This is probably the largest knife you'll own. And, says master chef Ron DeSantis, it is also "the most versatile knife you'll ever have." The chef's knife is the workhorse of the kitchen, used for more tasks than any other. It works for almost all chopping: herbs, onions, garlic, fruits, and vegetables. It's also great for cutting boneless meats (even through small bones, such as those of chicken and fish), slicing and dicing, and general cutting tasks.

Many chefs choose a 12-inch-long chef's knife. "But most home cooks are comfortable with an 8-inch," DeSantis says. "No one size is uniformly best—it's a matter of personal comfort." The curved blade and relatively heavy weight of the knife give it an advantage for chopping. Leave the tip of the knife on the chopping board, and rock the rest of the knife back and forth with a subtle movement of the wrist and forearm. The weight of the thickest part of the blade, near the handle, adds force as it slices through food. A heavy handle also does more of the work for you, reducing the amount of force with which your arm has to move the knife.

Three More Tasks for a Chef's Knife

Peel and crush garlic: Place a garlic clove on a cutting board, and place the knife blade flat on top of the garlic. Forcefully hit the blade onto the garlic clove to crush it and separate the peel.

Pit olives: Follow instructions above for crushing and peeling garlic. The olive will pop open, exposing the pit for easy removal.

Cut up a whole chicken: The size and weight of the knife make this job smooth and easy.

Owner's Manual
Sharpening: It can be tedious, but regular sharpening is the most important aspect of maintaining your knives. For most people, a sharpening steel is the most practical tool for regular sharpening. To keep your knife sharp, hone it on a steel before each use. Purchase the steel made by your knife's manufacturer to be sure that the metal used in the steel is harder than that of your knives. To hone your knife, hold the steel at arm's length in front of you. Draw the blade across the steel several times at the angle recommended by the manufacturer, and repeat the same number of times on each side of the blade.

If your knife seems too dull no matter how often you steel it, have it professionally sharpened. Check with specialty knife stores, butcher shops, or fabric stores (which often sharpen scissors and knives).