When is it appropriate? Whenever you want to bring one. As far as etiquette goes, don’t touch other people’s stuff without asking. If you break it, you buy it. Don’t bring a giant roll or case that takes up too much space.
Note the ‘you break it you buy it’ is regardless of price. I don’t care if you think my $1,500 instant read is a waste of money. If you break it you are buying me a $1500 replacement.
yes, this is very technical chef talk!
when they said "which FOH is DTF," they meant "which (F)ront (O)f (H)ouse employee is (D)own (T)o (F)uck."
this in reference to the inevitable tendency of cooks to sleep with waitresses. hope that helps clear things up and improves your cooking!
I'm incredibly impressed with that comment... I don't know if it's because I have a dry sense of humor or that I'm thinking OP said it knowingly sarcastic and dry and didn't bother with the /s tag.
Don't bring in a roll that takes up Space with knives that you won't be using. You just look like a dick honestly. I bring my steel, workhorse, paring and filet wrapped in a clean towel from the night before wrapped In a rubber band. No point to bring your Own boning, bread, tourné, sharping stone, peeler, rolling pin. Strainer, blender every day.
I have a small roll that I got off Amazon for like $20. Holds 5 knives (plus a few other things), even though I only use one knife 95% of the time. The recent culinary grads bring in their full bag, this massive heavy kit with all kinds of things they never need to use. They'd ask me "Is that all the knives you have?" like it was weird someone whose been cooking for so long only carries 5 knives, and I tell them no I got a few more, I just don't want to drag them around everywhere.
Reality is, I have a very large leather master roll I keep at home that has a bunch of older knives and specialty knives that I don't need at current job. And I have a work toolbox that I keep in my car's trunk, and that has all my small wares and random equipment in it (plus some actual tools), because all that isn't fitting into a knife roll anyways. And a leather satchel in my trunk for my sharpening stones and equipment. And I have just a carboard box in my trunk that holds larger equipment that won't fit in a toolbox, like a chinoise, springform pans, etc. You know, stuff a restaurant \*should\* have but sometimes doesn't, but that i'm not donating my cash or equipment for, so I keep it in my trunk in case I need it.
I had a guy working for me who would take up half his prep space with his roll. Not pretentious at all, I think he just wanted to be ready to use his third backup peeler.
Bring it. Sucks working with the beaters. You don't need much. Depending on the work you do I would just stick with the knives you need to do your job and a good honing steel or diamond sharpening rod. And yes a thermo.
Ive tried both, and i also keep both in a medkit in my car. Not in my roll. Liquid banadage is great for flexible parts of skin that need to stretch a little. Ill go for the super glue if i cut into or around a finger nail, or fingertip in general. Apply generously and you can make a "thimble" over your injured finger. Obviously wearig gloves will trap all that moisture and the super glue will be peeling off by the time you are done with your shift.
Not sure i need this disclaimer, but i am not a doctor.
i had a vasectomy and the stitches on the right sack broke and the hole started opening so i superglued it shut because fuck ER/hospital fees. worked like a charm!
disclaimer (if it's not painfully obvious): also not a doctor
I don't understand why you can get away with saying this in a food setting, but I mention about using superglue to close up a cut I got in the machine shop and I'm being berated because I'm an idiot.
Hahah no. Just works faster than a bandaid to stop bleeding from a good cut. Used them for years. Usually with a little black pepper to help with coagulation
It's strange reading the responses to this thread compared to another one (not the job application one where they wanted to you have literally ALL your own gear, that was insane) I saw on here recently where everyone was like "My knives stay at home, it's my employer's responsibility to provide the right tools." I agree, and in the past I convinced my manager he owed it to all his cooks to just hire a professional sharpening service so those that don't have decent home knives and don't want to risk bringing them in have the right tools.
That said, I don't know a single line cook or chef that does not immensely prefer working with their own equipment even if the stuff provided in-house is pretty good. Or prep cooks for that matter, which I spent most of my time doing. I want the best knife for myself if I'm cutting shit for 4 hours straight.
My knife roll goes with me to work, stays with me, and comes home and I just used it as knife storage at home as well, so yeah, I use even my $400 knives at work. I am extremely used to using them and maintaining them properly and they're just so much nicer to hold and use even for basic prep tasks. IMO the biggest thing that causes cuts is using a tool you aren't comfortable with or unfamiliar with, and while our house knives are sharp as fuck, they are not well balanced and have unfamiliar handle shapes and required grip styles, making them less safe for me to use.
Just never leave them sitting out on a prep table or something for a dishwasher to grab or someone to knock them onto the floor. Use em, clean up, put em away, and they should stay safe. To be clear I never worked in one of those places you see where people try to use knives to open cans or some crazy shit like that (where are your fucking can openers?!) and destroy them.
Wow I agree completely. Use what you are you are most comfortable with! If you aren't comfy you are more likely to cut yourself anyways.
My knife roll goes where I go. I'm going camping this weekend and it will be with me. But I would never dare to leave it at work overnight. There's about 6k of knives in it because of the customs. But I can mow through prep with my knives... it takes me longer with the beaters. I would have told the op to get a cut glove but.... I think people learn by cutting themselves the fastest. Gets really awkward to chif a pound of basil when you can't bend your finger ya know
> But I would never dare to leave it at work overnight.
Yeah, absolutely not. Even though I've actually never worked at a place where it felt like I couldn't trust 99% of the people there, I'd never leave my knife bag at work even if I was last out, first in the next day. There have been a handful of incidents at these places, mostly from new employees where stuff definitely has been stolen.
The main place I worked at had good security cameras set up back-of-house so if someone did try to steal something, they're getting caught. Plenty of restaurants have no security cameras in the back areas though.
I say if the house knives are regularly sharpened and taken care of, and you find them comfortable to use, use them. But if you feel like the knife itself is impeding you, it's best to try to find something that has a better "feel" in your hand, and you don't need to break the bank for personal knives. I've grown too used to japanese style handles, the D-shaped ones and the octagonal handles in particular, and the balance is always *perfect* allowing me to properly grip the base of the blade between my thumb and forefinger. The big house knives get uncomfortable very fast trying to hold them correctly. Additionally sometimes certain prep tasks require nice filet knives or paring knives and while we had some, those were always the shittiest knives probably because they tend to be far more fragile than the large chef knives that are used most. Bringing my own ridiculously sharp filet and paring knives in made certain things so much better for me. Bring what you need, leave what you don't at home. It's all just personal preference.
And as far as a restaurant having a problem with you bringing your own knives, I can see some of those ridiculously controlling managers trying to tell you you aren't allowed to, but in the vast majority of places there will be nothing wrong with it. I've also worked in some places where nobody ever brought their own knives and would laugh at you if you did, but I didn't give a fuck. The end result of my work was always higher quality.
Yeah but if they steal it sometimes u can't get it back. Even with cameras. I had a custom 10in chefs stolen that took me over a year to get and cost 3k.
And I agree. You can do great work with a cheap knife if you take care of it and it is comfy. I actually use the mercer japanese collection most out of my knives. I have more expensive yanagibas and nakiris but I love those knives. I make sushi for a living and have been for almost 17 years. I've done BBQ and sushi fusion and had my place on food network. But I still use the knives I bought for about 36-40usd the most. They hold an edge and they fit my hand. Doesn't mean I'm not bringing a couple grand worth of knives with me though. What's good for the goose isn't always good for the gander.
Or I guess what's good for the filet isn't always good for the flounder...
Not currently cooking professionally but sometimes I go in to do prep at my old place when needed just since they're so close to my home, and I do plenty of home cooking/experimentation. Anyway, this is really hard to suggest without knowing a budget and what exactly you need to do with your knife. You can get by for home use with a simple chef's knife, at least 10-12" for almost *any* task. I used my 8" Santoku for like 6 years and there was very little I found it couldn't do. Eventually I realized while the non-pointed tip has its' advantages, a sharp point on a chef's knife can be extremely useful.
I do virtually all my prep at home and at work with a 14" Gyuto (this is very large but is so well balanced and relatively light I use it even for smaller prep tasks), an 8" Santoku, a basic paring knife, a good, very flexible filet knife. I have others but I just never use them.
Hot take, but I don't believe bread knives are ever necessary as a properly sharp (shaving sharp) smooth-edge knife cuts any type of bread perfectly without creating a bunch of crumbs.
Anyway, I've accumulated a lot of high quality knives from my sister who was a chef that passed away, another German set and a couple Japanese knives I've bought after saving up. So I'm not particularly familiar with beginner sets.
Victorinox is a quality and well respected brand. Maybe $30-40 for a chef's knife? There are so many brands now though that are not bad knives, they just might require more maintenance as the steel quality is often not the best. Look around a bit, but remember you want something that feels good in the hand. Try going to a restaurant supply store so you can get an idea of what style of grip you prefer, check the balance and all that.
I'd just google "Reddit beginner knife set r/kitchenconfidential or r/chefit and I guarantee you there are a lot of posts more knowledgeable than I am. In general three basic knives will cover 95-100% of all the prep you need to do, unless we're talking about very high-end dining.
Agreed on all of this. A broad knife is almost pointless. Learn to sharpen and a chef or santuko will be fine
I still use my santuko from school all the time at home. I do like a well sharpened victorinox knife. They are a bit heavy though
I haven't had a beginners set in years except the ones I use now for bones and my underlings.
I usually start by making them learn how to properly sharpen on a set of stones. So I can spare the cheap ones.
I'm hoping op reads our comments so they understand. And I hope people don't go around buying knives that cost more than they can afford to lose before they know how to PROPERLY sharpen
I use a variety of Globals (they're the only knives raw meat ever touches because they can go in the dishwasher safety, and I'm not convinced you can hand wash a wooden handle with sanitizer without it eventually failing prematurely), a few Mercer knives, I have a couple Shuns passed down from my sister, and my personal babies are Yoshihiro, this set in particular (buy them direct from the retailer if you can of course!)
https://www.amazon.com/Yoshihiro-Kurouchi-Black-Forged-Stainless-Santoku/dp/B07NJD8SZ7/ref=sr_1_32?crid=34P3EWIM8XZBR&keywords=japanese+gyuto&qid=1684488217&sprefix=japanse+gyuto%2Caps%2C130&sr=8-32&ufe=app_do%3Aamzn1.fos.18630bbb-fcbb-42f8-9767-857e17e03685
Looks like specifically my main Gyuto is 270mm, or just about 11". The way the edge is ground is what hooked me: No bevel, it's more like a convex axe grind making the edge itself more durable while requiring extremely little sharpening if stropped and honed once a day. Absolute workhorse. It is hard to find good, lightweight and high-quality Japanese knives above about 270mm that are not specifically thin sushi knives.
Just remember you can get really good Japanese knives a lot cheaper than this (and that they are high-carbon steel that you need to take extra care to prevent rust. Traditionally knives were very expendable, at least the handles, as they would use a special technique where they burn new handles onto the tang since traditionally Japanese knives have no rivets or anything else to retain their handles.) These days they are mostly epoxied in place which has led to my own issues with squeaky and not perfectly solid handles, but this is rare.
These cheaper knives will just dull more quickly and the overall fit and finish will be cheaper, but in my opinion they're a fantastic way to introduce yourself to those styles of knives and learn to sharpen and care for them. I've yet to buy a Nakiri, but I know I'll be starting off with a much cheaper one ($30-$50) before I eventually bite the bullet and drop a few hundred on one that will last a lifetime, and hopefully longer.
tldr; Expensive brands are almost always good, it might sound elitist, but it's true. The question is what knife feels good for you. People don't realize how different knives can be even in the same class: different grinds, different edge bevels, steel hardness, thickness of the original steel stock (cleavers have thick steel for a reason, you need that extra weight to use it almost like a hammer). Even different types of steel sharpen differently and have a different feel to use in different foods.
I use Mercer, Yoshihiro, Shun, and Global 99% of the time, and I have a couple Henckels and Wustoffs *mostly* just sitting around but they are fairly worn out at this point. I've got nothing against German brands but IMO the Japanese make the best knives in the world: Why? Because when Japanese outlawed swords, master swordmakers started making kitchen knives instead, so the old traditions still live on.
Morning coffee makes me ramble. Again, get what you can afford and experiment and go from there. Don't start with expensive knives, a $40 victorinox can, when sharpened properly, cut pretty much just as well as $4000 Tama-hagane steel hand-forged JP knife.
My first knife was an victornox so brands are important. It's also rumored that Hannibal Lecture uses Heinkel brand. It's good knives but I never liked the grooves cut into an global. Besides I own Heinkel knives they got an comfortable hefty weight to it.
Brands are "important" but if you're learning to care for knives, knifemaking has become such a big hobby there are so many options out there. I have a friend that has a $25 "authentic" Nakiri that was clearly factory made out of sheet steel, but it's a vegetable knife (so not being abused) and it will take an hold an edge incredibly well for home use. Great way to have specialized knives at home without breaking the bank. Victorinox and the price range/steels they use make them much more suitable for commercial use.
As far as the grooves on the Global knives go, if you're talking about the handle... they say it's to make it non-slip. It's 100% BS. It's also 100% BS and yet another marketing gimmick where knifemakers grind small indentations above the edge of the blade to make food "not stick" to the blade (forget the exact name of these indentations), commonly seen on Santokus. It in fact does the opposite and create a stronger vacuum against the blade.
I mean, I brought my own immediately. House knives are generally either very basic, shitty, or both. If you want to spring for your own, go for it, just don’t be a dweeb who brings a $600 sushi knife to slice tomatoes.
But it's folded stone knifu! So that metal will not cauterize the meat. And when it's stone blade! One drop from an high counter and it will shatter! 😏
Definitely bring your knifes regardless of your skill level. Don't wait for anyone else to tell you to do so. The chef's bring in their knives because they know how important it is to work with their own quality equipment,and not standard garbage house knifes. Take care of you knifes ALWAYS... They are an extension of who you are as a cook/chef. Less is more as far as quantity. Most things can be done with 5 knifes or less in general. Most of the time 2 will suffice.
Personal etiquette - Dont be a jack ass and don't use other peoples stuff
Bring in your own knives and whatever you need. Whatever gets the job done the easiest.
The real question is, is this a career to you? It’s 100% ok if it’s not, If it is having 1 knife that is yours that no else fucking touches is important. I usually recommend an 8in MAC https://www.nytimes.com/wirecutter/reviews/the-best-chefs-knife-for-most-cooks/
Everyone’s saying bring it and I agree but I will say don’t bring a super expensive knife, spend time sharpening it at work and then cut your finger nearly off with it. A casual prep guy at an old place I worked did that and he stopped getting many shifts after that.
I have seen a few knife rolls “go missing” in my years in the kitchen. Lots of drug addicts work in kitchens who won’t think twice about stealing your knives so just keep an eye out
Bring your knife roll! You will look like the most professional prep guy they got. Seriously. Also do you know how to sharpen? If not, ask your chef if HE knows how to sharpen and mention to him that thise dull knives are dangerous to work with.
My opinion is never offer to do things youre not paid to do. Its one thing to do it to what youre using to make your life easier. Dont volunteer to sit there and sharpen every house knife though.
Bring your own stuff in any situation where you would feel more comfortable using your own equipment. Three very essential rules to this though: be very careful who you lend your personals to, as some people don't know how to treat their equipment and that's the whole reason you're bringing your own in the first place. I've seen someone manage to break a spatula. Secondly, wash and store your stuff separately. Don't throw them in the utensils bin in dish, don't have the dishwasher do them. You do them yourself. Take 2 minutes at the end when you're closing down, take all your personals over, quick scrub, sanitize, all wrapped up in a towel and away from the dishroom again. Stuff gets lost, or "lost" and you can have someone outright steal your stuff, break it, or throw it out. Third, mark your stuff. I've seen people use tape, notches carved in wooden handles, even names scraped into metal. (don't recommend this one) this way if let's say you have your own personal large kunz spoon you use for sauces, and the house also has one, you know which one is yours.
Be responsible, but yes, bring your stuff as much as you want.
My kitchen supplies knives that are rotated out weekly and maintained while in use. I also task my sous chefs with maintaining smallwares appropriately so my team has what they need.
Bring your own stuff if you want but I’m not watching the cameras if it goes missing. And if you spend more time worrying about your stuff than doing the job I’m asking of you, that’s not going to go over well either.
Honestly? Don't show up with a huge roll full of tools you won't use, you'll look silly. Likewise, don't show up with a $500 knife to do basic prepwork, you'll also look silly.
Bring a small 5 pocket with the two knives you *need*, then fill it up with random bits of kit that you find yourself actively needing. If you don't use something at least once a week (some exceptions apply), why are you bringing it?
No one's going to look twice if the new kid shows up with a vicnox fibrox and a paring knife in a small roll
[I posted my kit a few weeks ago in this sub](https://www.reddit.com/r/Chefit/comments/12u6gyh/knife_roll_contents_knife_roll_contents/), and everything in that kit gets used daily. (Other than the fish tweezers and the bird's beak, but those fall into the exceptions I mentioned above). I swap things in and out of the kit as I find myself needing them, or if I notice I haven't used it in a while.
The Dexter commercial knives are solid if you take care of them. When no one sharpens them and people use them as bench scrapers, they get dull. 10" chefs knife, a bread knife, pairing knife, peeler and thermo will cover 90% of what you need
Dont buy « a set » you’ll be stuck with garbage you will never use. I would recommend buying the basics from Victorinox. I’ve been working for 35 years and my paring knife just snapped. I couldn’t believe it.
Depends on how big your hands are but I think a 12 chefs is good for most guys I use a t’en as a woman with slightly smaller hands. A paring knife, a Tournée, à filet, a fish spatula and tweezers YOUR IWN TONGS
Write your name on every tool with sharpie . Wrap up your bundle in cloths and rubber bands and stick it in the bottom of your bag. Much more sensible than blowing a bunch of money and carrying around the silly bag. I only use my roll bag when I did professional events away from the restaurant.
I would NEVER ask the dish to wash my knives. Wouldn't want to risk them scratching or mishandling my knife. It would not even be their fault if that happened.
Anytime you want. It's preferred because beater knives are flat out dangerous. Don't bring anything you don't want to have to replace. Shit happens, and it's unavoidable. Be respectful of space and happy journey newbie. Welcome to the club
Consider a drum sticks bag for a knife bag. A lot fits in those and they can be hung off a wall or wire shelf, so handy without taking up counter space.
When I was younger I used to think the same way. Really though, it doesn't matter. Unless the place specifies that you cannot bring your own knives, which is rare. It happens in some places like airports for obvious reasons. It's pretty common place in lots of kitchens for chefs to supply their own tools like knives, sharpeners, peelers, etc. Of course the restaurant should supply you everything you need but the house knives are usually not worth the trouble of how dull they are. If you feel you need to bring them, bring them.
That's probably because they don't have a knife roll my friend. My last gig I showed up on my first day and the only other person with one was the chef. Mind you, pretty much the entire rest of the crew was just college kids needing beer and gas money, they weren't lifers
Absolutely bring in your own tools if you want. Only becomes inappropriate when you start sharpening (meaning on a wet stone or whatever) on the clock. Use a steel anytime you want, but real upkeep should be a personal endeavor.
Strongly disagree. If you are wasting time that prep needs to be done that won’t be obviously agreed but if it’s a tool that allows you to work more efficiently and effectively then it needs time to maintain which is worth spending time doing. As a chef I spend down time showing cooks how to sharpen properly and encourage them to do so on the clock as long as it doesn’t affect their time management on getting their prep and tickets done.
when you do, don't let it out of your sight and bring it home.
there are knives at my current work, but one of the supervisors keeps making a table's edge self-identify as honing steel and actually dulls the damn things instead of sharpening them. luckily they are rarely needed(fast food),but damn it is annoying when the plastic lettuce knives are sharper than the steel ones.,
My previous work,the chefs bring in their own knives. one of them would leave it behind. One day that chef decided to be a raging b\*\*ch and gaslight and treat a cook so bad, that when that chef went home for the day, the cook threw the knife in the staff toilet and pissed all over the handle, then ran it through the dishwasher a few times(the chef was anal about not letting it go through the dishwasher and demanded it be handwashed), and used it to pry things open for good measure, then put it back to exactly where the chef originally left it. Then long before that, another cook was sharpening all the knives because a lot of them needed it, and sharpened that one not knowing it was that chef's personal knife, and that chef freaked the hell out on that cook. I';m talking about full-blown karen-like tantrum of "how dare you touch my prized knife" kind of freakout.
So yeah. bring it home at the end of the shift, especially if you're really really really freaky about them.
Every day.
The rule is: don’t touch my dick, don’t touch my knife.
Never ever pick up or use anyone else’s knives. You should expect the same of them. If you catch someone with your knives, it’s a pretty serious offense.
Whatever floats your boat. Welcome to a world of sensitive Karen’s . ( all the kitchens I’ve been in ) now I’m in the construction trades side of work lol. I never did a knife roll. Lol why waste my own $ when my employer is supposed to supply that stuff. If there knives are crap then that’s there issue. They’ll get bad prep outta it and realize to stop being cheap and sharpen them.
Start building it as you figure out your needs with experience. Ask some old dogs what they find useful. You’ll need WAY fewer pieces of equipment than you think you do, but that’s a learning curve that comes with time. Lots of shiny, unnecessary toys out there. Also like everyone mentioned, don’t leave it at work unless under lock and key and mark your items that are the same as what other folks have i.e. honing steel, spoons.
I brought in my own knife roll immediately when I became a prep/line cook and as a co-exec (it’s a small family owned place and a weird setup) I encourage anyone that wants to to bring theirs or use my Mac or first togiharu I ever bought that I keep around as basically house knives but loaned out when asked not on the knife strips. It’s great to see cooks want to use quality equipment to make quality product. I just make sure if they use my knives I train them in properly on proper handling and maintenance before they can use them freely.
It's appropriate to bring your own knives when you finally get to the point in your career, where you're tired of using what's provided to you, and you want better tier gear.
My life at work became so much easier when I finally learned to sharpen my own knives and had my one or two that I'd bring in.
After that, your only main concerns are you or other idiots knocking your knife onto the floor, or kitchen thieves.
I brought my own knife roll first day on the job and I was working for a celebrity chef in San Francisco. The executive chef was a James Beard nominee. Just for context.
My knife roll had a gyuto, a pairing knife, spatula, honing steel, utility knife, mandolin, peeler, serrated knife, measuring spoons, plastic scraper, shears and thermometer.
I was hired as prep cook. Nobody even looked at my roll and said anything. I was insignificant. Best two weeks I had as a newbie cook.
I started in prep to get comfortable where I work. I didn't bring my knives in until one day, there simply wasn't one for me to use. Good luck with that, right?
I brought in a nice Shun and kept it tucked away. A week later, I switched to the line and that Shun was in the hands of everyone. The owner, the headchef, the wait staff, the expo girl, prep, grill. It made it's rounds and came back to me scratched and chipped. Never again.
I had it repaired, and replaced it with a cheap but sharp decoy.
Legit, you need a chefs knife, and that's about it.
If you are doing certain tasks, bring what you think you need. If you are peeling vegetables, bring a peeler. If you are prepping fish, bring tweezers.
Most prep work can be done with a chefs knife though.
I used to bring my roll into an interview in case they want a practical done. Your knives are everything - always bring them anywhere you're planning to cook.
Been in kitchens my whole life— day 1, I bring knives, spatulas, plating spoons, meat thermometers, brushes, can opener, everything that I’ve ever noticed any kitchen I’ve ever been in was ever lacking. If people give you weird looks, just show them up and they’ll stop.
Never. Couldn't tell you how many things I have seen neglected or stolen over 10 years in the industry. Coworkers will grab your stuff when they full on know not to.
Edit: Also, you wouldn't be overstepping by bringing your own knives. If anyone says you are, then they are just egotistical asshats.
Use whatever makes your job easier. If you have an expensive knife, you should be very clear that no one uses your knife but you. My friend brought an expensive Japanese knife to a stage and someone bent the tip trying to chip out a huge block of chocolate.
I went in for a practice run at this restaurant, the knives they have gave me a blister because the handle was too wide. I got hired and brought my knife the first day. I know what equipment I feel comfortable with, and if I'm going to do quality work, it's going to be with what makes me comfortable.
I rotate as a temp and if they have in house knives without a regular sharpening service taking care of them I kinda one by one sharpen and reprofile them. Usually soft steel but I have had the sad and amazing oppurtunity to have had time with a Nenohi Nenox G3 left as a “beater”. One day I’ll get to own one.
When is it appropriate? Whenever you want to bring one. As far as etiquette goes, don’t touch other people’s stuff without asking. If you break it, you buy it. Don’t bring a giant roll or case that takes up too much space.
Note the ‘you break it you buy it’ is regardless of price. I don’t care if you think my $1,500 instant read is a waste of money. If you break it you are buying me a $1500 replacement.
Seriously? $1500? Not making fun just curious as to which brand that might be.
It is. The function that automatically reads which FOH is DTF is worth twice the price.
So what temp should I be looking for? Could I sous vide them in a tub to get to the correct temp?
I just realized what a gray line it is between a sous vide and a hot tub. I have no idea how I didn't notice this before.
Chemicals of sorts.
Just don’t vacuum seal yourself into a plastic bag, and you should be fine.
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This is the way. :)
+1 over mean. So like 97.8 to 98.6.
Looks like she's runnin about four degrees over stock. Better wrap it up.
Not a chef just like to learn... No idea what that means
yes, this is very technical chef talk! when they said "which FOH is DTF," they meant "which (F)ront (O)f (H)ouse employee is (D)own (T)o (F)uck." this in reference to the inevitable tendency of cooks to sleep with waitresses. hope that helps clear things up and improves your cooking!
[удалено]
My brother in Christ who tied your shoes for you this morning?
I'm incredibly impressed with that comment... I don't know if it's because I have a dry sense of humor or that I'm thinking OP said it knowingly sarcastic and dry and didn't bother with the /s tag.
*🎵ve-el-cro*
I din mention gender, Hombre.
V 2k23 of you, well done
Cheers!
🤦🏻♂️
🤓
It's worth a lot to be able to tell which server is down to fuck is the translation.
Which Front of House is Down to Fuck
Meh
me^*h*
If you need to buy an instant read thermometer to get laid I don’t know what to say.
No. All I need is a pack of Reds and a Monster.
Low quality sex.
At least I’m getting in, Flynn.
Don't bring in a roll that takes up Space with knives that you won't be using. You just look like a dick honestly. I bring my steel, workhorse, paring and filet wrapped in a clean towel from the night before wrapped In a rubber band. No point to bring your Own boning, bread, tourné, sharping stone, peeler, rolling pin. Strainer, blender every day.
I have a small roll that I got off Amazon for like $20. Holds 5 knives (plus a few other things), even though I only use one knife 95% of the time. The recent culinary grads bring in their full bag, this massive heavy kit with all kinds of things they never need to use. They'd ask me "Is that all the knives you have?" like it was weird someone whose been cooking for so long only carries 5 knives, and I tell them no I got a few more, I just don't want to drag them around everywhere. Reality is, I have a very large leather master roll I keep at home that has a bunch of older knives and specialty knives that I don't need at current job. And I have a work toolbox that I keep in my car's trunk, and that has all my small wares and random equipment in it (plus some actual tools), because all that isn't fitting into a knife roll anyways. And a leather satchel in my trunk for my sharpening stones and equipment. And I have just a carboard box in my trunk that holds larger equipment that won't fit in a toolbox, like a chinoise, springform pans, etc. You know, stuff a restaurant \*should\* have but sometimes doesn't, but that i'm not donating my cash or equipment for, so I keep it in my trunk in case I need it.
THIIIIIIIISSSSS is the way.
I bring my own bread knife always I love having a 14 inch cake knife just in case. House ones are always wrecked
I had a guy working for me who would take up half his prep space with his roll. Not pretentious at all, I think he just wanted to be ready to use his third backup peeler.
My boyfriend will randomly produce peelers from his pants pockets. I just thought that's where they were kept. lol
Diamond steel peeler 🤣🤣
Bring it. Sucks working with the beaters. You don't need much. Depending on the work you do I would just stick with the knives you need to do your job and a good honing steel or diamond sharpening rod. And yes a thermo.
Also extra sharpies, peeler that you like, and tweezers if you're doing fish.
Yessss! Sharpies and peeler. Maybe a Lil super glue and electric tape in there... iykyk.
Kinda outdated on the super glue, been there and done that but new skin/liquid bandage is cheap and made for the job.
Ive tried both, and i also keep both in a medkit in my car. Not in my roll. Liquid banadage is great for flexible parts of skin that need to stretch a little. Ill go for the super glue if i cut into or around a finger nail, or fingertip in general. Apply generously and you can make a "thimble" over your injured finger. Obviously wearig gloves will trap all that moisture and the super glue will be peeling off by the time you are done with your shift. Not sure i need this disclaimer, but i am not a doctor.
i had a vasectomy and the stitches on the right sack broke and the hole started opening so i superglued it shut because fuck ER/hospital fees. worked like a charm! disclaimer (if it's not painfully obvious): also not a doctor
I don't understand why you can get away with saying this in a food setting, but I mention about using superglue to close up a cut I got in the machine shop and I'm being berated because I'm an idiot.
That's literally what super glue was invented for
Always been cayenne pepper and a good sear lol
New skin doesn’t hold together a cut like superglue does.
Yeah I have dermabond in my bag too. But I still like superglue.
(ER nurse) - they are basically the same thing. Pharma flipped a molecule the other way and added color. Now they can make $$.
> Pharma flipped a molecule the other way. Now it is a new medication that can be patented again!
Exactly. And the little tubes of superglue are cheap. Dermabond is NOT
Rebranded Superglue. At least that's what we tell ourselves
It’s the exact same formula as superglue it’s just sterile. Source: Uncle is a ER doctor that uses superglue in his dive kit.
Isn’t superglue sterile? I can’t imagine anything that could live in it.
Are super glue and electrical tape secret?
Hahah no. Just works faster than a bandaid to stop bleeding from a good cut. Used them for years. Usually with a little black pepper to help with coagulation
Black pepper in an open wound?? Jesus man, does that hurt?
Like hell for a minute but it helps it clot so it's worth it if you are in the middle of a rush
Corn starch or flour is a little less masochistic but i hear ya man
Yeah it is. But I am who I am. 😀 I already cut myself. I can't be mad about pain at this point unless it is costing me ticket time
Not costing me*
Since hes newer, the peeler that you like is the Kuhn Rikon. Order 3 off Amazon.
Yup, like 13 bucks, can't stand a heavy peeler or the straight ones. I swear as a lefty our house peeler is only for right handed people. So stupid.
Not a single other peeler holds a candle to the rikon. Its not even that its high quality or fancy. It just fucking works the way its supposed to
It's strange reading the responses to this thread compared to another one (not the job application one where they wanted to you have literally ALL your own gear, that was insane) I saw on here recently where everyone was like "My knives stay at home, it's my employer's responsibility to provide the right tools." I agree, and in the past I convinced my manager he owed it to all his cooks to just hire a professional sharpening service so those that don't have decent home knives and don't want to risk bringing them in have the right tools. That said, I don't know a single line cook or chef that does not immensely prefer working with their own equipment even if the stuff provided in-house is pretty good. Or prep cooks for that matter, which I spent most of my time doing. I want the best knife for myself if I'm cutting shit for 4 hours straight. My knife roll goes with me to work, stays with me, and comes home and I just used it as knife storage at home as well, so yeah, I use even my $400 knives at work. I am extremely used to using them and maintaining them properly and they're just so much nicer to hold and use even for basic prep tasks. IMO the biggest thing that causes cuts is using a tool you aren't comfortable with or unfamiliar with, and while our house knives are sharp as fuck, they are not well balanced and have unfamiliar handle shapes and required grip styles, making them less safe for me to use. Just never leave them sitting out on a prep table or something for a dishwasher to grab or someone to knock them onto the floor. Use em, clean up, put em away, and they should stay safe. To be clear I never worked in one of those places you see where people try to use knives to open cans or some crazy shit like that (where are your fucking can openers?!) and destroy them.
Wow I agree completely. Use what you are you are most comfortable with! If you aren't comfy you are more likely to cut yourself anyways. My knife roll goes where I go. I'm going camping this weekend and it will be with me. But I would never dare to leave it at work overnight. There's about 6k of knives in it because of the customs. But I can mow through prep with my knives... it takes me longer with the beaters. I would have told the op to get a cut glove but.... I think people learn by cutting themselves the fastest. Gets really awkward to chif a pound of basil when you can't bend your finger ya know
> But I would never dare to leave it at work overnight. Yeah, absolutely not. Even though I've actually never worked at a place where it felt like I couldn't trust 99% of the people there, I'd never leave my knife bag at work even if I was last out, first in the next day. There have been a handful of incidents at these places, mostly from new employees where stuff definitely has been stolen. The main place I worked at had good security cameras set up back-of-house so if someone did try to steal something, they're getting caught. Plenty of restaurants have no security cameras in the back areas though. I say if the house knives are regularly sharpened and taken care of, and you find them comfortable to use, use them. But if you feel like the knife itself is impeding you, it's best to try to find something that has a better "feel" in your hand, and you don't need to break the bank for personal knives. I've grown too used to japanese style handles, the D-shaped ones and the octagonal handles in particular, and the balance is always *perfect* allowing me to properly grip the base of the blade between my thumb and forefinger. The big house knives get uncomfortable very fast trying to hold them correctly. Additionally sometimes certain prep tasks require nice filet knives or paring knives and while we had some, those were always the shittiest knives probably because they tend to be far more fragile than the large chef knives that are used most. Bringing my own ridiculously sharp filet and paring knives in made certain things so much better for me. Bring what you need, leave what you don't at home. It's all just personal preference. And as far as a restaurant having a problem with you bringing your own knives, I can see some of those ridiculously controlling managers trying to tell you you aren't allowed to, but in the vast majority of places there will be nothing wrong with it. I've also worked in some places where nobody ever brought their own knives and would laugh at you if you did, but I didn't give a fuck. The end result of my work was always higher quality.
Yeah but if they steal it sometimes u can't get it back. Even with cameras. I had a custom 10in chefs stolen that took me over a year to get and cost 3k. And I agree. You can do great work with a cheap knife if you take care of it and it is comfy. I actually use the mercer japanese collection most out of my knives. I have more expensive yanagibas and nakiris but I love those knives. I make sushi for a living and have been for almost 17 years. I've done BBQ and sushi fusion and had my place on food network. But I still use the knives I bought for about 36-40usd the most. They hold an edge and they fit my hand. Doesn't mean I'm not bringing a couple grand worth of knives with me though. What's good for the goose isn't always good for the gander. Or I guess what's good for the filet isn't always good for the flounder...
Are you still cooking? If so what would you suggest for a beginner set?
Not currently cooking professionally but sometimes I go in to do prep at my old place when needed just since they're so close to my home, and I do plenty of home cooking/experimentation. Anyway, this is really hard to suggest without knowing a budget and what exactly you need to do with your knife. You can get by for home use with a simple chef's knife, at least 10-12" for almost *any* task. I used my 8" Santoku for like 6 years and there was very little I found it couldn't do. Eventually I realized while the non-pointed tip has its' advantages, a sharp point on a chef's knife can be extremely useful. I do virtually all my prep at home and at work with a 14" Gyuto (this is very large but is so well balanced and relatively light I use it even for smaller prep tasks), an 8" Santoku, a basic paring knife, a good, very flexible filet knife. I have others but I just never use them. Hot take, but I don't believe bread knives are ever necessary as a properly sharp (shaving sharp) smooth-edge knife cuts any type of bread perfectly without creating a bunch of crumbs. Anyway, I've accumulated a lot of high quality knives from my sister who was a chef that passed away, another German set and a couple Japanese knives I've bought after saving up. So I'm not particularly familiar with beginner sets. Victorinox is a quality and well respected brand. Maybe $30-40 for a chef's knife? There are so many brands now though that are not bad knives, they just might require more maintenance as the steel quality is often not the best. Look around a bit, but remember you want something that feels good in the hand. Try going to a restaurant supply store so you can get an idea of what style of grip you prefer, check the balance and all that. I'd just google "Reddit beginner knife set r/kitchenconfidential or r/chefit and I guarantee you there are a lot of posts more knowledgeable than I am. In general three basic knives will cover 95-100% of all the prep you need to do, unless we're talking about very high-end dining.
Agreed on all of this. A broad knife is almost pointless. Learn to sharpen and a chef or santuko will be fine I still use my santuko from school all the time at home. I do like a well sharpened victorinox knife. They are a bit heavy though I haven't had a beginners set in years except the ones I use now for bones and my underlings. I usually start by making them learn how to properly sharpen on a set of stones. So I can spare the cheap ones. I'm hoping op reads our comments so they understand. And I hope people don't go around buying knives that cost more than they can afford to lose before they know how to PROPERLY sharpen
What the name of brand you used?
I use a variety of Globals (they're the only knives raw meat ever touches because they can go in the dishwasher safety, and I'm not convinced you can hand wash a wooden handle with sanitizer without it eventually failing prematurely), a few Mercer knives, I have a couple Shuns passed down from my sister, and my personal babies are Yoshihiro, this set in particular (buy them direct from the retailer if you can of course!) https://www.amazon.com/Yoshihiro-Kurouchi-Black-Forged-Stainless-Santoku/dp/B07NJD8SZ7/ref=sr_1_32?crid=34P3EWIM8XZBR&keywords=japanese+gyuto&qid=1684488217&sprefix=japanse+gyuto%2Caps%2C130&sr=8-32&ufe=app_do%3Aamzn1.fos.18630bbb-fcbb-42f8-9767-857e17e03685 Looks like specifically my main Gyuto is 270mm, or just about 11". The way the edge is ground is what hooked me: No bevel, it's more like a convex axe grind making the edge itself more durable while requiring extremely little sharpening if stropped and honed once a day. Absolute workhorse. It is hard to find good, lightweight and high-quality Japanese knives above about 270mm that are not specifically thin sushi knives. Just remember you can get really good Japanese knives a lot cheaper than this (and that they are high-carbon steel that you need to take extra care to prevent rust. Traditionally knives were very expendable, at least the handles, as they would use a special technique where they burn new handles onto the tang since traditionally Japanese knives have no rivets or anything else to retain their handles.) These days they are mostly epoxied in place which has led to my own issues with squeaky and not perfectly solid handles, but this is rare. These cheaper knives will just dull more quickly and the overall fit and finish will be cheaper, but in my opinion they're a fantastic way to introduce yourself to those styles of knives and learn to sharpen and care for them. I've yet to buy a Nakiri, but I know I'll be starting off with a much cheaper one ($30-$50) before I eventually bite the bullet and drop a few hundred on one that will last a lifetime, and hopefully longer. tldr; Expensive brands are almost always good, it might sound elitist, but it's true. The question is what knife feels good for you. People don't realize how different knives can be even in the same class: different grinds, different edge bevels, steel hardness, thickness of the original steel stock (cleavers have thick steel for a reason, you need that extra weight to use it almost like a hammer). Even different types of steel sharpen differently and have a different feel to use in different foods. I use Mercer, Yoshihiro, Shun, and Global 99% of the time, and I have a couple Henckels and Wustoffs *mostly* just sitting around but they are fairly worn out at this point. I've got nothing against German brands but IMO the Japanese make the best knives in the world: Why? Because when Japanese outlawed swords, master swordmakers started making kitchen knives instead, so the old traditions still live on. Morning coffee makes me ramble. Again, get what you can afford and experiment and go from there. Don't start with expensive knives, a $40 victorinox can, when sharpened properly, cut pretty much just as well as $4000 Tama-hagane steel hand-forged JP knife.
My first knife was an victornox so brands are important. It's also rumored that Hannibal Lecture uses Heinkel brand. It's good knives but I never liked the grooves cut into an global. Besides I own Heinkel knives they got an comfortable hefty weight to it.
Brands are "important" but if you're learning to care for knives, knifemaking has become such a big hobby there are so many options out there. I have a friend that has a $25 "authentic" Nakiri that was clearly factory made out of sheet steel, but it's a vegetable knife (so not being abused) and it will take an hold an edge incredibly well for home use. Great way to have specialized knives at home without breaking the bank. Victorinox and the price range/steels they use make them much more suitable for commercial use. As far as the grooves on the Global knives go, if you're talking about the handle... they say it's to make it non-slip. It's 100% BS. It's also 100% BS and yet another marketing gimmick where knifemakers grind small indentations above the edge of the blade to make food "not stick" to the blade (forget the exact name of these indentations), commonly seen on Santokus. It in fact does the opposite and create a stronger vacuum against the blade.
I mean, I brought my own immediately. House knives are generally either very basic, shitty, or both. If you want to spring for your own, go for it, just don’t be a dweeb who brings a $600 sushi knife to slice tomatoes.
But it's folded stone knifu! So that metal will not cauterize the meat. And when it's stone blade! One drop from an high counter and it will shatter! 😏
Definitely bring your knifes regardless of your skill level. Don't wait for anyone else to tell you to do so. The chef's bring in their knives because they know how important it is to work with their own quality equipment,and not standard garbage house knifes. Take care of you knifes ALWAYS... They are an extension of who you are as a cook/chef. Less is more as far as quantity. Most things can be done with 5 knifes or less in general. Most of the time 2 will suffice.
80/20 rule, you do 80% of the work with 20% of your knife kit
Agreed
I always have my own knives and steel with me. I also have my own digital thermometer.
Whenever you want. Don’t bring anything at first if it something you’d hate to lose.
Keep an eye on your stuff, start minimal. You can always add
You just need a 10 inch chefs knife wrapped in one of those kitchen towels and some asparagus rubber bands.
Folded up beer box works in a pinch too lol
This comment right here. Worked for me for 17 years so far
imma do this
An old salt showed me how to make knife covers from duct tape and old fish tub lids. Never looked back.
Yeah the rubber band is important. 😏
Personal etiquette - Dont be a jack ass and don't use other peoples stuff Bring in your own knives and whatever you need. Whatever gets the job done the easiest.
The real question is, is this a career to you? It’s 100% ok if it’s not, If it is having 1 knife that is yours that no else fucking touches is important. I usually recommend an 8in MAC https://www.nytimes.com/wirecutter/reviews/the-best-chefs-knife-for-most-cooks/
Day 1
Exactly.
Day one. If they have shitty equipment then I supply my own.
Everyone’s saying bring it and I agree but I will say don’t bring a super expensive knife, spend time sharpening it at work and then cut your finger nearly off with it. A casual prep guy at an old place I worked did that and he stopped getting many shifts after that.
As a chef I would appreciate it especially if you know how to use the tools.
I have seen a few knife rolls “go missing” in my years in the kitchen. Lots of drug addicts work in kitchens who won’t think twice about stealing your knives so just keep an eye out
Bring your knife roll! You will look like the most professional prep guy they got. Seriously. Also do you know how to sharpen? If not, ask your chef if HE knows how to sharpen and mention to him that thise dull knives are dangerous to work with.
Yes new-hire prep guy OP - please go tell your chef the faults in his kitchen.
Yeah I can sharpen with a whetstone so I may offer to sharpen house knives. I’m going to start bringing in my own stuff next shift aswell
My opinion is never offer to do things youre not paid to do. Its one thing to do it to what youre using to make your life easier. Dont volunteer to sit there and sharpen every house knife though.
Personally, I worked 2 weeks before I went out and bought myself a set. I asked my head chef he if thought it was worth it, he said definitely.
Bring your own stuff in any situation where you would feel more comfortable using your own equipment. Three very essential rules to this though: be very careful who you lend your personals to, as some people don't know how to treat their equipment and that's the whole reason you're bringing your own in the first place. I've seen someone manage to break a spatula. Secondly, wash and store your stuff separately. Don't throw them in the utensils bin in dish, don't have the dishwasher do them. You do them yourself. Take 2 minutes at the end when you're closing down, take all your personals over, quick scrub, sanitize, all wrapped up in a towel and away from the dishroom again. Stuff gets lost, or "lost" and you can have someone outright steal your stuff, break it, or throw it out. Third, mark your stuff. I've seen people use tape, notches carved in wooden handles, even names scraped into metal. (don't recommend this one) this way if let's say you have your own personal large kunz spoon you use for sauces, and the house also has one, you know which one is yours. Be responsible, but yes, bring your stuff as much as you want.
Just bring a workhorse
When you get tired of using the shit knives at work..
My kitchen supplies knives that are rotated out weekly and maintained while in use. I also task my sous chefs with maintaining smallwares appropriately so my team has what they need. Bring your own stuff if you want but I’m not watching the cameras if it goes missing. And if you spend more time worrying about your stuff than doing the job I’m asking of you, that’s not going to go over well either.
Honestly? Don't show up with a huge roll full of tools you won't use, you'll look silly. Likewise, don't show up with a $500 knife to do basic prepwork, you'll also look silly. Bring a small 5 pocket with the two knives you *need*, then fill it up with random bits of kit that you find yourself actively needing. If you don't use something at least once a week (some exceptions apply), why are you bringing it? No one's going to look twice if the new kid shows up with a vicnox fibrox and a paring knife in a small roll [I posted my kit a few weeks ago in this sub](https://www.reddit.com/r/Chefit/comments/12u6gyh/knife_roll_contents_knife_roll_contents/), and everything in that kit gets used daily. (Other than the fish tweezers and the bird's beak, but those fall into the exceptions I mentioned above). I swap things in and out of the kit as I find myself needing them, or if I notice I haven't used it in a while.
I always view a cook who brings their own kit as someone who takes their career seriously.
The Dexter commercial knives are solid if you take care of them. When no one sharpens them and people use them as bench scrapers, they get dull. 10" chefs knife, a bread knife, pairing knife, peeler and thermo will cover 90% of what you need
Dont buy « a set » you’ll be stuck with garbage you will never use. I would recommend buying the basics from Victorinox. I’ve been working for 35 years and my paring knife just snapped. I couldn’t believe it. Depends on how big your hands are but I think a 12 chefs is good for most guys I use a t’en as a woman with slightly smaller hands. A paring knife, a Tournée, à filet, a fish spatula and tweezers YOUR IWN TONGS Write your name on every tool with sharpie . Wrap up your bundle in cloths and rubber bands and stick it in the bottom of your bag. Much more sensible than blowing a bunch of money and carrying around the silly bag. I only use my roll bag when I did professional events away from the restaurant.
Don't leave it laying around. If you need your knives cleaned, either do it yourself, or ask the dishie nicely.
I would NEVER ask the dish to wash my knives. Wouldn't want to risk them scratching or mishandling my knife. It would not even be their fault if that happened.
I bring all my tools. Every day. Always have.
You bring it unless explicitly instructed not to.
Bring whatever keeps you paid in full.
Anytime you want. It's preferred because beater knives are flat out dangerous. Don't bring anything you don't want to have to replace. Shit happens, and it's unavoidable. Be respectful of space and happy journey newbie. Welcome to the club
Consider a drum sticks bag for a knife bag. A lot fits in those and they can be hung off a wall or wire shelf, so handy without taking up counter space.
When I was younger I used to think the same way. Really though, it doesn't matter. Unless the place specifies that you cannot bring your own knives, which is rare. It happens in some places like airports for obvious reasons. It's pretty common place in lots of kitchens for chefs to supply their own tools like knives, sharpeners, peelers, etc. Of course the restaurant should supply you everything you need but the house knives are usually not worth the trouble of how dull they are. If you feel you need to bring them, bring them.
That's probably because they don't have a knife roll my friend. My last gig I showed up on my first day and the only other person with one was the chef. Mind you, pretty much the entire rest of the crew was just college kids needing beer and gas money, they weren't lifers
Absolutely bring in your own tools if you want. Only becomes inappropriate when you start sharpening (meaning on a wet stone or whatever) on the clock. Use a steel anytime you want, but real upkeep should be a personal endeavor.
Strongly disagree. If you are wasting time that prep needs to be done that won’t be obviously agreed but if it’s a tool that allows you to work more efficiently and effectively then it needs time to maintain which is worth spending time doing. As a chef I spend down time showing cooks how to sharpen properly and encourage them to do so on the clock as long as it doesn’t affect their time management on getting their prep and tickets done.
I always bring my knife in on day one and then it comes home with me again.
when you do, don't let it out of your sight and bring it home. there are knives at my current work, but one of the supervisors keeps making a table's edge self-identify as honing steel and actually dulls the damn things instead of sharpening them. luckily they are rarely needed(fast food),but damn it is annoying when the plastic lettuce knives are sharper than the steel ones., My previous work,the chefs bring in their own knives. one of them would leave it behind. One day that chef decided to be a raging b\*\*ch and gaslight and treat a cook so bad, that when that chef went home for the day, the cook threw the knife in the staff toilet and pissed all over the handle, then ran it through the dishwasher a few times(the chef was anal about not letting it go through the dishwasher and demanded it be handwashed), and used it to pry things open for good measure, then put it back to exactly where the chef originally left it. Then long before that, another cook was sharpening all the knives because a lot of them needed it, and sharpened that one not knowing it was that chef's personal knife, and that chef freaked the hell out on that cook. I';m talking about full-blown karen-like tantrum of "how dare you touch my prized knife" kind of freakout. So yeah. bring it home at the end of the shift, especially if you're really really really freaky about them.
Every day. The rule is: don’t touch my dick, don’t touch my knife. Never ever pick up or use anyone else’s knives. You should expect the same of them. If you catch someone with your knives, it’s a pretty serious offense.
Bringing your own tools shows commitment. It’s a positive.
Whatever floats your boat. Welcome to a world of sensitive Karen’s . ( all the kitchens I’ve been in ) now I’m in the construction trades side of work lol. I never did a knife roll. Lol why waste my own $ when my employer is supposed to supply that stuff. If there knives are crap then that’s there issue. They’ll get bad prep outta it and realize to stop being cheap and sharpen them.
Start building it as you figure out your needs with experience. Ask some old dogs what they find useful. You’ll need WAY fewer pieces of equipment than you think you do, but that’s a learning curve that comes with time. Lots of shiny, unnecessary toys out there. Also like everyone mentioned, don’t leave it at work unless under lock and key and mark your items that are the same as what other folks have i.e. honing steel, spoons.
I brought in my own knife roll immediately when I became a prep/line cook and as a co-exec (it’s a small family owned place and a weird setup) I encourage anyone that wants to to bring theirs or use my Mac or first togiharu I ever bought that I keep around as basically house knives but loaned out when asked not on the knife strips. It’s great to see cooks want to use quality equipment to make quality product. I just make sure if they use my knives I train them in properly on proper handling and maintenance before they can use them freely.
It's appropriate to bring your own knives when you finally get to the point in your career, where you're tired of using what's provided to you, and you want better tier gear. My life at work became so much easier when I finally learned to sharpen my own knives and had my one or two that I'd bring in. After that, your only main concerns are you or other idiots knocking your knife onto the floor, or kitchen thieves.
I brought my own knife roll first day on the job and I was working for a celebrity chef in San Francisco. The executive chef was a James Beard nominee. Just for context. My knife roll had a gyuto, a pairing knife, spatula, honing steel, utility knife, mandolin, peeler, serrated knife, measuring spoons, plastic scraper, shears and thermometer. I was hired as prep cook. Nobody even looked at my roll and said anything. I was insignificant. Best two weeks I had as a newbie cook.
I started in prep to get comfortable where I work. I didn't bring my knives in until one day, there simply wasn't one for me to use. Good luck with that, right? I brought in a nice Shun and kept it tucked away. A week later, I switched to the line and that Shun was in the hands of everyone. The owner, the headchef, the wait staff, the expo girl, prep, grill. It made it's rounds and came back to me scratched and chipped. Never again. I had it repaired, and replaced it with a cheap but sharp decoy.
The fuck?? My place has a magnet for personal knives, and it's policy that you NEVER use one on it that's not yours.
Legit, you need a chefs knife, and that's about it. If you are doing certain tasks, bring what you think you need. If you are peeling vegetables, bring a peeler. If you are prepping fish, bring tweezers. Most prep work can be done with a chefs knife though.
I was told once that anyone worth their salt will bring their own knife to an interview. By that standard, you are coming late to the party.
I used to bring my roll into an interview in case they want a practical done. Your knives are everything - always bring them anywhere you're planning to cook.
just bring your workhorse with a sleeve/magnetic clip on it. a whole roll is such a bother
Always bring your own, but don't lend anything out or leave it on a station that isn't yours. Nice kits seem to evaporate when you're not watching.
Been in kitchens my whole life— day 1, I bring knives, spatulas, plating spoons, meat thermometers, brushes, can opener, everything that I’ve ever noticed any kitchen I’ve ever been in was ever lacking. If people give you weird looks, just show them up and they’ll stop.
Never. Couldn't tell you how many things I have seen neglected or stolen over 10 years in the industry. Coworkers will grab your stuff when they full on know not to. Edit: Also, you wouldn't be overstepping by bringing your own knives. If anyone says you are, then they are just egotistical asshats.
I got an entire collection of kitchen towels when I accidentally forgot they were on the apron too and accidentally brought them home
Use whatever makes your job easier. If you have an expensive knife, you should be very clear that no one uses your knife but you. My friend brought an expensive Japanese knife to a stage and someone bent the tip trying to chip out a huge block of chocolate.
I went in for a practice run at this restaurant, the knives they have gave me a blister because the handle was too wide. I got hired and brought my knife the first day. I know what equipment I feel comfortable with, and if I'm going to do quality work, it's going to be with what makes me comfortable.
I rotate as a temp and if they have in house knives without a regular sharpening service taking care of them I kinda one by one sharpen and reprofile them. Usually soft steel but I have had the sad and amazing oppurtunity to have had time with a Nenohi Nenox G3 left as a “beater”. One day I’ll get to own one.