Line-up employee Knivesandtools: Tim
For me cooking is a moment of discovery and creation. When I cook I prefer to use the best ingredients and materials. Depending on what I am going to prepare I use the kitchen knife which I believe will suit the job best.
The Eden Kanso Aogami Santoku 18 cm
This Eden Kanso Aogami Santoku knife is a traditional Japanese knife is the sharpest of all my kitchen knives. The razor-sharp edge and the thin steel make the knife easy to use and very precise. As such the structure of the food is perfect and you won't lose any flavour. This knife is perfect when chopping garlic, ginger and other condiments. This is my personal favourite despite the fact that you need to take proper care of this knife. However, perhaps I love it even more because of that fact.
Discover all Eden Kanso Aogami knives
Zwilling Professional 's' chef's knife 20 cm
For the coarser chopping and cutting tasks I use a knife that is made for the more demanding jobs. I bought this Zwilling Professional 'S' chef's knife when I was working as a chef in a French kitchen. It proved it could handle its own. The steel is thick and tough. As such it is the perfect knife when chopping herbs, but not when precisely cutting julienne. The stainless steel ensures that the knife doesn't require too much maintenance and is also easy to sharpen. Perfect for those days you quickly need to prepare something. I also own the carving and paring knife from this collection.
Wüsthof Classic IKON Japanese santoku 17 cm
There is a world of difference between the Kanso Aogami and Zwilling Professional in terms of maintenance and use. To bring those worlds together I added the Wüsthof Classic IKON Santoku to my kitchen knife collection. This knife retains its sharpness well and is nice and thin, without it being fragile. It is even dishwasher proof (but it is best to not put it in there!). The weight feels great and the materials used solid. Because of these qualities I feel that the IKON chef's knife is the perfect all-round knife for me.
Discover all Wüsthof Classic IKON knives
Sakai Takayuki Gin San 33-Layer Damascus yanagiba 27 cm
I would love to add the Sakai Takayuki Gin San yanagiba to my collection. Simplicity and elegance were impressively combined for this knife to create an absolute masterpiece. The forged 33-layer damasteel blade is what every chef dreams of. The steel retains its sharpness well and the grind left a nice pattern alongside the entire edge. The combination of steel and magnolia wood provides a calm and clean appearance. Exactly what you need when preparing sushi. Unfortunately this knife is 'a little' over my budget. So for now all I can do is dream!
Expert Knivesandtools: Tim
When I was younger I worked as an assistant chef in a French kitchen. I was fifteen at the time and responsible for the starters and desserts. My favourite dish to prepare was a carpaccio made from tenderloin or smoked salmon. To cut it properly I always carried a razor-sharp knife with me. Half of what I cut ended up on my own plate, something the owner, fortunately, thought was fine. At the time I already noticed that even professional chefs don't always use razor-sharp knives. I started teaching myself and expanded my sharpening knowledge throughout the years. Today, over 15 years later, that interest has become a part of my job making it possible for me to give advice on sharpening and how to use knives.
