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Questions for the chefs?

Any Chefs out there that can Answer Questions about knives, please?

  • I love cooking. 50 years old and dreamed of being a chef instead of an Engineer. Cook all the time, did my first Grilled Rosemary Lamb Chops with Honey-Balsamic Sauce the other night, but am Curious about Chef's Knives. I have never had a decent set of Knives, bought a 9" Cutco Knife from a Co-Worker that sells them on the side. Cost me just over $100 and I like it. What are the knives I see on the Cooking Shows? They are usually in a bag that is slotted and Rolls up? How many knives are there in those? What size and shapes are they? What Quality/Brand/Costs are they and where can a Novice/Amateur look at them? I know that is a lot to ask, but I'd really appreciate the benefit of your Knowledge. Oh, and what kind of Schooling Training would I need to enter the Culinary World at a higher than Minimum Wage Level? lol at my age and "station" I really can't start a new career at the bottom, especially when living on Engineer Salary.

  • Answer:

    There is nothing magically about those fancy sets of knives. I worked with 2 different chefs that each had one of those sets and you know what they used day after day? The chefs knife and a paring knife...thats it. I have cooked professionally for over 20 years and never saw the need for a giant set of knives where I won't use half of them. If you like the knife you bought, buy a few more to go with it and call it good. As to where to go to school to become a chef, a school of culinary arts. Google that and put in your city for listings appropriate to your area of the country. FYI, many culinary schools require a certain number of hours working "at the bottom" to qualify for schooling. At the facility I work at, I have worked with many young people who are putting in their time before heading off to school. AS to starting at minimum wage, my friend was executive chef at a Restaurant/organic coffee shop place that only bought local food supplies and made $40 K a year...no training. He started out as a dishwasher in a little restaurant and worked his way up. He ended up owning his own place before retiring. That culinary degree isn't that big of a deal. At your "station" in life you might also want to work at some local restaurants to see what it is like in the back of the house. Things look mighty different back there than they do when you are at a table dining. The heat, stress, fast pace, on your feet for hours,rushing, dealing with all sorts of things from burning the Bearnaise to a falling souffle to half the wait staff out with the runs all is in a days work.

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Many of those chefs have their own brand of knives, and other kitchen tools also. But, a great set of knives is very expensive and won't make you a better cook than you would be with ordinary knives. When you look around your own kitchen, which knives are your "go-to" knives. It's usually only three. A chef's knife, a paring knife and one serrated knife for bread. Sometimes a boning knife is nice to have, but not necessary to make delicious chicken or other meat. You can graduate from the finest culinary school in the world, but you will still start at the bottom in a restaurant kitchen. Long hours, on your feet the whole time, hot stoves, cranky waiters and an owner who is only interested in the bottom line. Perhaps you can find fulfillment in cooking for your friends and family.

M W

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