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ericametzger
5
Nov 20, 2017
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Justin - it's nice to make your acquaintance! Thanks for coming onto this forum. I do have a question.... well two, and they're unrelated.
#1: KNIVES: Ok so I have friends who boast about their knives, the cost, all of it. Am I missing out by not owning a high end set of Wüsthof or JA Henckels? What do you look for in a good kitchen knife?
#2: I have the opportunity to go to Michelin rated Costes in Budapest on Thursday. I've never been to a Michelin rated restaurant before! Is there anything I should specifically be on the lookout for that establishes a Michelin restaurant from the others? (on the aggregate of course). In your opinion, are Michelin restaurants worth the experience?
Nov 20, 2017
justinkhanna
38
Nov 20, 2017
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ericametzgerHey there,
Totally fine! To answer both:
1) There's an amazing video that ChefSteps did a few years ago where they went to Goodwill and got suuuuper cheap knives, sharpened them, and proved that you can achieve amazing performance without breaking the bank. Forward that to your friends next time they pressure you into an expensive purchase ;) There are a ton of marketing myths in regards to knives as well (ie: "Full tang is the best!" when in reality some of the highest quality Japanese blades are 3/4 tang, and having a full tang in no way means higher performance or durability because INCREDIBLE amounts of force are required to break knife handles or blades) You aren't missing out, you're just selectively prioritizing your purchases. I can geek out about knives all day long, but they're all so unique and different. The ergonomics for YOU and how sharp they are highly outweigh the price and the brand.
In short, I've worked with chefs who have knives that cost hundreds of dollars but they don't take care of them which (to me) makes them worthless. I made a video all about knives here: https://youtu.be/ONhXFB9dBiA
2) The Michelin guide is HIGHLY varied from country to country. I've gone to 1 Michelin star restaurants in California which are amongst the best meals of my life, and then I've gone to 1 Michelin star restaurants in Hong Kong where I eat with paper napkins and plastic chopsticks. It's a global brand and when cuisines are so varied, it's a subjective view at gastronomy. It's difficult to control the hype sometimes because you're paying a lot of money, and a lot of time there's an element of mystery to these places, but if you have the opportunity, I'd absolutely recommend doing it at least once in your life! I spent 8 years at Michelin starred restaurants so I'm a little bit biased ;) but it's an experience. Let me know how your meal is if you go!
Nov 20, 2017
Thea_m
6
Nov 21, 2017
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justinkhannaI agree that it is how you look after your knife that is more important than anything. I am blessed to be married to someone who is obsessed with the sharpness of our knives (should I be worried 😆) and my favourite knife to use is $10 from the grocery store. Our friends beg him to sharpen their knives once they experience what it is like to work with a knife that can shave the hair on your arm and these are people who have spent hundreds of dollars on their knives and haven’t even touched them with a steel let alone a Japanese water stone. You can teach yourself from YouTube and you will never saw with a stick again. Have fun!
Nov 21, 2017
justinkhanna
38
Nov 21, 2017
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Thea_mIt's definitely the classic "a dull knife is more dangerous than a sharp one" advice! Pray for all of us that have had the experience of getting cut with a dull knife...sooooo painful and takes forever to heal.
Nov 21, 2017
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