comes with its own consistency, hardness, and ideal way to be served. Numerous utensils can be used to slice cheese and present it — perhaps too many. The chef knife helps to simplify things a little. Perfect for slicing any kind of cheese, you can safely use the chef knife without worry about ruining the experience.
4. Slicing, Dicing or Chopping Fruits, Vegetables and Nuts
When creating a meal in the kitchen, you must work with many different ingredients. From fruits to vegetables, to nuts, the chef knife can handle all these different ingredients with ease so that it doesn’t slow you down.
What Makes a Chef Knife?
As we already said, a chef knife is a versatile, multipurpose kitchen utensil that measures anywhere between 6 and 14 inches, but its most popular configuration is an eight-inch blade. Aside from that, several features help set it above other knives.
1. Made of Sturdy Materials
Most chef knives are made from stainless steel, a hard metal that will keep its edge for a long time. It also won’t rust or discolor like other materials.
2. A Handle that Is Sanitary
The handle of the chef knife is equally important. Increasingly popular have been plastic or rubber handles because they are easy to clean, resistant to bacteria and won’t break easily. It is also easy to apply a non-slip covering to rubber or plastic handles for help in the kitchen.
3. A Heel That Gives it Chopping Power
The heel is the widest part of the knife where the blade meets the handle. This section of the cutting edge is used for chopping harder items like carrots, nuts, and even certain bones (chicken being one of them).
4. A Tang that Provides Strength
The section of steel inside the handle is called the tang. It provides strength and offers better balance, which makes it easier to use.
5. Rivets to Keep it Together
The raised, cylindrical studs on the handle of the knife are called the rivets. It helps keep the handle securely attached to the tang portion of the knife.
6. A Bolster that Provides Balance and Ensures Safety
The thick shoulder of heavy steel located at the front of the handle where it meets the spine or top (non-cutting) edge of the blade is called the bolster. Along with the tang, it helps to balance the knife and keeps your fingers from slipping while you work, preventing hand fatigue and blisters.
7. A Multi-Purpose Blade
What truly makes a chef knife, however, is the ability to take on a variety of tasks. While most other knives have one or two purposes, the chef knife has several. For example, a butcher knife useful for breaking down cuts of meat and trimming fat, but it isn’t suitable for any other task. An oyster knife is even more specialized and can only be used for dealing with shellfish, specifically oysters, to remove meat from the shell. A chef knife isn’t limited in these ways.
A chef knife does multiple things in the kitchen, the least of which is to make it easier for the chef to prepare a meal. Need to slice some meat, chop some vegetables, and crush some garlic? A chef knife can do all those things with ease. Need to slice cheese, make a garnish, or chop through thin bone? A chef knife can do all of that as well. The chef knife, or carving knife, is certainly the most efficient of kitchen utensils available today.
These are all standard features of a chef knife, and they should be included in any basic knife that you are thinking of purchasing. However, if you want a chef knife that will do all of this and more, you need to focus on quality. That’s where KUMA’s Multi-Purpose Chef Knife comes into play.
KUMA Delivers on High Quality and High Performance
Are you tired of dull knives? Is your knife clunky and too heavy to do its job? Or is your blade not sturdy enough to handle the heavy work? Well, you need a KUMA Multi-Purpose Chef Knife.
With its elegant design and razor-sharp blade, the KUMA chef knife comes equipped with a comfortable non-slip handle. The blade is made from stainless steel that is razor-sharp, durable, and easy to sharpen. The 3Cr13 blade is soft yet durable. It handles corrosion well and resists various acids in daily use. During production, the metal is tempered with careful timing to produce a fine balance between toughness and sharpness retention.
This versatile 8 inch chef knife is made of lightweight materials that will help you slice through vegetables with ease and cut meat into thin fillets. As well, it has been created with a Japanese-inspired profile, giving it an elegant look to accompany the control and comfort you need to be the master of your kitchen.
The KUMA Multi-Purpose Chef Knife is easy to clean, as well. For best results, KUMA recommends that you do not use a dishwasher but wash by hand with a soapy cloth and dry immediately afterward. This will ensure that the chef knife stays in top working condition.
KUMA Knives, a family-run company with a passion for cutlery and customer satisfaction, created this truly amazing knife so that high-quality tools would be available to chefs in all kitchens, not just professionals. In addition to this dedication to customer service, KUMA Knives offers the KUMA Lifetime Limited Warranty for maximum coverage and a bonus 30-day 100% money-back guarantee. The only risk in purchasing the KUMA Multi-Purpose Chef knife is finding the last chef knife you’ll ever need to purchase.
The KUMA Multi-Purpose Chef Knife is the answer to your cutlery and culinary needs. Order one today!