I was at a fantastic Florida BBQ the other day. The host ( and close friend) is a great cook and grilled up a storm of beef, pork and chicken. Wizard with spicing and really understands how to build a feast.
After he had grilled the meats, he pulled them off the grill and brought them inside to the kitchen to rest and then to portion them out for the crowd. I asked if I could help and he handed me a chef's knife and asked to help slice up the steaks, pork and chicken.
Nice Chefs' knife, I mentioned to him. Workhorse brand that I had used for years in my restaurants.
As I started to slice up the steaks, the knife was not cutting well. It was tearing meat, not slicing it. I looked over at my friend and asked if he had a steel so I could straighten the blade a bit so it would cut better.
He looked at me and said 'What's a steel ?' I went over to his knife block and pulled out a bright shiny never used steel and started to straighten the edge of his chef's knife. Our host asked me what I was doing and explained I was straightening his blade a bit, but it really needed to be sharpened. He told me he had never sharpened his knives, and was thinking since they were now so dull that he would need to replace them.
This is when I learned that if you don't work in kitchens and have to keep your tools in Bristol Fashion (sorry, that's a Naval term for keeping things in pristine shape), most folks never sharpen their knives. They buy new sets !
I have knives in my kitchen that have been handed down from elders like my Uncles and Grandfather. I've had them for generations. I've always kept them in condition and have never had to replace anything unless they were worked down from years of use or stolen (as my favorite knife kit was by some low life when I was cooking with other Florida chefs at a Wine and Food Event in Sarasota many years ago). I have German knives, Japanese knives, French knives, American knives. Maybe too many knives if you ask my wife. All get attention as needed. If you are a mechanic, you have the right tools to do the job. Chefs are much the same, no matter how long they have been cooking.
The other day I sent a Sharp Pebble Whetstone set and a few YouTube videos on sharpening knives to my friend. I told him I was always there to be his cooking wing man, but to never send me into battle with a dull tool. Present person excepted.
After he got the package, I got a note back from my friend, who has a rapier wit (why we are friends) that simply said ' I'll never send you in to battle with a dull tool, though I must tell you that you are never going to be the sharpest knife in the drawer'.
I have to agree...but at least next time we're together cooking, we'll be ready for action.
