Kitchen Knives

Different Types of Kitchen Knives

Chef Knife

Chef knives are commonly crafted with a pointed tip and a distinct edge design characterized by a gentle curve (belly), promoting a fluid rocking movement. This rocking action enables you to maintain a continuous cutting motion without the need to lift the knife from the cutting board's surface. This reduces user fatigue and lessens prep times across your kitchen preparation. Chef Knives are typically found in lengths of 8 to 12 inches. Good for various food prep duties like slicing, dicing, chopping, mincing, and disjointing large cuts of meat. You can check out REC's selection of Chef knives.

Santoku Knife

Santoku knives, hailing from Japan, are typically characterized by their shorter, lighter, and more slender profile when compared to Western-style chef knives. They typically boast a blade length of 6-7 inches, in contrast to the standard 8-inch size of a home cook's chef knife. Santoku knives excel at precision slicing, capable of creating exceptionally thin food slices. However, they are not the go-to choice for tasks such as cleaving large meat bones, cutting through soft breads, or handling peeling duties. To explore Santoku knives.

Nakiri Knife

The Nakiri knife, a traditional Japanese-style blade, is primarily designed for precise slicing, dicing, and chopping of vegetables. Its distinguishing feature is the straight and symmetrical blade, which encourages a particular cutting technique. Nakiri knives can be likened to the Western-style counterpart of a single-edged Japanese usuba or vegetable knife. They are often employed for tasks such as creating Julienne, Brunoise, and Allumette cuts, and are particularly adept at transferring chopped vegetables seamlessly from the cutting board into pans. REC offers a fine selection of Nakiri knives.

Paring Knife

The humble Paring knife, a ubiquitous presence in kitchens worldwide, is often considered the linchpin of any kitchen toolkit. A Paring knife is a diminutive blade, typically measuring under 8 inches in length, sporting a non-serrated curved blade, usually less than 4 inches long. Its nomenclature reflects its supreme ability: "paring," which means stripping or peeling. This versatile knife is your go-to tool for a myriad of smaller kitchen tasks. It excels at handling petite vegetables, peeling fruits, effortlessly slicing irregularly shaped items, mincing delicate ingredients like garlic and onions, coring tomatoes, preparing fruit for salads, halving avocados, or segmenting fruits for snacking. What sets Paring knives apart is their remarkable utility in situations where you need to keep a firm grip on the food you're cutting, and they shine in scenarios where a cutting board isn't a necessity.

Cleaver

A kitchen cleaver, in stark contrast to the petite Paring knife, is a veritable giant in the kitchen with a hefty, broad rectangular blade that dwarfs most other knives. Typically measuring between 6 to 8 inches in length, this culinary behemoth is as imposing as it is utilitarian. The hallmark of a cleaver is its weighty, blade-forward design, making it almost feel like it's eager to tackle demanding tasks. Cleavers shine in situations where an up-and-down chopping motion is needed to get the job done. These robust blades are the undisputed champions when it comes to breaking down meat and bones. They can deftly slice through thick cuts of beef, lamb, or pork and make quick work of separating ribs or hacking through joints. Cleavers can also take on the task of unyielding vegetables. Looking to mince a butternut squash, pumpkin or cabbage? A cleaver is the proper tool. Not to mention they are just super fun to use.

Bread Knife

Bread knives are unsung heroes in the world of kitchen cutlery, often overlooked but genuinely transformative when it comes to the delicate art of slicing soft, fresh-baked goods. These knives boast a unique and clever design with serrated teeth that play a pivotal role in the process. In between those pointed edges, you'll find scalloped areas that handle the softer, more delicate breadcrumb. This duality is where the bread knife's genius truly shines. While the serrated teeth grip and fracture the tough exterior, the scalloped areas provide smooth and clean slicing through the tender interior. The result? Perfectly uniform slices of bread with a contrast of crispy crust and soft, fluffy crumb, just as it's meant to be. Looking to keep your warm loaves intact? Explore our bread knives. Just remember to warm your butter so Aunt Sue doesn't mutilate your Rosemary bread scraping cool butter over her slice.

Carving Knife

Carving knives are like the graceful conductors of the kitchen orchestra, sporting long and slender blades that are tailor-made for the art of carving and serving meats. But their talents don't stop at meat alone; they're also versatile enough to handle the slicing of fruits and vegetables when the need arises. While the Chef's knife rocks a broader blade and is your go-to tool for chopping mountains of ingredients, the carving knife opts for a more refined path, favoring precision and elegance. With its lean and lithe frame, the carving knife excels at carving up a variety of meats, whether they're in their raw, uncooked state, or roasted to perfection. It allows you to create those flawless, paper-thin slices that elicit oohs and aahs at the dining table. Carving knives should be spared from any bone-hacking or encounters with tough, hard materials. Their blades tend to be flexible, which is a strategic feature when dealing with denser meats. This flexibility ensures delicate, surgical precision, allowing you to effortlessly carve that Thanksgiving turkey or your Sunday roast into impeccably uniform servings, worthy of a standing ovation. Explore carving knives!

Kitchen Accessories

From BBQ sets, Shears, Honing Steels, Camellia Knife Oil, sharpening systems, and more. REC has you covered for all of your kitchen cutlery needs. From apartment kitchens to professional back-of-house needs. Explore kitchen accessories. We look forward to helping you.

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Shun

Shun Classic 2 Piece Carving Set - DMS0230

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Shun

Shun Sora 5.5" Serrated Utility Knife - VB0722

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Also called a tomato or sandwich knife, the Shun Sora Serrated Utility Knife is a blade with many uses. In size, it's between the chef's knife and the paring knife, but its blade is narrower and...
Shun

Shun Premier 8" Kiritsuke - TDM0771

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Wusthof

Wusthof Classic 7" Hollow Edge Craftsman Knife - 1040134318

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7" Hollow Edge Craftsman Inspired by farm-to-table cooking, the Craftsman is a hybrid design combining the features of a chef's knife, boning knife, and carving knife. Forged from a single piece of...
Victorinox

Victorinox Swiss Classic Folding Field Paring Knife Black

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Foldable and Lightweight Paring Knife Pared back in form but expressive in personality, our Swiss Classic Foldable Paring Knife does multipurpose its own way. You'll quickly see it as your new...
Victorinox

Victorinox Swiss Classic Folding Field Serrated Paring Knife Red

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Foldable and Lightweight Paring Knife Pared back in form but expressive in personality, our Swiss Classic Foldable Paring Knife does multipurpose its own way. You'll quickly see it as your new...
KAI USA

Kai Pro 9" Bread Knife - HT7062

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KAI PRO 9" Bread Knife The PRO Bread Knife is the next must-have after your chef's, paring, and utility knives. Whether your bread is thick and crusty or delicately tender, this knife slices through...
Wusthof

Wusthof Gourmet 7 Piece Steak Knife Block Set - 1065070701

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Seven Piece Steak Block Set The WÜSTHOF Gourmet Seven Piece Steak Block Set includes six 4 1/2" Steak Knives and a Steak Knife Block. Specifications <
KAI USA

Kai Pro 6" Flexible Fillet - HT7081

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A little bit of flex in your blade steel makes filleting fish easier. The Kai PRO 6-inch Flexible Fillet offers just the right amount thanks to our precision heat treatment process. That little...
Shun

Shun Classic 8" Kiritsuke - DM0771

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Known as the master chef's knife, the kiritsuke is used for all the tasks for which you'd use a chef's knife and offers top cutting performance and versatility. The striking looking Shun Classic...
KAI USA

KAI PRO 12" Slicing Brisket Knife - HT7074

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KAI PRO 12" Brisket Knife The PRO 12" Brisket Knife is the perfect tool for trimming or slicing larger cuts of meat, including brisket, ham, turkey, and roasts. The long, narrow blade makes it easy...
KAI USA

Kai Luna 4pc Steak Knife Set - AB7075

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This handsome set of Kai Luna steak knives will let you cut through your steak quickly and easily. You get a set of four razor-sharp knives in an attractive black and grey color scheme; it's a...
KAI USA

Kai Luna 9" Bread - AB7062

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The Kai Luna Bread Knife is the lightest, easiest to use bread knife ever. Whether your bread is thick and crusty or delicately tender, this knife is built to slice through easily with less tearing...
KAI USA

Kai Luna 6" Utility - AB7084

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For kitchen tasks that are too big for a paring knife and too small for a chef’s knife, reach for the Kai Luna Utility Knife. A utility knife is handy for larger peeling jobs or when precision...
KAI USA

Kai Luna 6.5" Asian Utility - AB7077

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From its sharp tip, which can be used to peel ginger, to its long, straight edge, perfect for portioning meat, the Kai Luna Asian Utility Knife is a beautiful multi-tasking blade. This is not a...
KAI USA

Kai Luna 3.5" Paring - AB7068

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A paring knife is essential for every kitchen. In fact, they're so handy that many cooks like to own more than one. The Kai Luna Paring Knife is the right knife for peeling, coring, and other...
KAI USA

Kai Luna 7" Santoku - AB7064

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The Kai Luna Santoku's Asian-inspired blade works well for any job for which you’d normally choose a chef’s knife. Yet the santoku’s shorter length and blade design make it highly maneuverable. Many...
KAI USA

Kai Luna 8" Chef's - AB7066

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If you could own only one kitchen knife, the chef's knife would be the one. It's the one knife that does it all: slice, dice, mince—the Kai Luna Chef’s Knife is the one you’ll reach for every time...
Shun

Shun Sora 7" Hollow Grind Santoku - VB0718

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A santoku is an Asian-inspired knife that many cooks today have added to their kitchen favorites. A knife of many talents, a santoku easily handles all the basic kitchen cutting tasks. Slightly...
Shun

Shun Sora 8" Chef's Knife - VB0706

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This is the place to start your Shun Sora collection. In Japan, the Sora Chef's Knife would be called a gyuto. It's used for all the same purposes as a chef's knife—all-around food preparation. But...