Quick question - professional kitchen knives...

[Lizzer]

Hello, I need anyone who can cook's help! I want to buy dp a set - or just one or two if pricey - of kitchen knives for his birthday. He's a brill cook and he obviously has loads of common or garden knives in the house but I really want to buy him something of chef's quality. Unfortunately I'm stuck as I haven't a clue about makes, sizes etc. What's good? What to avoid? The only make I know is kitchen devils but I don't think they really cut the mustard if you pardon the bad pun... Any help appreciated

Hello again!. Personally, I think that Global and Henckel are the best two brands. As to what to get, it really depends on what sort of cooking he does. If he does a lot of roasts and so on then obviously a good large carving knife is a necessity but if not, he might not use it that much. I would be tempted to go for a good all purpose kitchen/chef's knife, a vegetable knife and a utility knife. I find I use smaller knives more often than the larger ones (I use my Global tomato knife constantly - it is small and serrated and fantastically useful).

Divertimenti.com has a good range but they are a bit pricey. John Lewis is probably better value.

Lizzer just started a cookery course, the chef recommended knives where the blade runs all the way down into the handle. He quoted £80 for a good one! R

I would recommend Global also, my employer used to buy me one every year, strange but true! I know that Henckel are also highly thought of.

You can get Global easily at JLP.

I would recommend Global also, my employer used to buy me one every year, strange but true! I know that Henckel are also highly thought of.

You can get Global easily at JLP, but I'd try the internet for better value

I second bells2 vote for the Global tomato knife. Although not very macho as a present. Global are lovely but expensive. Henkel are quite heavy. People poo-poo Sabatier but a good one would probably be cheaper than the others brands.

Another vote for Global. Wustoff and Henckel are v. good too, but not as good-looking.

Don't know why people poo-poo Sabatiers! Dh is the cook in our house and wouldn't be without his. They come in different styles and prices, but as Rhiannon says, the best ones have the blade running all the way into the handle, not stuck onto it. I'm pretty certain these ones have brass-looking rivets holding the handle onto the blade, the cheaper ones have steel rivets.

Oh dear, I am a complete bore for knowing this but the problem with Sabatier is that they began letting other manufacturers make "Sabatier" knives under license and in many cases the quality wasn't up to it. So while the original Sabatier knives are amongst the best, there are some inferior versions bearing the same name out there.

Wow -thanks folks, what a response to my question. Fantastic. I've checked out a few...gulp...prices and I definitely will only get him one or two!! The global ones look lovely, don't they. He's a bit anal on the style front so I think I'll go for that make. Though I'm sure the rest are just as good...

I'll join the others in recommending global they're great but make sure you buy a sharpening stone not just a sharpener stick because you need to sharpen them with the stone every two weeks and the stick is just for keeping the point sharp apparently - never knew this myself but found it out !

Tillysmummy - thanks for the advice being very much a 'tool and gadget' man (aren't they all!) I'll definitely get him the stone to play with too!!!

another vote for Global, if you go to

www.internetcookshop.com/homepage.htm

scotts and seargant cookshop, very good price, escpecially as they usually have an offer on on Globals... i did a huge load of research into looking for a good set of knives and global came out on everyone's recs!

good luck!

My biggest problem is keeping my knives sharp. We have a sharpener which consists of two slots which you drag your knife through, and a steel, which I use more regularly, but probably not properly. Wondering if there is a reputable electric sharpener around as the slot-thingy is very slow to use. How do you sharpen your knives - do you use a stone?

i sharpen mine by using a ceramic wheel sharpener, you know same prinicple as your dragging through steel thingy, i know that mine is specifically made for using with global knives, see my link at scotts and seargants as they have a knife sharpening section there too and i know they're very good on advising, so i would give them a ring too!!!

but i also know that john lewis do them too....

watch your fingers!!!

There is a whole page in today's Independent about the Top Ten kitchen knives.

Hi everyone !!!

Anyone had "Jean Patrique" knives ? I've just ordered a bumper set from the Sunday Times ad - 14 knives for £99 - allegedly surplus stock - and am now worried that they might be rubbish !! Really wanted Global, but needed more than one so the price was restrictive !!

Allegedly the set I've ordered is worth £530 or so - and I get free steak knives and a block ! can't be for real - can it ??

Scatterbrain, I book advertising from this company, they are running this as in our next issue and even I am tempted. I have seen some of their pans, and they do seem to be good quality. They have a shop in a factory village place near us. The company have been around under the 'Proffessional Cookware co' for a long time, so I would trust them. The offer seems quite good, I wouldn't really beleive the 'worth £530' as I doubt they have ever actually been on sale at that price.

The product is bought from overseas, and is some sort of excess stock, so that much is true.

Please let me know what you think of these knives as I am tempted and I'm trying to get them via my contacts.

I'm a bit late on this one!, came across it looking for something else. IMHO you can't beat Richardson Sheffield, I treated (£125 for set of 5) myself recently to their 'balance' knives they are a joy to use - they make me want to really cook now!! Isn't there a superstition that says you must give silver if you give/receive something sharp?

Am still waiting for my new knives to arrive !! Will post the verdict when they do - assuming they ever will !!

Scatterbrain, have these knives arrived as yet? Are they nice? I am so tempted as I saw them at the Ideal Home Show and really need an excuse to buy them!

No - still not arrived - apparently the demand was unprecedented and thay have had to import more - so am still waiting - last heard they should be here in about 10-14 days - will post as soon as they come !!

Fair dos to them though - they haven't taken the money yet either !

I bought their saucepans and really love them. I only bought a small set at Ideal Home Show and can seriously say they are the best I have ever used. I am tempted with the smaller set of knives they do at £69, as I don't have a huge kitchen and the 14 peice set maybe overkill!!

Let me know!

Hoorah !!! The knives have eventually arrived !

So far - so good !!! They are a bit lighter than I was expecting, clearly have hollow handles, whereas the Global ones are solid I think, but they are nice and sharp and look good - so I shall see how they weather and let you know !

Hi scatterbrain, how are they after a couple of months. I have decided to order a set and I just want first hand testimonial!!

At my recent day at Nick Nairn's cookschool the chef said you must never put cooks' knives in the dishwasher as the detergent will graduallly dissolve away the sharp edge.
I didn't know that.