Ever been in the middle of a dinner rush, your hands flying, only to feel your knife drag through a perfectly ripe tomato? That frustration is a signal that your tools aren't working for you. It's a reminder that a great kitchen needs more than just skill. It's built on tools you can trust, from a complete knife set to the essential tools that support it. Here, we'll go over the essential equipment we rely on every day to run a safe, efficient kitchen, starting with the most important: your professional chefs' knives.
The Heart of the Kitchen: Professional Chefs' Knives
Professional chefs' knives are the one tool that feels like it's part of you. It's the most personal piece of equipment you own, the one you trust for every precise cut and heavy chop. For a professional, a high-quality knife is an essential long-term commitment to your craft.
How Should a Professional Chef Hold a Knife?
Let's talk about the absolute foundation: your grip. Before you even think about cutting, you must get this right. The pinch grip is the one we swear by. It’s the most trusted and efficient method out there. To use it, pinch the blade just in front of the bolster (the thick part where the blade meets the handle) with your thumb on one side and your index finger on the opposite. The rest of your fingers then wrap naturally around the handle. This grip gives you the best balance and control, making the knife feel like a natural extension of your arm.
You'll also need to use the "claw grip" with your other hand. By curling your fingertips inward and using your knuckles as a guide against the knife's blade, you can protect your fingers while maintaining a firm, stable hold on the ingredients. This combination of grips reduces wrist fatigue and greatly minimises the risk of accidents, so you can work faster and with more control.
What are the Best Professional Knife Brands?
We’ve spent years working with and trusting knives from the world's best manufacturers. Each brand has a story, and we've put together a selection we believe in. The quality of professional chefs' knives can make all the difference in a demanding kitchen.
- Wüsthof: Forged in Solingen, Germany, Wüsthof crafts its knives from a single piece of high-carbon stainless steel. The process involves over 40 steps. The result is a perfectly balanced knife with incredible strength and edge retention.
- F. Dick: F. Dick has been a favorite for butchers and chefs since 1778. These knives are built with quality and are known for their comfort and durability.
- Victorinox: Victorinox, with its Swiss precision, makes its knives with a special ice-tempered high-carbon stainless steel blade. We love these blades for their razor-sharp edge, ergonomic anti-slip Fibrox handles, and long service life.
- Global: Global knives, from Japan, are immediately recognizable by their unique all-stainless-steel construction. The manufacturer ice-tempers and hardens the blades to a high Rockwell rating for excellent edge retention. Their hollow, sand-filled handles provide perfect balance.
Using the right professional chefs' knives makes us more efficient and safer, reducing the risk of accidents and making sure the final product is flawless.
What's the Difference Between German and Japanese Knives?
Chefs often ask us about the difference between German and Japanese knives. It's a huge topic, but it really comes down to one thing: the steel and its hardness, measured on the Rockwell hardness scale (HRC). This factor affects a knife's performance and how you maintain it.
German-style professional chefs' knives typically use a softer steel (around 56-58 HRC). This softer material makes the blade more flexible and less prone to chipping. It's a reliable workhorse for heavy-duty tasks like breaking down tougher vegetables or chopping through small bones. While a German knife’s edge may require more frequent honing, we find it more forgiving and easier to sharpen.
Japanese-style professional chefs' knives, on the other hand, use a harder, more brittle steel (60 HRC or higher). This harder steel allows the blade to take a more acute, razor-sharp edge that stays sharp for a longer period. But this sharper edge comes with a downside: it chips more easily if you're not careful. This difference is a key consideration for a chef. German steel gives you durability and versatility, while Japanese steel is all about precision and sharpness.
Beyond the Blade: The Tools That Support the Craft
Your knife is your most important tool, but it's only as good as the surface you use it on. In a professional kitchen, you also need chopping boards that are hygienic, durable, and protect your blade’s edge.
What Other Tools Do Professional Chefs Need?
- Wooden Chopping Boards: We like these boards because they look great and they work. They are gentle on a knife's edge, helping to maintain its sharpness. They're also very durable, and we can resurface them to make them last even longer.
- Coloured Chopping Boards: Using these is one of the best ways to maintain a hygienic kitchen. These boards are part of a color-coded system that prevents cross-contamination between different food groups. A standard system includes:
- Red: Raw meat
- Blue: Raw fish
- Yellow: Cooked meat
- White: Dairy products
- Green: Vegetables and salads
- Brown: Cooked vegetables
In our kitchens, we never compromise on using a separate cutting board for each food group. This is how we comply with HACCP regulations and keep every dish safe.
How Often Do Professional Chefs Sharpen Their Knives?
Every tool in your kit, from your favourite butcher knife to your full professional chefs' knives set, needs care to perform at its best. While in-house solutions can work, nothing beats the consistent results you get from a professional service.
- Knife Sharpening: A dull blade is a dangerous blade. A sharp edge lets you work with control and efficiency, with less effort and a lower risk of slippage.
- Blade Sharpening: Our professional process restores your tools' perfect edge, making sure they're sharp and perfectly balanced for the best performance.
Nella's knife sharpening services and cutting board maintenance programs take the work of upkeep off your team. We provide a scheduled rotation of freshly sharpened blades and resurfaced boards, so your chefs can focus on their work.
Investing in professional tools and their maintenance is an investment in your team's safety, the quality of your food, and your business's success.
Explore our full range of professional chefs' knives, chopping boards, and services today and discover the Nella difference.