Chef's knife
A 20-ish centimetre workhorse. Not a block of twelve knives you never sharpen.
When you need it
Always. If you cook, you cut.
What to look for
Balance in your hand, steel you will sharpen, and a bolster that does not fight the stone.
Alternatives
A santoku. A sharp cheap knife beats a dull expensive one.
Care
Hone often, sharpen sometimes, wash by hand.
Recommended products
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Recipes using this
Bibimbap
비빔밥
A Korean rice bowl of seasoned vegetables, chilli paste and a runny yolk — mixed at the table until everything is the same red-gold colour.
1 hrMedium🌶️🌶️
Kimchi jjigae
김치찌개
A bubbling kimchi stew with tofu and pork — the Korean answer to 'what is in the fridge and why is it sour'.
50 minEasy🌶️🌶️🌶️
Som tam
ส้มตำ
Isaan green papaya salad pounded in a mortar — lime, fish sauce, chilli, peanuts, and a crunch that should be loud.
20 minEasy🌶️🌶️🌶️
Ceviche
Ceviche
Peruvian lime-cured fish with chilli, red onion and coriander. Your fishmonger matters more than your knife skills.
40 minMedium🌶️🌶️
Shakshuka
شكشوكة
Eggs poached in a spiced tomato-pepper sauce. Maghrebi-Levantine family food, not a brunch fad that appeared in 2014.
45 minEasy🌶️
Tabbouleh
تبولة
A parsley salad with a little bulgur — not a wheat salad with a parsley garnish.
50 minEasyNo chilli