The biggest change in my kitchen came from ditching the fancy knives

For years I used a set of high-end Japanese steel, but my prep times were still slow. About six months ago I switched to just one Victorinox 8-inch chef's knife and sharpened it every single day. My speed on the line at The Oak Room doubled, and I haven't looked back. Does anyone else think we overcomplicate our tools?

3 comments

3 Comments

river_scott3mo ago

Honestly, same. I had this whole block of fancy knives and I spent more time picking one than actually cutting stuff. Now I just keep my one good chef's knife sharp on a basic steel before I start cooking. Everything goes faster when you're not overthinking it, and a sharp cheap knife beats a dull fancy one any day.

martinez.anna3mo ago

Oh man, this hits home. I had a whole drawer of "specialty" knives that just collected dust. @river_scott is totally right about spending more time picking a tool than using it. My fancy santoku made me feel like a pro on TV, but my old reliable chef's knife actually gets the onions chopped. Guess I bought the fantasy, not the function.

xenarobinson2mo ago

Is it really that deep though? People act like they committed some crime by buying a knife they thought was cool. It's not like you blew your rent money on a set of Damascus steel katana knives. A drawer full of stuff you barely use is practically a rite of passage for anyone who tries a new hobby. Let people enjoy their impulse buys without turning it into a whole life lesson about consumerism.