How to Choose the Right Knife for My Restaurant

Opening a restaurant can be very stressful. However, there is no doubt that being able to pick out your restaurant’s supplies is definitely one of the most exciting things to do. This is your chance to find the right tools your team will be using in order to create the most amazing dishes for your future customers. You’ll, of course, want the best culinary tools out there, including knives. Knives are arguably one of the most essential utensils needed, which is why you need to choose the knife that suits your restaurant’s needs best.

What to Consider as a Restaurateur

It’s not just about going out and buying whatever knife looks the best. You must identify what you need the knives for. There are different types of knives that are better at cutting specific things in a certain way than others. It is no good depending on one standard knife to do all the work. You also need to take the materials used into making the knife.

Materials Used

Of course, we all need knives that are sharp, but if you want the perfect knife then you need to consider the materials that go into them, no matter how small they may seem. Each type of material has an effect on handling, cutting, and your budget.

Type of Blade

Stainless Steel: A trusty blade that will stay resistant to corrosion. This makes it a popular choice for busy kitchens, including at home.

High Carbon Stainless Steel: This blade is a version of stainless steel packed with more carbon. This allows the blade to stay sharper for longer as well as resist staining thanks to the high-quality alloys.

Carbon steel: An alloy of both carbon and steel, this blade will keep its edge and sharpness while being easy on the wallet. They are a preferred choice of many chefs. However, others think that their maintenance and ability to stain overshadow that.

Forged: These are very elaborate blades that have been made by the most skilled craftsmen. There are many steps taken in perfecting a forged blade, making them a more expensive choice, but they perform the same as a less-expensive blanked blade.

Blanked: Blanked blades are cut right from the sheet or coil stock, then heated for strength and sharpened, which is what makes them cheaper than a forged blade. The most noticeable difference in a blanked blade from the other blades is a lack of bolster.

Types of Handle

Plastic: Plastic handles are cheap and much easier to clean than other types of handles. This is ideal if you’re cutting up lots of meats.

Wood: Wood handles look lovely and are easy to grip, they can be a pain to care for. They need to be cleaned a lot more thoroughly than plastic, due to bacteria being able to get in the handle. This is especially true if the handles have not been treated with mineral oil, which also helps as a water repellent.

Composite: Composite handles look and function wonderfully, which is why many chefs choose them. They are made from laminate wood put together with plastic resins, making them as easy to care for as plastic handles.

Types of knives

The type of knife is important when it comes to the type of ingredients you will be working with.

Chef’s knife: Great all-around knife with long blade, able to make long cuts quite easily with a smooth blade that allows natural rocking movement.

Paring knife: The perfect choice for trimming and peeling fruits and vegetables.

Slicers: The long-bladed knife that can have a scalloped or straight edge, depending on your type of cut.

Utility: The utility knife is great for get through tough outer skin on fruits and vegetables without damaging the flesh.

Boning: With a thin, flexible, but very sharp blade, a boning knife is ideal for filleting fish with ease.

It’s also not just about the knife. It’s the other materials you use with it to maintain functionality, like a wood cutting board. Choosing a wholesaler for cutting boards means your kitchen will easily become equipped with the best cutting board to work in tangent with your chosen knife for smooth, seamless cutting of whatever meat, vegetable, or fruit you’re working with. Wholesale Cutting Boards offer a variety of wood cutting boards that will not only look great but will be perfect for providing a functional workspace that doesn’t dull your knives. Have a look at our selection to get inspiration for your new kitchen.