Your first knife should be one of the above two. The Santoku or "the three graces." Is a smart option as your go to knife. Many of them rock like a chef's knife. But the two differ in a few ways. The versatility of the santoku (Santuko, is not a knife, it is a common mispronunciation as well as false belief that they are different) comes from it's three graces. Meat, vegetables, and fish. The subtle rocking allows for chopping, The rounded tip is excellent for slicing without piercing. Finally, the subtleness of the curve allows for effective use on leafy greens and other veggies. A job otherwise saved for the nikiri with a flatter edge.

The chef's knife. Also highly versatile is my usual go to. Your common options are German, French, and Japanese. Available in 6-12 inch blades, it is important that you find a size that your are comfortable with. I myself favor the 8 inch. My father being larger than I, prefers a 10 inch. Lastly, my significantly smaller wife uses a 7 inch. I cannot make myself any clearer.  Pick a size that feels comfortable. Your knife should be a firm extension of your hand. This will help prevent accidents from occurring. This includes the grip. Too big of grip or too small just will not feel right.

1. French and German. These are your European standards. French knives tend to be a bit longer. But that is not definitive. What makes a knife the classification it is has nothing to do with branding or manufacturer location. My father has a German style Shun, and I have a Japanese style Wusthof. The key difference is in the belly. The German will have a more full belly along the entire edge of the knife. The French however will be straighter with a curve towards the tip of the knife. I find when using German knives I tend to do more of a rocking motion. With French knives I tend to rock and slide the knife forwards to add a slicing motion. Both of these style knives are weighted heavier towards the blade of the knife. Therefore, tend to have a heavier bolster. They both tend to be double beveled at a 32-degree angle.

2.  Japanese knives are a bit different. Often lighter and sharper with double or single bevel options. I tend to favor them when I am at work as I can tend to move faster and still uphold precision. Japanese knives tend to have a full belly that is not quite as deep as the ones you will see on a German knife. The balance of the knife tends to be more centralized at the bolster. Japanese knives tend to be harder but more brittle than high carbon steel. They tend to be Damascus steel. From there many are hammer forged or freeze treated. This not only looks nice but also further hardens the steel. Japanese knives also tend to have a smaller bolster. Your Japanese Chef knives can mean something European as well. A Gyuto will be similar to a French Chef. Additionally a Western will be similar to a German Chef. Lastly there is the Deba. This I consider to be a specialty knife and I will be explaining why in the next column over. They tend to feature harder steel. Therefore, they can be sharpened and maintained at a 16-degree angle. Deba knives, being single beveled are therefore at an 8-degree angle. Though sharper they do not excel at chopping hard skin or hard vegetables. The single bevel tends to slip.

 The idea here is to shop around and see what it is you personally like. Looking up a top 10 list doesn't hurt. But understand that is someone else's biased or purchased opinion and might not be right for you. Even if you find a deal online, go to a store and hold one in your hand before you order it. If you hate the feel of the knife, you just did yourself a huge favor. If you love it, you remove the uncertainty behind your investment.

Other features to note. Hammer finishes not only harden the blade but also create a nonstick effect and prevent corrosion of the metal. This same nonstick effect can be achieved through a hollow ground blade. Freeze treating not only hardens the blade but creates a beautifully unique pattern on the blade. The Miyabi Black in the picture below will demonstrate this.

Aesthetics are important to some of us. That is okay as long as the aesthetics are functional. A twenty-dollar Damascus steel knife from an off-brand manufacture is not likely real Damascus forged. The fine print states that it is a stamped knife instead of forged. It's Damascus steel sheets that the blades are stamped out of. A true Damascus steel knife is directly forged as a knife. I personally own both, but there is a clear difference between the two. The true Damascus requires far less maintenance.

High carbon steel on the other hand is softer, but heavier. The softer steel needs to be honed and sharpened more often than the high VG Damascus steel. The blade will start off as clean looking steel. But time is what will make that knife so aesthetically special. as time goes on and the carbon degrades the knife will develop a beautiful and unique Patina. This is a film that forms from many different things from chemical exposure, or exposure to age and elements. (Food residues are chemical compounds). The patina that forms however will act to preserve the metal in the long run.

Auxiliary knives are the knives that you shouldn't need but will make the job easier. I recommend an offset serrated knife, a flexible boning knife, and a paring knife for aspiring professionals. Every knife was created for a reason, so not all are as versatile as their workhorse counterparts. But that being said they will do a better job at their designated purpose. Below is a list of knives that should be considered, but far from everything available.

• The Cleaver - The cleaver is the real oxen of the bunch and come in different forms. The (meat) Chinese Cleaver is a heavy-duty chopping and slicing knife. Breaking down a carcass into smaller sections of meat. This is also the knife that breaks through those joints. The weight cuts and slices without shredding the meat or sliding back and fourth. 

• The Nikiri - (or vegetable cleaver) chops through vegetables of any kind. Carrots and celery, the nikiri is my go-to. Also available, the same knife with a single bevel, the Usuba. They especially excel at chopping up leafy greens. Like cutting kale into shoestrings. If I were to further differentiate the two, the nikiri does quick work while cooking. The usuba is a favorite amongst sushi chefs who are serving food raw. The single bevel provides a cleaner cut at the cellular level.

• The Boning Knife - When we think butchery the mind goes straight to the bloody whites and the cleaver. The boning knife however is the one that spends the most time in my hand when breaking down bigger pieces of meat. For a boning knife I will say focus on the construction of the knife rather than the feel. The best boning knife for years in my opinion has been the Wusthof classic. It is one of two knives I will mention as "best in class" the second being a Joyce Chen Cleaver. Why change up a good thing when you cannot get any closer to perfect? A good boning knife should be flexible and sharp. It should be full tang for precision and leverage as well. When used properly this is the knife that will bend and slide over the bone. It is a very handy knife and a must have for professionals who are performing butchery. I have as well as my Wusthof, an old Victorinox with a curved blade. I omit ownership of a filet knife and often us this in its place. The Filet is similar in construction but features a less flexible blade but more leverage behind the clean cut. The Filet is a favorite for breaking down fish as the meat is so delicate.

• The Offset Serrated - The offset serrated knife is a favorite of mine and one of two that goes to every job with me. The reason why I say offset instead of a classic Bread Knife is for efficiency reasons. The offset handle allows for the accurate back and fourth cutting of the serration to be performed flat without backing the handle up from the cutting surface. To visualize this. The offset handle allows the blade to connect flat with the cutting board without your knuckles hitting. With a bread knife however, you need to use the edge of the counter and hover your hand. More accidents can happen this way. The offset is also great for pastries, pies, and for slicing cooked meats. It is one of the most versatile of the auxiliary knives.

• The Paring Knife - Very simple in its form and in it's uses the paring knife is your small carving knife for hand held purposes. I recommend online turtorials on the proper ways to use one as they are specialized to in hand work and can be dangerous. Available in drop tip, sheeps foot, and straight it often depends on preference. I find the most stability with a drop point. Many chefs find that a sheep's foot allows for less waste.

• The Utility Knives - I personally favor the Honesuki, however utility knives come in all shapes and sizes. Some are very specialized, others like the honesuki are rather generic. This is the knife you use for quick cutting. Your workhorse is the biggest, And your paring is the smallest. Your utility knife should meet comfortably in the middle and should hold a shape that is functional to your cooking style. If you do half of your prep before you cook and the rest as you go this is the knife you reach for. Therefore, like your workhorse knife it should feel like an extension of your hand.

• The Deba - The deba, though resembling a chef knife is actually a fish butchery knife. This is due to its single beveled design. Just like the usuba, it does less damage on the cellular level making it ideal for sushi and sashimi.

• The Kitisuki - This is the full-size version of the honesuki. This is a knife you will love enough to replace your chef knife. Or it will just be awkward to use. This is due to its flattened edge design. It is like a drop point chef knife used for slicing and chopping.