I’m a home cook, but I’m not just a home cook. There is care and craft in the experience I put out for my friends and family. I believe in mise en place etiquette—everything in its place and was taught at a young age to always set yourself up for success. The knives I use are at the center of every meal I prepare, so my trusty Japanese-made cooking knives have been my rock. I wasn’t so sure about introducing a new type of knife into my kitchen, but after a friend who’s a chef in New York mentioned the whole HexClad line to me I had to give them a try. Now that I’ve tried using HexClad knives for myself, I’ve changed my mind.
Smooth Slicing and Cutting
Having grown up in a multicultural Chinese and Samoan household, I have a fondness for cooking Asian cuisine and a loyalty to Japanese-made knives. With Chinese cooking, a cleaver is typically used for prep, but my modern adaptation has been to alternate between a chef’s knife and santoku for prep. They’ve been my go-tos for years and have helped put a lot of memorable meals on the table. But HexClad’s 8” chef’s knife and 3.5” paring knife have changed my tune. Being made with 67 layers of Japanese Damascus steel, I now get to experience a harder blade with incredible sharpness. Slicing vegetables is like gliding through butter. Cutting through protein shouldn’t require strength, and with HexClad knives, it doesn’t.
The sharpness isn’t the only area in which HexClad knives stand out. The sleekness and weight of the knives really set them apart from others. While I was prepping my food, each knife felt sturdy and I knew it wasn’t going to slip out of my hand. I know with the right care these knives will last a really long time.
Noticeable Sharpness
I bring my two knives to my local knife store to sharpen them once a year. They use a whetstone process for the sharpening. But they’ve admittedly never been as sharp as the two from HexClad were on arrival. Each of their blades is honed to a 10-degree angle for precise sharpness which means absolutely effortless slicing. And with HexClad’s 9” honing steel, I can easily maintain the straight edge of the knife myself so I can enjoy the smoothness that makes these knives’ performance stand out for longer before sharpening.
Evident Quality
HexClad’s knives are visibly beautiful, but there’s nothing quite like holding them in your hand. Their weight and balance are remarkable, and by the time I made my first slice through a bell pepper, I could already tell they’ll last as long or longer than my former Japanese knives. The forest green pakkawood handles are really striking, and actually, my buddy recognized my new knives by their handles and asked if he could give one a try.
I’m a Convert
Gordon Ramsay said “A chef is only as good as their knives,” and I agree that cooking becomes more enjoyable and less stressful when you set yourself up with the tools you need to succeed in the kitchen. I thought I’d never use anything but my old reliable knives, but HexClad has introduced a new standard of quality, sharpness, and performance that has leveled up my cooking endeavors.
