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Choosing the Right Knives for your Commercial Kitchen
Brand Name Knives with a Life Time Warranty
The Right Knife with the Right Handle
Forged and not Stamped Knives
A Full Tang
Use Customer Feedback on the Internet before Taking a Decision
Caring for your Commercial Kitchen Knives
Keeping your Knives Clean and Dry
Using a Steel
Not Meant for Multi-tasking
No Dishwashers or Strong Detergents Please
Commercial Kitchen Knives in Cutlery Sets
Storing your Commercial Kitchen Knives
To Block or not to Block
Knife Guards and Sheets
An Investment that Shines
About Catering Supplies Depot

Knives have assumed a significant place in our lives as Mankind’s first tool. From their first incarnation over two and half million years ago as traced in the Oldowan collection found near Gona, Ethiopia in Africa to their present day status as the prized possession of any restaurant chef, knives have not only stood the test of time, they have evolved into highly reliable hi tech precision instruments without which any activity in a restaurant kitchen is a mere formality. From their rock, flint and obsidian days, knives have progressed to a point where selection and choices are infinite and their construction is rock solid. Ceramic, steel, titanium, and even composite materials are being used to manufacture them. This white paper is a logically organized step-by-step guide on how to buy knives suitable for a commercial kitchen, how to care for them and, finally how to ensure that you and your colleagues use them safely within a high function work zone at a restaurant, school or college cafeteria, catering facility or any other commercial food service operation.

Choosing the Right Knives for your Commercial Kitchen
There are at least half a dozen factors you should consider when acquiring knives for your chefs at your food preparation facility. As we tell you what they are, we will also brief you on the dynamics of accessory purchasing and share with you the choices that are currently available in the restaurant equipment, restaurant supplies and food preparation equipment marketplace.

Brand Name Knives with a Life Time Warranty
As is the case with practically every other service industry, we get only one chance to please our customers. If we expect them to return for more, there can be no compromises with respect to service quality and user experience. Therefore, your chefs should use nothing but the best. All food service implements and instruments should be of the highest quality you can possibly afford. Most reputed manufacturers of quality knives have been in the industry for many decades and have reputations to protect. Therefore, there is an implied assurance of quality from them. It is rare to find a knives manufacturer who does not offer a lifetime warranty on their commercial kitchen knives. However, it is a good idea to check prior to acquisition. After all, having the right tool for the right job is critical to success.

The Right Knife with the Right Handle
Knife blades and what they are made of is without doubt important. However, handles are just as critical. There are two choices available—wooden handles and plastic handles. Wooden handles are known to provide a better grip. However, plastic handles are more durable. The handle should be designed ergonomically and should present an easy to sustain and firm grip. Since handle grip is mostly a matter of personal preference, the “Try before you Buy” adage is surely applicable in this context. Your chefs may already have a brand recommendation for you in this regard. Therefore, please consult them before you place an order for your commercial kitchen knives.

Forged and not Stamped Knives
These terms refer to the precise manufacturing process used to manufacture knives. Commercial kitchen knives that are forged from premium quality durable stainless steel are known to be the best and have traditionally outperformed ceramic, copper and other types of knives. Forged knives tend to be heavier and demonstrate better balance

A Full Tang
“Tang” refers to the consistency of the raw material used in the blade. High quality commercial kitchen knives are made of a single piece of metal with no connected pieces. This preserves durability and the consistency of the metal quality used. From the tip of the knife to the back of the handle, good quality knives are made of a single solid piece, preferably of high caliber stainless steel. Be sure to obtain a confirmation on this score from the manufacturer you eventually choose.

Use Customer Feedback on the Internet before Taking a Decision
The Internet provides you with access to many customer reviews and reports about knives for your commercial kitchen. Educate yourself further by reviewing these websites and learning as much as possible regarding your options. Good quality knives reduce prep time and are comparatively safer to use. Customer reviews will take you beyond performance to other related issues some of which we have explained in this white paper.

Caring for your Commercial Kitchen Knives
Once you purchase your commercial quality knives for your food service company, protecting your investment and insuring that they last a long time is your next priority. Good quality commercial kitchen knives used in restaurants, resorts, hotels and other food establishments don’t come cheap. Hence the reason why we should take the time to keep our knives collection in perfect shape is so that they perform like new all the time. Here are a few recommendations worth considering that will help you achieve this objective:

Keeping your Knives Clean and Dry
Knives should be cleaned and dried immediately after use and not stacked up with other utensils for batch cleaning. This will maintain their sharpness, improve hygiene and prevent blunting. Research shows that blunt knives tend to cause more injuries since we have to apply additional force when using them.

Using a Steel
A steel is a small implement used to sharpen knives. It is a long and rounded metal product, which you may have to purchase separately. We ask that you consider making the investment. Use the steel to gently sharpen your knives each time you put them away for the day. Use the services of a commercial knives sharpener at least once every six months to maintain the edges. The manufacturer from whom you purchased the knives can point you to the right outlet for this service. If you are asked to send your knives for a day so that they are sharpened professionally, consider doing so because attempting to perform this task in house can be quite tricky. Use your backup knife set for a day while your knives are out getting a makeover—their reward for having worked so hard for you!

Not Meant for Multi-tasking
Do not use your commercial kitchen knives for purposes other than the intended ones. You may damage them and risk your investment. So that no one is tempted to use a kitchen knife to cut non-food products such as packages and strings, keep a stock of cutters and scissors handy in your commercial kitchen. When you conduct a price comparison, you will notice, for instance, that a pair of scissors is a mere fraction of the price of a top quality chef’s knife.

No Dishwashers or Strong Detergents Please
Although it is tempting to wash a truckload of commercial kitchen knives in your industrial strength dishwasher, it is not a good idea to do so. There are several cleaning and rinse cycles during which knives tend to be tossed around causing damage to both handles and blades. Detergents tend to damage handles and may even leave an invisible toxic residue. We recommend that you wash your commercial kitchen knives one at a time under a running faucet. Use a mild eco friendly detergent and dry them with a washcloth immediately.

Commercial Kitchen Knives in Cutlery Sets
The jury is still out on whether restaurants, hotels, university cafeterias and other commercial food service establishments should buy either complete cutlery sets or one knife at a time. There are strong reasons to support both positions. If you or your chefs are extremely quality conscious, we recommend that you invest only in the knives that you will really use without compromising on quality. These would include chef's knives, serrated knives, paring knives and boning/fillet knives. On the other hand, if there are budgetary considerations involved, a cutlery set may be more economical. This approach is also supported by those who believe that although you may use only four knives 95% of the time, on the other rare instances when you need the less used knives, you really need them badly. It is worth considering doing both because you will eventually need a backup set of knives during knife sharpening days and peak periods.

Storing your Commercial Kitchen Knives
There is no method to madness when it comes to storing knives because good quality knives are not only expensive, they are often difficult to replace quickly. It is therefore a good idea to take good care of your commercial kitchen knives once they have performed their daily tour of duty.

To Block or not to Block
The easiest way to store knives is on a kitchen knife block. They are usually made of either wood or non-abrasive plastic. Which one should you use? Strange as it may sound, we recommend neither. Blocks take up lots of space on kitchen counters. Their insertions or slots, as they are called, are narrow and usually difficult to clean. If you must use a knife block, dry your knives thoroughly before storing them. Use a can of compressed air like the ones used by computer programmers on computer keyboards to clean the slots. These insertions generally tend to attract dust, moisture and an insect or two. We have other alternatives for you.

Knife Guards and Sheets
Never leave knives in a drawer without additional protection. They tend to hit each other and subsequently sustain damage when you go looking for a particular knife. Also, they can damage your fingers if you don’t take precautions. Although sleeves and sheaths aren’t the ideal solution owing to the fact that they attract dust, germs and moisture, they do offer some limited protection. The preferred option in knife guards is a protective casing called a knife safe. They are easily available at most restaurant equipment and restaurant supply stores. They are made of strong durable food grade plastic and are available in a variety of different colors and sizes to fit different size knives. The knife safe opens flat and then closes over your knife. It covers the blade completely with tabs and rubber pads, which hold it firmly in place. These store your knives extremely well and because the hinge allows them to open completely, they are easy to wash even in dishwashers.

An Investment that Shines
Kitchen knives are not just indispensable in a commercial food preparation setting they cannot be substituted with any other implement or accessory. Your investment is quantified not simply with the price you pay for them but also by the quality they deliver. Take an informed and educated decision when buying kitchen knives and you are sure to receive a manifold return on your investment.

About Catering Supplies Depot
Catering Supplies Depot provides a full range of brand name commercial kitchen equipment including all types of catering supplies and catering equipment, commercial restaurant equipment and kitchen supplies. We carry all the top brands, provide courteous customer service and deliver nationwide in the US and Canada. To learn more you can call Catering Supplies Depot toll free at 1-866-613-2632, or you can write to us at customerservice@cateringsuppliesdepot.com. Visit: http://www.cateringsuppliesdepot.com for the most exclusive range of restaurant equipment, restaurant supplies and commercial kitchen equipment on the Internet.