Alton Brown’s Knife Basics for Cooks

The YouTube algorithm recently served up an excellent Alton Brown video covering the absolute ins and outs of kitchen knives. Even though he isn’t a custom knife maker or a self-proclaimed knife nerd (though you kind of have to be if you’re a famous chef), his breakdown is incredibly informative for the average home cook.

As a blade craftsman, I actually picked up a few solid design ideas to improve my own custom chef knife geometry. I agree with almost all of his technical points, with only one real exception: when it comes to maintaining a sharp edge, I prefer using a leather strop over a traditional honing steel.

It’s an excellent kitchen knife guide from a chef’s unique perspective. Check out the video below, practice your knife skills, and go enjoy some homemade salsa!