The Right Slice

You’ll usually see a chef armed with their knife kit, carefully selecting the right tool for precise cuts and skillful slicing. A quality chef knife and a great paring knife are two must-haves for any kit. They are also great staples for your home kitchen. The versatility of these two knives makes them useful for everything from vegetables to meats. Inspired by the knives BootHill Blades has crafted exclusively for Blackberry Farm, Executive Chef of the Dogwood Sarah Steffan offers advice on how to utilize two of the must-have tools of the trade.

A paring knife is a utility knife. I always have more than one in my kit because they’re so versatile and good for small and big jobs. You can use your paring knife for everyday cuts like chopping fruit and vegetables, and it’s also great to grab when you need to do some detail work.

The paring knife is a great cheeseboard knife, too. You can cut your cheese to prep the board, and it’s also a pretty and sizeable knife to leave out with the display.

A chef knife is the bread and butter of a chef’s kit. It’s honestly great for everything! Use your chef knife for chopping herbs, fabricating and slicing meat, cutting vegetables and more. A chef knife is a great item to invest in. Get one, really great quality knife, and with proper care, it will last a long time.

I run my knife over a diamond steel every day to hone the blade, and then I stone sharpen it once a week to ensure clean, easy cuts.