For most home cooks, the right chef's knife is 20 cm long, with a quality stainless blade and a handle that falls naturally into your hand. The profile matters as much as the brand: a curved European-style blade favours a rocking motion, a flatter Japanese-style blade favours push cutting. Then choose the steel according to the upkeep you are prepared to give your knife.
The chef's knife, the centrepiece of the kitchen
Slicing an onion, chopping herbs, carving meat, cutting vegetables: the chef's knife does most of the work in the kitchen. With a good chef's knife, a paring knife and a bread knife, you cover almost every need. So it is worth choosing well, rather than buying a knife block of which half will never be used.
Which length to choose?
18 cm: compact and manoeuvrable
Ideal for small kitchens, small hands or a preference for precision. This length is often found on santokus.
20 cm: the benchmark
This is the best compromise for home use: long enough to slice a cabbage or a roast, short enough to stay precise. The Victorinox 20 cm chef's knife is a good example, simple and sturdy.
24 cm and above: for large quantities
Long blades suit experienced cooks and large quantities. They need a generous worktop and chopping board.
The blade profile: European or Japanese
The European profile
Tall blade, rounded belly, often a slightly softer steel: it lends itself to rock cutting, with the tip staying on the board while the heel rises and falls. Sturdy and forgiving, it tolerates clumsiness.
The Japanese profile
The gyuto, the Japanese equivalent of the chef's knife, has a thinner blade and a less pronounced belly, for a push or pull cut. The santoku, shorter, with a rounded tip and an almost flat profile, is much liked for vegetables. The Global G-80 Santoku, with its 18 cm dimpled blade, limits food sticking.
The steel: hardness, edge and upkeep
The hardness of a steel is measured in HRC (Rockwell scale). A harder steel keeps its edge longer and can be sharpened more finely, but it is also less tolerant of knocks and twisting.
- Stainless around 56-58 HRC: an excellent balance for the home. The Global G-02, in Cromova 18 steel, illustrates it: 20 cm blade, one-piece construction, easy to live with.
- Hard core around 61 HRC: Japanese Damascus blades wrap a very hard core in layers of steel. The Kai Shun Damascus 706 and the Kasumi Damascus chef's knife, both 20 cm with a VG10 core at 61 HRC, offer an extremely fine edge.
The harder the steel, the more carefully it must be treated: no glass or stone boards, no bones or frozen food, and sharpening on a whetstone rather than with a honing steel. Our guide to caring for and sharpening a knife explains how to go about it.
Handling: the criterion people forget
A chef's knife must above all suit you. Before buying, ask yourself these questions:
- Weight: a heavy knife works "by itself" in decisive cuts, while a light knife tires you less over long preparations.
- Balance: held at the heel, the knife should stay steady, without tipping noticeably towards the tip or the handle.
- The handle: synthetic, wood or metal, it should fill the hand without forcing it, even with wet hands.
- The heel: a thick bolster protects the fingers but makes it harder to sharpen the bottom of the blade.
The best way to decide is still to try: holding several knives in the shop tells you more than a data sheet.
The brands available in the shop
Our Kitchen knives collection brings together several approaches. Victorinox, the Swiss maker, offers reliable, affordable knives, perfect for equipping a kitchen. Global, recognisable by its all-stainless knives, offers lightness and hygiene. Kai, with its Shun line, and Kasumi represent the Japanese Damascus tradition. Finally, Kyocera offers ceramic blades, very sharp and light, but reserved for cuts that do not involve bones.
Everyday care
Wash your knife by hand in hot water, dry it at once and store it in a block, on a magnetic bar or in a protective sheath. The dishwasher damages the edge and the handle. Use a wooden or synthetic board, which is gentler on the blade.
Frequently asked questions
What size of chef's knife should I choose?
20 cm suits the vast majority of home cooks. Opt for 18 cm if you want manoeuvrability, and 24 cm or more for large quantities.
Santoku or chef's knife?
The santoku, shorter and flatter, excels at vegetables and push cutting. The chef's knife, longer and more curved, is more versatile and suits the rocking motion.
Is a Japanese knife better than a European one?
Neither better nor worse: it is generally harder and thinner, so sharper, but it needs more care. The European knife is more forgiving.
Can a chef's knife go in the dishwasher?
It is not recommended: knocks, heat and detergents damage the edge and the handle. Washing by hand followed by immediate drying is enough.
How often should it be sharpened?
It depends on use. Regular edge maintenance and a session on the whetstone a few times a year suit most home kitchens.
Knives are sold only to customers aged 18 and over.