Chefs Knife

Make sure it is forged! If he is going to cooking school he will need a specific set of knives, but a typical chef knife is also called a cook's knife or a French knife. Look for an 8" blade and go for a reputable company. Call someone like Restaurant Depot or ask next time you are in a reputable restaurant. Most chefs would love to make a recommendation.

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I've got a Wusthoff, in my opinion, there is no better. Was about $125 four years ago, but will last a lifetime and beyond!

Added**I should mention, my son is also into cooking and considering culinary school. Last year for Christmas he was given a Henkel chef's knife, he is pleased with it.

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My husband is a culinary school graduate and was a professional chef for 9 years, so I have learned about knives! This is tricky, because if he wants a true chef's knife that is truly pro-kitchen ready -you need to consider a Wusthoff or Henckel's or comparable brand that is forged. 8" stainless blade and a sharpener. These are usually in the $120-$150 range, so I realize that's not very economical! IF he is just interested and not about to go to culinary school, try one from Target. They're carrying a Henckel's version now (not quite the quality Henckel's you will find at kitchen stores and professional suppliers, but decent).

http://www.target.com/s?keywords=chef%27s+knives&sear...

You may want to cruise the Macy's and Crate and Barrel sites. They have MONGO sales this time of year, so you may luck out on a really nice one. Williams-Sonoma has excellent brands and choices, but even on sale you're going to pay!

If he does go to culinary school, he will need a full set or "roll" of professional knives -most likely from Henckel's or Wusthoff. These are like text books for college students in that -it's expensive, but an absolute must! If he's interested in pursuing culinary school, he may want to set up an account where you can contribute some $$$ for birthdays and Christmas and he can put some money in there every time possible, because those are around $800 bucks (although the site below has one for $349 right now, which is a steal)! I did find this great site that has great deals on rolls and single knife purchases:

http://www.chefscatalog.com/product/93247-wusthof-classic...

OH -and I will add -we have Henckel's. My husband's chef set is about 18 years old and the additional set we got for a wedding gift if 10 years old. Both are still in fantastic shape! One big rule -make sure he always hand-washes -never uses the dishwasher!

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I love my Sanelli Chef knife. When I bought it, my friend who was a chef said it was an excellent brand, just not well known in the US. I just bought an 8" Sanelli chefs knife and it was $48 with shipping. Consider buying a steel with the knife. (looks like a rod with a knife handle on it) You don't sharpen knives often, but you do touch up the edge with a steel, which is just magnetic, it doesn't remove metal, like sharpening does. I used my Sanelli chef knife every day (at home ) for 20 years before needing to sharpen it, so I think it will last as well as more expensive knives.

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Hi there~

I don't know how old your stepson is but if you are looking for just a starter knife so he can learn how to use one and to learn sharpening techniques and all, Chicago Cutlery makes a "decent knife". I'm no chef myself (just a mom that cooks), but these knives sharpen very well and are durable. The blade runs the length of the shaft and doesn't bend when slicing, chopping.... It is definitely NOT a high end knife but really wouldn't be a bad start if money is tight. They can be purchased at Target. Another brand along these lines is Chef's Choice. Again- NOT high end but decent starter knives.

Hope this helps. :-)

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Call the school and ask them. Also check on eBay and Craigslist. I would even post a "wanted" on Craigslist and/or other resale sites and see what turns up.

p.s. I have a ceramic knife that is my new love. However, I have no clue if the cooking school would share my sentiments.

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If he is going to a cooking school, they will specify what brand of knives he needs to have and what utensils he needs to supply. good luck!

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I love my Henckels. I have the top of the line set. It was my first Mother's Day gift in 1995 and they are as good today as they were when I got them.

My set was upwards of $400 but you can buy them by the piece.

Henckels also stands by their knives. If one breaks...send it back and they send you a new one. This happened 2 times....the reason the knife broke is because my dearest hubby used one to pry open a container and the blade broke off. Henckels STILL replaced it, even after I told the the true story of what happened.

Good luck

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My top three favorite are:

Global (Japanese, but can be pricey)
Henckels
Wusthoff

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I love my Pampered Chef knives. Not the colored ones the steal ones with black handle. They are forged and have a lifetime gaurentee. Check out the website or find a consulatant near you. It's been awhile since I sold for them so I don't remember all the details, just that I LOVE the knives that I have from them!!

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When it comes to professional gear do not skimp. Not on dive equipment, tools in the garage, kitchen utensils like knives.
I have Henkels, not the run of the mill that you can buy at the kitchen store but the kind you get from MAcy's or Belk's. My mom has Wustoff. These are good brands.
I have heard Pampered Chef has a good knife, it also comes with a sharpening stone attached to the knife holder. I have not used it.

Look for a knife with the steel that runs all the way through the handle. Get one that is fairly heavy.

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I love my Henkel knives, but they are a little pricier. My hubby did some research on this subject for his brother and he found Victorinox knives. They are very reasonably priced (around $40), get good reviews and are often used in commercial kitchens. http://www.amazon.com/Victorinox-47520-Fibrox-8-Inch-Chef...

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I totally love my Cutco knives, they are fabulous. Expensive, yes... but will probably last him forever. I've had my set for over 10 years, use them a lot and they are still like brand new.

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I used to sell Cutco and those are, by far, the best knives. They are pricey, but they last literally a lifetime. My grandma had hers for at least 30 years and they are still in fantastic shape. She used them every single day and now my aunt uses them every single day.

A few things to look for: You want to make sure that the knife blade has a full tang. That means that there's the blade, then the piece of metal continues the entire length of the handle. Stay away from wooden handles (I don't even think they make knives with wood handles anymore, do they?) Also, make sure the knife is well balanced. You don't want the handle to be heavier than the blade and vice versa. Look at what the blade is made of, some blades will rust rather quickly.
Call around to some nice restaurants and ask which brands they prefer. Or call a culinary school and ask.

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Also another tip is make sure the blade is part of the handle I have a some Cutco good knife not the best or worst.
J.

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