Go to any beginner cooking class and one of the first things they will teach you is knife skills. The secret to all good cooks and chefs is to have good knife skills complemented by a set of quality knives. You don’t need to go and buy out something that is $100, a basic one will do, but make sure you have a variety for the type of cooking you will do. This article from Gizmodo goes over basic skills that anyone can learn and goes over the basic knife types.

I think that many beginners can get away with forgoing the chef knife and instead picking up a Japan-inspired Santoku (pictured below). The flat-edged blade is easier for everyday use and that style has been picked up by most knife manufacturers.

Global Pro GP-14 Cook's Knife

I’ve posted previously about my favorite knives – Globals. However, there is a line of knives made by Global that is only available for the domestic Japan market called “Global-Pro“.

I had a friend send me one from Japan and it’s a beautiful knife. The blade comes to an extraordinary sharpness at the tip, shown off by a very shallow bezel before the knife edge. It’s something you have to see to appreciate.

Unfortunately, the blade selection is quite small. Only French chef style knives are represented, along with some utility knives and sushi/sashimi knives. A santoku is glaringly omitted.

I keep waiting for these knives to be made available domestically but it doesn’t look like it will happen soon. If you want to “upgrade” your Global set, go for the “GF” series of forged Global knives.

In the kitchen, I’ve used Global knives for many years. They are light, sharp and hold their edge really well. It all starts with the G-2 Cook Knife, a classic chef’s knife that can be used to cut anything. However, I like a straight bladed knife for vegetables so I also have a G-5 Vegetable Knife.

Lately, Santoku knives have been really gaining in popularity as “all-in-one” knives for everyday cooking. They have a much straighter edge like the vegetable knife but curves up a the tip like a chek knife. Many new santoku knives are “fluted” so that it’s harder for things to stick to the knife after you cut them.

Global knives are available at national stores like Williams Sonoma as well as local stores like Nella Cucina and Pepper Mill.

Images from Yoshikin Japan.