How I choose a chef’s knife

Let’s get the obvious bit out of the way: I founded RiceKnife, so I’m hardly an impartial judge. Still, the questions I ask when choosing a chef’s knife are the same whatever is stamped on the blade. These are the five that matter most to me.

1. What do you cook most?

Start in your own kitchen, not in a shop. If you mostly chop vegetables, a santoku makes a lot of sense: a shorter, broad blade that’s easy to control. If you want one knife for almost everything, a gyuto-style chef’s knife is the classic choice. And if you love long, clean slices through fish and vegetables, a kiritsuke, with its nearly straight edge and angled tip, is a joy to work with.

2. Length

Somewhere around 20–24 cm is a sensible all-round length for most home cooks. If your board is small or your worktop is tight, a shorter knife often feels more natural. Picture your own board: is there room to use the whole edge?

3. Weight and balance

Some people like a knife that does the work with its own weight. Others want something light that almost dances across the board. Neither is wrong. What matters is that the knife feels like an extension of your hand and doesn’t tip forwards or backwards when you hold it.

4. Steel and edge

Hard steel holds a keen edge for a long time, but it asks to be treated kindly: wooden boards, no bones, no twisting. Damascus is all about layers. The distinctive pattern comes from many layers of steel forged together. Valkyrie III, Tigritude III and Yolo III each have 73 layers in total: a hard, cobalt-bearing core that forms the actual edge, with stainless layers on either side that create the pattern.

5. The handle

The handle is the part you touch every single time you cook. Its shape should suit your hand, and the material should feel good, even with wet hands. Personally, I love the warmth of wood.

Where the three knives fit

• Valkyrie III is the gyuto-style chef’s knife: a 23.7 cm blade, 204 g, and a handle of stabilised red oak with blue accents and brass. For anyone who wants one knife for vegetables, fish and boneless meat.
• Tigritude III is a kiritsuke: a 20.8 cm blade, 185 g, and a snakewood and dark rosewood handle. For the cook who loves precision and long, clean cuts.
• Yolo III is a K-tip santoku: a 16.8 cm blade, 183 g, and a bocote handle. For anyone who mostly chops veg or simply prefers a shorter knife.

Specifications can change from one edition to the next, so check riceknife.com for the latest details.

My best advice

Buy one knife you really love rather than a whole set you won’t use. Start with the knife that suits what you cook most, then add to it once you notice what’s missing. And whichever you choose, have a read of my knife care guide so your new knife stays sharp.