At OakStreet Man, we love The Art of Manliness. Filled with tips, tricks, and discussions on the skills and knowledge that every man should have, it's a quality online resource.
A perfect example is this recent guide to knives you need to have in your kitchen and how to keep them performing on the cutting edge. The author thinks that having a top-quality chef knife is essential to making great meals, and we couldn't agree more. It's a sharp idea.
The "most used and versatile knife in the kitchen", the chef's knife, is also one of the most important. The knife should be made of high quality stainless steel, have a very solid weight and feel, and have a seamless integration between blade and handle. After all, it's the knife you'll be using most, and you want to be able to rely on it. We're partial to the 8" Shun Chef Knife, a fantastic tool built from VG-10 stainless steel that we've mentioned before.
Once you have your tools of choice, they should always be kept sharpened to maintain peak performance. You can have this done professionally for best results, but in between professional honing you can use an electronic sharpener or sharpening steel. The simple 4-step sharpening process can be seen on The Art of Manliness. But never sharpen a serrated knife! Sharpening them will wear down their edge and stop them from performing as intended.
But don't spend all your time preparing to slice and dice. Once you're equipped like a master chef, start making some meals! There are few things quite as rewarding as enjoying a savory dish you've made yourself.
