With so many different knives available, have you wondered “what kitchen knives do I need”? The knives you need in your kitchen are most likely different to those others need. This depends on the types of food you prepare and cook. So let’s look at some must have knives for different types of cooking.
Everyone's Must Have Knife - Chef's Knife / Gyuto
If you’re going to invest in any knife, this is the one. It is by far the most versatile knife and is the go-to knife for most tasks you find in the kitchen including slicing, dicing, chopping and mincing meat, fish, vegetables and fruit. But it isn’t perfect for everything. It shouldn’t be used to carve poultry, cut bones or frozen food. It also shouldn’t be used to remove the skin from larger vegetables such as pumpkins.
The Perfect All-Rounder - Kiritsuke / Bunka
If you’re looking for a perfect all-rounder, look no further than the Kiritsuke (or its baby brother the Bunka). It is a popular alternative to the Chef’s Knife or Gyuto. While the Chef’s Knife is perfect for rock chopping, the Kiritsuke is better suited to push cutting and pull cutting.
The Kiritsuke is usually slightly larger and heavier than the chef’s knife, so if you would prefer a Kiritsuke but want something a bit lighter, the Bunka is a perfect option. It’s a smaller and lighter version of the Kiritsuke.
For The BBQer / Outdoor Cook / Survivalist – Cleaver
The cleaver is the heaviest of all the knives in this list and for that reason it’s the knife that does the heavy work. While all of the other knives on this list are not recommended for carving poultry or chopping bones or frozen food, these are the perfect jobs for the cleaver.
Every knife collection needs a cleaver because they are perfect for cooking outdoors such as BBQ’s and camping. Oh and they look really cool too!
For The Vegan / Vegetarian – Nakiri
The Nakiri is perfect if you eat a lot of fruit and vegetables. It has a thinner blade than most knives which makes it the ideal knife for slicing vegetables. But this knife shouldn’t be used to chop meat and definitely not bones.
For The Small Stuff – Paring / Petty Knife
The paring, petty or vegetable knife is perfect for those precision tasks such as peeling, coring or trimming fruit and vegetables. The paring knife shouldn’t be used for tasks such as cutting hard vegetables such as carrots or potatoes. This is a job for the Nakiri.