Different types of Chefs’ Knife or Kitchen knives used by Hotel Chef’s

Kitchen knives are an essential tool for any chef or home cook. There are many different types of kitchen knives that are designed for specific tasks. Some of the most common types of kitchen knives include chef’s knives, paring knives, bread knives, utility knives, and carving knives.

Chef’s knives are the workhorse of the kitchen and are used for a variety of tasks such as chopping, slicing, and dicing. They typically have a wide blade that curves upward to allow for a rocking motion while chopping.

Paring knives are smaller knives that are perfect for peeling and trimming fruits and vegetables. They have a short blade that is easy to control and maneuver.

Bread knives are designed to slice through bread without crushing or tearing it. They have a serrated edge that makes it easy to cut through crusty bread without squishing the soft interior.

Utility knives are versatile knives that can be used for a variety of tasks such as slicing meat, cheese, and vegetables. They are smaller than chef’s knives and have a straight blade.

Carving knives are used to slice through large cuts of meat such as roasts, hams, and turkeys. They have a long, thin blade that allows for precise cuts.

Regardless of the type of kitchen knife you choose, it is important to keep them sharp and well-maintained. A sharp knife will make your cooking tasks easier and safer.

The Knife is considered by most chefs to be their most valuable and versatile tool in the hotel kitchen. Proper knife usage and handling begin with good safety practices, all chefs should be familiar with the basic rules for proper knife handling in the kitchen.

The type of knife chosen for a particular job in the kitchen depends upon the type of work being done by the chef. There are several different kinds of knives available and used by the chefs and each of these knives is designed for a particular purpose.

Below is the list of the basic types of knives used in the hotel kitchen:

1.French Knife / Chef’s Knife:

The most popular all around is the knife in the kitchen. It is particularly well-designed for general cutting and chopping. Preferred by the majority of the chefs around the world.

With a blade length of 10 inches (260 mm), it is most popular for general work, larger knives are for heavy cutting and chopping and the smaller blades are for more delicate work.

2. Paring Knife:

This knife is small and easy to handle for peeling and coring fruits and vegetables. It’s a small pointed blade 2 to 4 inches (50 to 100 mm) long. Used for trimming and paring vegetables and fruits.

3. Boning Knife:

The boning knife is designed to bone out meat, poultry, and fish. It is available with varying degrees of blade flexibility to allow for the most delicate fish bone and the harder more resilient bones of large cattle.

The bonning knife is a thin, pointed blade about 6 inches (160 mm) long which is Used for boning raw meats and poultry. Stiff blades are used for heavier work and flexible blades are used for lighter work and filleting fish.

4. Carving Knife:

This is a finely-edged knife designed for slicing and carving meat. A long, slender, flexible blade up to 14 inches (360 mm) long. Used for carving and slicing cooked meats.

5. Bread Knife / Slicer Knife:

These types of knives have serrated edges and are ideal for cutting through foods with a hard exterior and soft interior like for example loaf of crusty bread. 

The slicer is a long, slender, flexible blade up to 14 inches (360 mm) long. Used for carving and slicing cooked meats. Bread knives are used for cutting bread, pastries, cakes, meat, poultry etc.

6.Cleaver Knife

A cleaver is a large knife that varies in its shape but usually resembles a rectangular-bladed hatchet. It is largely used as a kitchen or butcher knife intended to break down meat, to hew through small to medium bones, and gristly connective tissue. A heavy, broad, slightly curved blade. Used for cutting, sectioning, and trimming raw meats in the butcher shop.

7.Chinese Chef Knife / Chinese Cleaver

The Chinese cooks/chefs use a single cleaver-shaped knife to perform every task in the kitchen. A Chinese Cleaver or Chinese chef’s knife is a thin delicate knife that can easily slice and chop well with height.

8.Nakiri Bocho

This is a Japanese knife which is used for cutting greens and vegetables. Nakiri Bocho knife has a straight blade edge which is suitable for cutting vegetables and greens as the knife goes all the way to the cutting board without the need for a horizontal motion.

9.Kitchen Shears / Kitchen Scissors

Kitchen Shears are a pair of high-quality, strong sharp scissors. The main uses for kitchen shears/scissors are for example snipping herbs, cutting open food packaging, sectioning chicken, and breaking down poultry.

10. Fruit Carving Knife

There is much variety of fruit carving or vegetable carving knives available in the market. Typically used in the cold kitchen by the Garde manger chef for salad carving, vegetable carving, fruit carving, etc.

11. Santoku knife / Japanese cook’s knife

A wide-bladed knife that is becoming increasingly popular as a substitute for the traditional chef’s knife. Blades are usually 5 inches (13 cm) or 7 inches (18 cm) long.

12.Oyster knife

A short, rigid, blunt knife with a dull edge. Used by chefs for opening and cleaning of oysters. 

13.Clam knife.

A short, rigid,broad-bladed knife with a slight edge. Used by chefs for opening and cleaning clams.

14. Vegetable Peeler.

A short tool with a slotted, swiveling blade. Used for peeling vegetables and fruits.

15.Steel Knife rode.

Even though not a knife, but an essential part of the chef’s knife kit. Used for trying and maintaining knife edges (not for sharpening them).

The Conclusion; The Knife is a tool worthy of respect in the kitchen and needs to be handled properly by the chef who uses it. It is said that there is no magic in the knife, no matter its how expensive, type, kind, make, etc. it is the person or chef who uses the knife that makes it so valuable.