Thread: Help: Recommendations from Chefs?

Hey Ivo, don't know if you want to get too into different pots and pans and all, but check out Le Creuset's cast irons. They are very heavy, but can withstand a LOT. They can also go from the stovetop straight into the oven and are enameled so I don't think they need conditioning like regular cast iron. They are workhorses. Check them out at least.

Originally Posted by Philadelph

Hey Ivo, don't know if you want to get too into different pots and pans and all, but check out Le Creuset's cast irons. They are very heavy, but can withstand a LOT. They can also go from the stovetop straight into the oven and are enameled so I don't think they need conditioning like regular cast iron. They are workhorses. Check them out at least.

I have to agree with you. I've bought two different sizes for my wife and she loves them. I cook with them on occasion. Well seasoned cast iron is hard to beat, and you certainly can't go wrong with All Clad.

Wustof knives receive great reviews. I have some JA Henckels I picked up ten years ago and they're still the best knives I've owned. The super high-end ones are where it's at -- stay away from the cheap models. I've heard the handles have been redesigned in the past few years and many folks don't like them as well. Find something that fits you hand. Try lots of stuff. I use an 8" chef's knife for nearly everything. My wife likes her Santoku knife, and it does a great job just in a different way than a chef's knife.

Originally Posted by sensei_kyle

I have some JA Henckels I picked up ten years ago and they're still the best knives I've owned.

10 years ago is a good time to have picked up J.A. Henckels. IIRC, Within the past 5 years they've moved their blade production facility for cheaper labor costs and the quality of blades has suffered because of it. In fact, the designers of their older blades had a fall-out with the rest because of the changes and split off into their own company. Blades from the new company are at least as nice as the old Henckels and are balanced better (more centered than handle-heavy). I'll have to try to track down the name of the new company as I don't remember it right now.

ETA:
There is another Cutlery company that produces some very fine blades is Global. They're a brand made by Yoshikin. They have a very nice balance and are made out of a single piece of molybdenum/vanadium stainless. Their blades also tend to be shaper and hold their hone better than others as they are ground to a narrower angle and non-beveled. They're supposed to be a pain to hone (really hard steel). My sister has a set of them, and they're a pleasure to work with. Oh, and best of all, they're a good deal less expensive than Henckels and Wusthof.

Not a chef but I like to cook.

These are the knives I bought sometime ago, and I like them a lot:
http://straightrazorpalace.com/showthread.php?t=19262
I prefer 6" knives to 8".

For pans, well we use tefal which are great to work with.
They can't stand years of intensive use, so you need to replace them after 5-7 years. Otoh they are cheap.

We have a cast iron stir frying pan from Le Creuset, and it is great.
The shape is nice, and it comes with ears instead of a long handle, so it is easy to put on the table. It weighs a lot, but otoh once it is hot it stays hot, which is nice.

If cash is in short supply, I'd go for a quality chef's knife as that's probably the most useful knife. Personally my favourite from my collection is an old carbon steel 8" Sabatier, followed by a similar size Wusthof. Japanese blades are amazing but the chef's knife styles tend to have thinner blades that are more suited to slicing. The Sabs and Wusthof will hack through most things without the fear of breaking the blade edge.

Quality carbon steel Sabatiers are available in Britain if you know where to look. Don't know about the States. I bought one recently from Axminster though they seem to be out of stock at the mo.

As for Global, been there, sold them on. The handles just hurt my hands! YMMV of course. Handle them first. They are thinner blades as well.

After that, if you are still short on cash for pots and pans, I'd just get an El Cheapo set (I paid about £4.50 from Ikea!) and replace them bit by bit when the good stuff comes up in sales. That's what I did, worked fine. I use the Ikea set for camping now so the 4.50 wasn't wasted!

Gareth

Knife, go for something 20cm, I think the next size is 25cm however in my career I have not yet come across anything that the 20cm can't do. I have a lot of German stainless and Japanese carbon. Global I'm not a fan of after seeing people drop them and they break between handle and blade, and because its one piece, your totally screwed. (shouldn't drop your knives anyway, but I guess it happens)

Pans, go around some garage sales or swap meets or whatever the term is you use, for people who sell their household items on the front lawn and get yourself a nice cast iron pan for next to nothing. I prefer the older stuff than the new, and if you season it properly and take care of it, it shall serve you just as well as any of these rubbish teflon coated pans.

Pots, I prefer heavy based ones with copper bases, but again that stuff is now something of the past. But if you can get your hands on it.... You won't be disappointed.

My 0.02

Originally Posted by OLD_SCHOOL

Global I'm not a fan of after seeing people drop them and they break between handle and blade, and because its one piece, your totally screwed. (shouldn't drop your knives anyway, but I guess it happens)

I hadn't heard that about Globals before, but that would definitely be problematic. I'll have to let my sister know about that. I agree that it's not a good idea to drop sharp implements, but if for whatever reason you do, I'd rather have it be a tad more forgiving.