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An Edge in the Kitchen: The Ultimate Guide to Kitchen Knives -- How to Buy Them, Keep Them Razor Sharp, and Use Them Like a Prox$19.04
 (11 reviews)
Best Price: $34.95 $19.04
Why are most of us so woefully uninformed about our kitchen knives? We are intimidated by our knives when they are sharp, annoyed by them when they are dull, and quietly ashamed that we don't know how to use them with any competence. For a species that has been using knives for nearly as long as we have been walking upright, that's a serious problem. An Edge in the Kitchen is the solution, an intelligent and delightful debunking of the mysteries of kitchen knives once and for all. If you can stack blocks, you can cut restaurant-quality diced vegetables. If you can fold a paper airplane, you can sharpen your knives better than many professionals. Veteran cook Chad Ward provides an in-depth guide to the most important tool in the kitchen, including how to choose the best kitchen knives in your price range, practical tutorials on knife skills, a step-by-step section on sharpening, and more——all illustrated with beautiful photographs throughout. Along the way you will discover what a cow sword is, and why you might want one; why chefs are abandoning their heavy knives in droves; and why the Pinch and the Claw, strange as they may sound, are in fact the best way to make precision vegetable cuts with speed and style. An Edge in the Kitchen is the one and only guide to the most important tool in the kitchen.
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Customer Reviews
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Most complete & best value book on the subject
By AT6JF8GKDMKS0 on 2008-08-26
Chad Ward - An Edge in the Kitchen
I own two books on kitchen knives and knife skills, this one and Weinstein's Mastering Knife Skills. Chad Ward's book is the best of the two by its breadth and wealth of information and is objectively a very good book.
Physically, the book is a medium sized hard cover, well edited. There is a number of good B&W pictures through the book to illustrate specific points, and there's a central section of 48 pages of glossy color pictures depicting specific knife techniques (battonets vs. julienne, onion, tomatoes, cutting a chicken, butterflying a piece of meat, skinning salmon, carving a turkey, steeling a knife, several sharpening methods, etc).
The book is organized as follows:
1 - Choosing the right kitchen knife:
This section is about 90 pages, so it's a sizeable part of the book. The author goes through the various knife types, costs, etc. Generally, Chad advocates staying away from knife block & sets, and explains that a home cook can do most everything with 3 knives: 8" to 10" chef, paring, and a serrated (or scalloped) bread knife. So his recommendation is to get the best of those. What is really helpful is that the author gives specific recommendations for all budgets - below $100, $200, or "the sky's the limit". Too many books just say "get what feels best". Chad goes beyond this to give a range of specific endorsements. This part also includes 10+ pages on cutting boards and how to take care of them.
2 - Kitchen knife skills:
This section is about 30 pages but also has most of the color pictures in the center section. This is where the key knife skill concepts are explained, how to hold the blade and the item to be cut, etc. This is similar to other knife skill books, but with one major improvements which is a few recipes to practice the skills. Those recipes are really welcome, and because they are basic recipes that can be used as base for a number of varied dishes, they are great recipes to include in this book.
3 - Knife sharpening:
This section is about 70 pages and covers the theory & science of knife sharpening as well as specific reviews and advices for several methods. Chad reviews the sharpening of Western as well as Japanese style knives, and several sharpeing systems (e.g., Spyderco, EdgePro, etc).
At the end of the book are several pages of resources to buy knives, boards, sharpeners, etc.
In short, I think this is a complete book that covers the key concepts of knife skills, but also addresses knife selection and care. If you buy only one kitchen knives & skill book, I would recommend it.
The Ultimate Knife Resource
By A1NCQAR5W71MQK on 2008-06-18
As an amateur cook, I appreciate how the book has been written. Easy enough for an amateur to understand and detailed enough to satisfy the most demanding of knife users. I found it to be informative, interesting, a terrific source of information and an insight into how professional knives are used and cared for.
As a professional butcher block builder, I found his detailed information is right on the money and very detailed.
When you buy the book, be prepared to be informed and educated and be ready to laugh out loud at his wit and humor.
A Must For Your Kitchen Library
By A1JZZVYMOWUI1J on 2008-06-18
With a measured dose of wry humor and thoughtful commentary, Chad Ward debunks the myths and dispels the mysteries of the most essential, yet misunderstood, and under appreciated tool in the kitchen, the humble cook's knife. Whether you're a seasoned home cook, a confused beginner, or a professional cook, you'll undoubtedly benefit from Mr. Ward's comprehensive knowledge which he freely shares in an unintimidating, easily understood style. Bridging the chasm between professional culinary texts and the limited information available to the home cook in various cookbooks, he covers all the critical subjects associated with choosing, using, maintaining, sharpening, and even cleaning up after using a good knife. This book will make a fine, if not essential addition to the reference library of your favorite cook, knife enthusiast, or anyone who simply wants to know more about how to use and maintain the knives in his or her kitchen.
An Excellent Resource
By A2IT829KJWP5ZT on 2008-08-14
I enjoyed Chad Ward's book immensely. It was easy to follow, had great pictures, is full of good information, and is actually fun to read. He does a good job of covering what you need in a knife and what you may want if you get bitten by the knife bug. He dispels common knife myths and arms you with information so you do not fall for the sales pitch at a fancy knife display in a department store. Knives for all budgets are covered from $50 knives to those in the hundreds and emphasis is on getting the best knife for your dollars. Why spend $100 when you can get a better knife for $50?
There is also a section on sharpening your own knives. Geoff seems to have an issue with that, but many people enjoy the exercise. Many people also enjoy working on their own cars, cutting their own grass, or grinding their own coffee. If you don't then feel free to pay someone to do it or cut with a dull knife. Whatever floats your boat. It is nice to see detailed information about sharpening though in case that is of interest.
No where in this book (and I have read it 3 times) does Ward say to buy a $200 knife, but he does give suggestions if that is what you WANT to do. All in all it is a great guide on how to get a good knife that meets your needs and your budget.
The photo illustrations of common cuts is done well also and I found the section on how to section a chicken useful. This is a great book for anyone who wants to know more about kitchen knives and how to get the right one for their kitchen.
Best book on the subject
By AA3EANZCKOD2R on 2008-06-18
This is an unusual review for me to write as I am anxiously awaiting my copy of this book and have only read previews of it so far. I'm a participant on Knifeforums and have seen this author's work evolve partially through his participation on this forum as well as Fred's Foodie Forum but mostly from his own hard work and research. I can tell you WITHOUT DOUBT that Chad's writing style is exceptional - clear, consise and based on an incredible amount of research. His breadth of knowledge on the subject should make this book a classic. He is both authoritative and easy to read.
I would highly recommend this book as a 'must have' for anyone who uses a knife in a kitchen, spanning the rookie amateur home chef to the most accomplished of professional chefs. The knowledge contained in this book will propel your skills in the kitchen to a higher level, no matter what your favorite cuisine. Your understanding of knife design, knife types and their uses and related topics like cutting board hygeine, knife sharpening (a particular interest of mine), etc etc will be greatly enhanced. Rest assurred that this book represents the lastest state of knowledge on all topics it covers.
- A great resource
By AG80XW78DKLIV on 2008-06-18
An excellent resource that is already a reference I keep returning to. It covers all the bases: it contains a buyers guide, a sharpening guide and an overview of essential knife skills.
A good read too -- Mr. Ward has a good sense of humor and a concise writing style. Overall, highly recommended.
- everything you've ever wanted to know
By A2DQ1PFI09CV2P on 2008-07-18
this is the most thorough comprehensive clearly written and amusing book that I've seen on all things knife - how to choose what you need, what's the difference between the expensive choices, how to keep a screaming sharp edge, clear guidelines and different chefy cuts and terminology. really excellent. wish I could say I still have it but my son stole it as soon as he saw it.
- a great reference for knife shopping, usage, and maintenance
By A1CEG62GJ3BI5U on 2008-08-05
If you want a book that will help you improve your knife skills (such as chopping faster, avoiding accidents, or getting a better edge on your knife), An Edge in the Kitchen is best, most readable book on the market, and I've read through several books and websites for information.
There is an in-depth primer to knife honing and sharpening, and well as the standard full-color photos of cutting up all the vegetables and meat you could possibly be expected to encounter in your kitchen adventures.
More importantly, it's also a "knife book" as well as a "knife skills" book for your inner materialist or consumer junkie (like me). If you wondering about (1) what kitchen knives to buy for a first kitchen or a registry, or (2) looking to upgrade your current kitchen, or (3) if you simply appreciate good food/tools/gadget writing, this is the best, most up-to-date source of information out there. Even if shiny, sharp objects scare you, and you're not too handy in the kitchen, this is a fascinating read.
Have you ever seen those beautiful, pricey German or Japanese knives in a specialty store or Williams-Sonoma, but you were afraid to commit to a purchase, because you were unsure how to decipher the jargon (high-carbon stainless? VG10 steel? drop-forged? full-tang?), and how to separate the facts from the sales pitches? This book explains everything you might want to know about knives (and debunks many consumer myths) in an easy-to-understand, engaging way, and arms you with knowledge as a consumer.
A good knife is an extension of a cook's hands. Ideally, buying a good kitchen knife is an investment in a tool that will last a lifetime and that you will use on a near-daily basis. I would recommend this book to anyone who uses knives in a kitchen.
- Pretty Good but not great
By A1MJOC3NO6CLMF on 2008-11-23
The author is obviously very knowledgeable about knives, and he does a great job of breaking down the myths and providing facts on the different knife styles, shapes, blade hardness, which has given me a check list of things I will definitely look for when I buy my next kitchen knife. I am a little disappointed in the sharpening section and to a similar degree in the "how to tell if a knife is good when you are at the store buying" section. My disappointment is that the descriptions of edge sharpness, edge angles and "looking at the blade by holding it at bla-bla angle to see if bla-bla angle is there" was not always clear to me as a reader. In the few places where he had photos and drawings of his descriptions, the information was great, and very helpful. I wish there were more pictures/illustrations, particularly in the sharpening section. Still, overall the book is helpful and I think could be a benefit to anyone who wants to be more informed about the most important tool in the kitchen.
- Great kitchen resource
By A24BSJXN7GGNFA on 2008-06-26
I read this book cover to cover in a single sitting. I found it easy to read and understand as well as a few laughs along the way. This book will become a permanent resource in my kitchen library for a long time. I highly recommend this book to any one with and interest in kitchen cutlery, cutting boards, knife cuts, maintenance of both knives and cutting boards with even a few recipes included. It is also a great resource for suppliers of various related goods and services.
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