By 

James Bury (Gloucestershire, UK) –

  

  

Of all the kitchen equipment you can buy, it’s worth having at least one kitchen knife that is the very best you can afford. ‘Best’ is very much personal preference in terms of action, ease of use etc, but the Professional S range from Henckels are outstanding and very popular with professional chefs. I’m just an amateur enthusiast, but find a good knife is indispensable. I’ve had the Pro S cook’s knife for around 20 years and it is still superb. I use it for virtually everything, from finely slicing garlic to dicing veg, and even hacking through the occasional chicken carcass. This set covers virtually all anyone is likely to need for most of their cooking.

What makes the cook’s knife particularly good is that it is so perfectly balanced and incredibly versatile. The curve of the blade is perfect for very fine chopping of veg/herbs, like a mezzaluna; the tip is surprisingly delicate for very fine slicing of onions, garlic etc; and yet the knife is robust enough to cut a whole cabbage or cauliflower in half with minimal effort. You can use it to slice meat, even mince it with a little determination, and is the only knife you’ll need for about 90% of food prep. The handle is set high enough so you can rock the blade back and forwards without bashing your knuckles, and it is so robust that it will last for years even with heavy use and frequent sessions in the dishwasher. I find it faster and more enjoyable than using the plethora of gadgets one acquires for all sorts of obscure tasks, and if my kitchen paraphernalia had to be reduced to just 3 things, it would be this knife, a decent pan, and a TopGourmet chopping board.

It is worth having a look at YouTube for videos on the correct way to use and sharpen knives like these. There are all sorts of ‘tricks of the trade’ that are worth learning, as they will make cooking a lot faster, safer and more enjoyable.

A good cook’s knife of this type, kept sharp, is incredibly versatile and my No.1 choice for almost all food prep. The only things I prefer another blade for are a serrated knife for slicing tomatoes etc, and a small knife for delicate boning out or the rare occasion when I’m trying to pare veg for a posh dinner. The star of this set of knives is undoubtedly the 8″ cook’s knife, and with the other two blades you have all you’ll need for the majority of cooking, without the expense of all sorts of extras you get in larger sets but never use. This is a great, proven, non-gimicky, long-lasting, top performing set of knives, at a very reasonable price. I’d rather these 3 than any of the more modern or stylish designs which seem to compete on gimmicky features rather than just being very very good at what they do.

Help other customers find the most helpful reviews 

Was this review helpful to you? 

|

 Comment