Best products from r/KitchenConfidential

well to be honest, i havent read many books on the subject, but i have listened to a million podcasts, ted talks, and the like. also my parents were both managers of people and projects, so there were a lot of discussions around the topic of how to make the most of your team, being a leader, etc growing up. also team sports as a youngling were a big influencer. then there is my personal experience and observations of 20+ years in restaurant management working with 20+ restaurants of various types that taught me a few things. (i cringe saying team building cause its kind of a dirty word these days, because of dumb team building excersises, but thats what it is, so)

there are a million resources out there. if you google "team work" "team building" "how to build strong teams" you will be swamped with info.

lets see if i can find some stuff-

1. this list is everything!
   i have referred to this list frequently from an article called "the ugly truth about team building" about the dumbness of corporations thinking team building exercises work when really the issue is one of poor leadership. in my experience you will find 95% of the issues amongst management will occur in one of these areas. if these are all addressed, things are probably humming along-
   "Here are the principal energy blockers I see in corporations and not-for-profits, startups and government agencies:
   
   • Fuzzy or missing strategy
   
   • Unaddressed conflict
   
   • Role confusion
   
   • Red tape bureaucracy
   
   • Slow processes requiring multiple approvals
   
   • Over-reliance on measurement and quantitative goals
   
   • Little to no conversation about culture, norms, energy, conflict or feelings
   
   • Inexperienced leaders
   
   • Little focus on experimentation, collaboration and innovation, and
   
   • Lack of praise, acknowledgment and information-sharing"
   
   
2. heres a really good ted talk from simon sinek, an author on this subject, he has a few books too. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qp0HIF3SfI4
   
   
3. danny meyers "setting the table" should be on the list. not specifically about team building, but it is definitely relevant for anybody serious about a career in the industry.
   
   https://www.amazon.com/Setting-Table-Transforming-Hospitality-Business/dp/0060742763/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1499155744&sr=1-1&keywords=danny+meyer
   
   
4. "ted talk teamwork" google video search - youll find a BUNCH of different perspectives just with this.
   
   https://www.google.com/search?client=safari&rls=en&q=ted+talk+teamwork&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8#q=ted+talk+teamwork&tbm=vid
   
   
5. i love a podcast from npr called "how i built this" where they have interviewed a bunch of succesful entrepreneurs building their companies and the challenges they faced. owners from spanx, crate and barrel, yankee candle, five guys, sam adams, lonely planet, even zumba and the power rangers tell their stories. (this one is probably the least specifically helpful, but i found all kinds of wisdom in there for any manager)
   
   http://www.npr.org/podcasts/510313/how-i-built-this
   
   
6. this is for one of the owners i worked for who trained some of the best bartenders in the world (daniel if youre out there)- watch "friday night lights" the series about a a fiercely competitive high school football team in texas. he swore that all the answers to how to build up strong employees was in that series. "clear eyes, full hearts, cant lose"
   

I've found concept books in combination with cookbooks to help. My favorite is Culinary Artistry by Dorenburg and Page to be the most helpful. I try to limit myself to either a single ingredient, or a pair, or even just a cuisine. The cookbooks give me recipe basics, while the concept book helps me twist them in ways that I maybe haven't tried before.

Checking for what's locally available can also be a way of narrowing down options and being creative.

Overall, I find creativity in the idea that there is freedom in limitation. Hope this helps, and good luck! I've always aspired to be in your position, I hope you find a way to make it work and enjoy it!

This gets asked on r/chefknives every so often. If you're looking for more advice maybe check out there. But to answer your question:

u/Formaldehyd3 compared Shun to Beats by Dr. Dre. I think a better comparison is actually Bose. People have a perception that Bose are top of the line but head over to r/headphones and no one is posting pictures of their new Bose headphones. While they certainly are decent products, they are not without fault and you can usually get something better for cheaper.

Shun knives are made with VG-10 (or VG-MAX which is similar) as their core steel which is then clad in cheaper stainless. The fancy patterns and hammering that is applied to the cladding looks nice but dramatically increases the cost for no benefit other than appearances.

The Tojiro DP gyuto is also made of VG-10 clad in stainless. It has a more minimalist look to it but costs about a third of what the Shun costs. The Tojiro also does not have the same reputation for chipping that the Shun does.

If the person you are gifting a knife too is looking for something that priorities practically I would either get the Tojiro and something else or just go with a gift card to Korin or ChefKnivesToGo.

However, if the person you're gifting to isn't that into knives then the Shun really is an impressive gift. They look very attractive and have a reputation as being high end knives.

We have a few posts linked in the sidebar here, but after reading them myself a few times, I do have a recommendation.

https://www.amazon.com/Victorinox-Fibrox-Chefs-Knife-8-Inch/dp/B000638D32/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1518124897&sr=8-3&keywords=victorinox+knife

This knife is the standard beginner knife that I always see recommended here. If I were you, I would just buy this one knife. Pay attention while you're cooking with it and you will be able to ask a more specific question.
"I have this knife and I love it, what would be a direct uprage from this knife?"
"I have this knife, but the blade is way too thin and it hurts my hand. What knife is similar, but with a thicker blade?"

You should also pay attention to how well you can do everything you need to with that one knife.

Can you chop an onion with it? Probably.
Can you clean a fish with it? Probably not, but how many fish will you be cleaning in the near future?
I went out and got myself an 8" chef's knife, a boning knife, a bread knife, a paring knife, and so on and so on. I really only use the one chef's knife and I work in a kitchen 6 days a week. If you feel you need a smaller handle, or thinner blade, or shorter knife, or some wild ass mongolian bbq sword, then buy them one at a time.

Be careful on amazon though. Sometimes they will jack the price of a knife up for a month, and then discount it down to what it usually is to try and sell a bunch. These knives are garbage made in china. If you don't want to spend any money, just get whatever from walmart and sharpen the hell out of it.

I keep trying to close out this post, but more keeps coming. Don't go out and spend a few hundred dollars on a knife that you don't know how to take care of. I got this same Vic a few years ago and I still use it. I REALLY want a nice $300 - $400 knife that I can use forever, but I don't feel confident enough yet with my stones to maintain something like that. I'll practice on my $50 knife for a while first.

Good luck.

I personally love my Macs, ive got an 8 year old 8 inch thats been my daily workhorse for the past 4 years, and a 7 1/4in that i picked up for $60 to replace it. I prefer the smaller knife for precision work, and the handling on it is spectacular in my opinion. Well worth the money, i think. I have a Shun elite 8in, and i find that the weight of it can get fairly annoying after a while, which is why i love the light weight of my Macs.
As for the filet knife, ive had both the victorinox and the henkels equivalent (yellow handled one), and found that after a few butchery jobs, the blades really went out quickly. I ended getting a global after using a co workers for a while, and have been really impressed with how well it handles, as well as how long it holds an edge for. I picked up the 6 1/4 inch flexible for about $70, and its been great.
For sharpening stones, id start out with a Messermeister 400/1000 double sided stone. At $20, it fits the budget for a first stone, and its what i teach a lot of my cooks on.
As for a knife roll, Messermeister is definitely a good brand to go with, but id reccomend getting more than 5 pockets. When i was starting out, i grabbed a 8 pocket shun bag because it was the only one the shop had at the time, and i was amazed at how fast i was able to fill it up. I keep more than knives in the pockets; microplane, peeler, thermopen, steel, oyster knife, etc. Just something to consider.
Here are the links to my reccomendations, if you feel like checking them out:
Mac 7 1/4in
http://www.amazon.com/Mac-Knife-Series-Chefs-4-Inch/dp/B000N5BUWY/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1405661045&sr=8-1&keywords=mac+knife
Global Filet 6 1/4in
http://www.amazon.com/Global-G-21-Flexible-Boning-Knife/dp/B00005OL41/ref=pd_sim_k_2?ie=UTF8&refRID=0XMAX8VN0AQVN18NZWYB
Messermeister Stone:
http://www.amazon.com/Messermeister-Two-Sided-Sharpening-Stone-1000/dp/B003JV3TEQ/ref=sr_1_1?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1405660753&sr=1-1&keywords=messermeister+sharpening+stone
No name 13 pocket bag:
http://www.amazon.com/Pocket-Hard-Tri-Fold-Knife-Bag/dp/B004BN1C5E/ref=lp_13840871_1_20?s=kitchen&ie=UTF8&qid=1405660955&sr=1-20

All in, thatll set you back about $190, which isnt too bad for what i think are the beginnings of a good kit.

i love my backpack! that said, i got through culinary school on something like this, and once i started to expand my kit a bit, i got one of these, which i also love. the second is a bit bulky, though. best for carrying everything you need, like if you're doing some offsite catering or something like that.

edit: my backpack is what i use everyday now, though.

In that case, buy this book - http://www.amazon.com/Professional-Chef-Culinary-Institute-America/dp/0764557343/ref=pd_sim_b_5 - and practice. Buy a bag of potatoes and onions and work on your knife skills. Learn the ratios for each of the mother sauces - Bechamel, espagnole, Hollandaise, tomato, and veloute. YouTube is an awesome resource if you are a visual learner. The key to becoming a great line cook is practice. If you don't have time to practice at work, gather some friends or family and cook for them once a week. Instead of having everyone bring a dish to pass, have them bring an ingredient (or two). I've been doing this for several years now and it has helped me branch out and learn new techniques and experiment with different types of cuisine. Have fun and good luck!

Lately, I've very much been enjoying Kenji's The Food Lab. I think it's worth the (ebook) price just for the chapter on fried foods.

I also keep coming back to The Flavor Bible, which has lists of how to combine ingredients for different cuisines.

If you want a valuable collection of recipes and have $50 to spend, get Cook's Illustrated's The New Best Recipe. It's supplanted The Joy of Cooking on my shelf.

Depends how much youre looking to spend, but if youre budget conscious The Victorinox ones are probably the best value around. Thats speaking as someone who owns several hundred dollars worth of mostly Shun and Mercer knives.

All you REALLY need is a

Chefs Knife

and a

Pairing Knife


to start with, those will handle about 85% of anything your ever need to do, but if you want to expand i would get a


Boning knife

Bread knife

Slicer

And dont forget a honing steel.

And MAYBE a pair of shears.

hopefully i don't sound too crass, but i would save your money. unless you want to do months of work as an unpaid, or basically unpaid, stage at a really amazing restaurant, or want to have credentials to back up the opening of your own place, the extra education wouldn't help much. i'd rather hear that you've read harold mcgee and larousse cover to cover.

It depends on your price range to be honest. If you want knives you can beat up and not feel bad about, Victorinox will be considered entry level. Moving up in price range, You have Zwilling J.A. Henckels. Quality is slightly better. And above that, You have Global,
Shun, Wusthof. I own 2 Global knives and leave both of them at home. Never liked them. Shun and Wusthof to me is at the same level, one being japanese and one being german steel. German steel takes a bit longer while sharpening, but holds an edge longer. Japanese steel gets a lot sharper, but needs to be well maintained. I personally use 3 knives from the Misono UX-10 line.

The are obviously a ton of other brands, but those are the most commmon ones that you see. Any knife will be fine, as long as you take care of them.

http://www.cutleryandmore.com/forschner_rosewood.htm

http://www.cutleryandmore.com/henckels-professional-s/starter-knife-set-p116572

http://www.cutleryandmore.com/global/chefs-knife-p114589

http://www.amazon.com/Shun-DM0706-Classic-8-Inch-Chefs/dp/B0000Y7KNQ/ref=sr_1_1?s=kitchen&ie=UTF8&qid=undefined&sr=1-1&keywords=Shun+Classic+8

http://www.amazon.com/Wusthof-Classic-8-Inch-Cooks-Knife/dp/B00009ZK08/ref=sr_1_2?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1408640170&sr=1-2&keywords=wusthof

http://korin.com/Misono-UX10-Gyutou_3

100% recommend a Tojiro DP, fits your budget nicely, great bang for the buck, holds an edge very well.

VG10 with a great temper. comparable to a shun, but less chip-prone, and half the price. good weight and balance imo.

I have a tojiro dp and a few gyutos that cost 2-3 times as much, and I use the tojiro most.

Ratio is really fucking awesome, if you're into the science side of it, I'd highly recommend this Widely regarded as one of the most comprehensive texts. It hits the historical side, the scientific side, and the classic, traditional cuisine. That said, it's really fucking dense, not the kinda book you'll sit down and read cover to cover.

yikes. I did a similar one within the last year. I don't have any feeling left in that spot, but I was okay after a few weeks. Raided the blue band-aid from the first aid cabinet, they really are the best. Then wore plastic finger protectors over the band-aids.

https://www.amazon.com/Flents-Plastic-Finger-Guard-Sizes/dp/B001F5YLJU

this.

tojiro dp chef's knife. straight up best knife for the price. western handle. best of both worlds. so durable and not SO nice that you'll be afraid to use it.

https://www.amazon.com/Tojiro-DP-Gyutou-8-2-21cm/dp/B000UAPQGS/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1520118522&sr=8-4&keywords=tojiro+gyuto+knife

for some reason they're out of stock on ChefKnivesToGo and more expensive than usual on Amazon....i don't know why

https://www.chefknivestogo.com/todpchkn18.html

Much depends on what else is going on. If the beer is tapped under pressure with one of these https://www.amazon.co.uk/VYAIR-Type-Piece-Connector-Fitting/dp/B00TSOMPR0/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=food+safe+hose+tubing+tee&qid=1568667796&sr=8-1 and some tubing you'll be sorted. If they're running hand pumps you're going to need a mate.

Rather like Hastings, but Southampton, Plymouth, and Falmouth are nearer to my heart.

I think that sanitizing a toddler-style Play-Doh Fun Factory and making gnocchi or ziti with it would be a good one to try. Sure, you'd only be able to load about an ounce of dough at a time, but just think of the looks you'd get. (Plus: "And now, to make the spaghetti, let me just set up the Fuzzy Pumper Barber Shop...")

Ooh! Today I learned that they now make a bigger version of the Play-Doh Fun Factory officially designated as a pasta extruder -- and it comes with a ravioli mold!

https://www.amazon.ca/Play-Doh-Noodle-Makin-Mania-Set/dp/B01JKAPB3Q/

Shoot, now I have the urge to open a restaurant where the gimmick is that all the food is prepared using only toddler toys. Why put a steak in a sous-vide bath for 6 hours when you can cook it in an Easy-Bake Oven almost as quickly?

I like this one: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B011I8MIE8/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

​

it's inexpensive, easy to maintain, and holds a good edge

Try wrapping with these: https://www.amazon.com/Cooling-Breathable-Microfiber-Running-Activities/dp/B073F1TBMR/ref=sr_1_3?keywords=cooling+towel&qid=1563031328&s=sporting-goods&sr=1-3

​

They're just stretchy enough to make a good head wrap plus they help keep you cool.

So are we not talking about Kiwi's? Cuz honestly I goddamn love these little Thai knives. Just take a gander at the prices. I know at first glance they are super cheap but when you buy them and feel them in your hands, they have a great weight as well as balance and they stay wicked sharp with minimal daily maintenance. I could not recommend them more.

On Food and Cooking is basically required reading.

It's fairly specific, but Japanese Cooking: a Simple Art has a ton of great info on Japanese food philosophy, seasonal dishes, and a bunch of knife and other techniques you don't get from many western texts.

The New Professional Chef

There is a newer version called The Professional Chef that Paul Bocuse calls "The bible for all chefs".

I agree with u/mirepoixmatt, I like the older versions a bit better. You can get an older version of the New Professional Chef for 75 cents

Dude, as someone who has had to use Shuns(using co-workers, receiving them as gifts, etc) more often than I'd like, I implore you to consider the Tojiro Dp.

I got my 240mm gyuto for around 95$ including shipping via Korin. At roughly half the price of its Shun counterpart (10" Classic Chefs), it's such a better value. As long as you diligently sharpen and hone it, it will do great things.

UPDATE: http://www.amazon.com/Tojiro-DP-Gyutou-8-2-21cm/dp/B000UAPQGS

Are you fucking kidding me?? 70$ is a goddamn steal

La technique the book:

https://www.amazon.com/Technique-Illustrated-Fundamental-Techniques-Cooking/dp/067179020X/ref=sr_1_2?crid=HQQ3WWT4367U&keywords=la+technique+jacques+pepin&qid=1557928438&s=books&sprefix=la+tech%2Cstripbooks%2C166&sr=1-2

Great foundation type book!

​

Some of the series on youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cl626Wzulg4&list=PL1LaW-AR98H8-Hf3ft0g3sUuV5FCjvDsr

Miyabi Kaizen 9.5" is one I've had my eye on.

10 inch Shun kiritsuke, though arguably overpriced for what it is. I have an 8 inch shun that I love, but I got it on considerable sale so it was more in line with its actual value.

Yoshihiro 8 inch, which I know nothing about really, but it just popped up while poking around.

[Another Yoshihiro, 9.5 inches] (http://www.amazon.com/Yoshihiro-Steel-Suminagashi-Damascus-Japanese/dp/B00NI54VNQ/ref=sr_1_36?ie=UTF8&qid=1426449037&sr=8-36&keywords=japanese+chef+knife)

This isn't specifically about increasing efficiency but it's a really good read from probably the most famous restauranteur in the US: Setting The Table - Danny Meyer.

If you use only small ones this shit will help you sleep like a baby:

​

https://www.amazon.com/Century-Indoor-24-Hour-Mechanical-Outlet/dp/B01LPSGBZS/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?keywords=timer+plug&qid=1567112084&s=gateway&sr=8-1-spons&psc=1&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUEzQzM5MUZBT0dUVTVZJmVuY3J5cHRlZElkPUEwNTMxMzQzM0JWQ1lMSFBLNkRQNCZlbmNyeXB0ZWRBZElkPUEwOTQwODA5MklVRkQwQUxGMTdZWSZ3aWRnZXROYW1lPXNwX2F0ZiZhY3Rpb249Y2xpY2tSZWRpcmVjdCZkb05vdExvZ0NsaWNrPXRydWU=

I do encourage you to learn about cooking no matter what you choose. These are the books that helped me most in my cooking career:

1. Professional cooking Often refereed to as 'the Gisslen'
   
   
2. Culinary Artistry
   
   
3. On food and Cooking
   
   The Gisslen and Culinary artistry are your starter books. On food and cooking is amazing but contains chemistry/biology and other scientific explanations of what your doing which is important but not for the actual act of learning to produce food.

>Stories and techniques are what I want.

For these reasons, this is the best cookbook I have ever owned

This is the knife. I’ve had mine for two years and absolutely love it.

Yeah... prices change over time. You can't find that knife at $28 any longer. I've never seen a Victorinox store in my life. It's still a good value at $40.

http://www.amazon.com/Victorinox-40520-Fibrox-8-Inch-Chefs/dp/B000638D32/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1377730234&sr=8-2&keywords=Victorinox+40520+Fibrox+8-Inch+Chef%27s+Knife

http://www.amazon.com/KIWI-21-Kiwi-Chef-Knife/dp/B001FEJ0WO
best bang for the buck.

Start with THIS ONE.

Great knife at an incredible price. You'll have to spend over three times as much to beat it.

They don't all have that pitted finish. I agree, I like the smoother look myself.

This should help: http://camelcamelcamel.com/Victorinox-Swiss-8-Inch-Fibrox-Straight/product/B008M5U1C2?context=browse&active=amazon

You can get notified when it goes below a certain threshold.

I'm fully with you on finding cool spoons at thrift stores/antique stores (I cook in Boston and hit up Cambridge Antique Market once a month), but I wouldn't call spoons or tweezers "ridiculous niche tools." I use three sets of tweezers pretty much daily, and the cheap eBay options that double as snake-feeding tools just aren't the same quality as ones designed by professionals specifically for culinary work.

Also, if you don't have a pair of these, buy one immediately. You can lift a Toyota with them but still have enough control to move more delicate proteins.

> Setting the Table as Danny Meyer

https://www.amazon.com/Setting-Table-Transforming-Hospitality-Business/dp/0060742763

Ordered it for my Kindle just now. Will begin reading it today. Thanks!

I highly recomend these tweezers by far the most useful tool on the line for me. https://www.amazon.com/Rosle-12925-R%C3%B6sle-Fine-Tongs/dp/B0007VHCQ2/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1479870572&sr=8-6&keywords=tweezer+tongs

This. For sharpening stones, buy a 1k and 6k stone, brand isn't a super big factor. King is apparently pretty good, but I use nawima or something. Edit: These stones.

The Flavor Bible

This is simply a good book in general.

I second this. Don't know if this is the exact one you are thinking of but is my suggestion as well.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B000638D32/ref=ox_sc_act_image_1?smid=APTAD1N6NMN2I&psc=1

I like the Rosle tongs myself.
http://www.amazon.com/Rosle-12925-R%C3%B6sle-Fine-Tongs/dp/B0007VHCQ2/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1369551751&sr=8-4&keywords=rosle+tongs

Get a Victorinox Fibrox as they are pretty much made to be abused. next time hop over to /r/chefknives tho ;)

Wine:

Windows on the World - Kevin Zraly

The Wine Bible - Karen MacNeil

The World Atlas of Wine - Hugh Johnson & Jancis Robinson

Cooking:

The Professional Chef - The Culinary Institute of America

The Culinary Institute of America book page on Amazon

The Flavor Bible - Karen Page

• Decent knives: http://amzn.com/B000638D32
  
• Bench knives: http://amzn.com/B0017HUR9E
  
  Or you could pick something from the Winco page: http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=bl_sr_kitchen?ie=UTF8&field-brandtextbin=Winco&node=284507
  

Flavor bible? https://www.amazon.com/dp/0316118400/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_807zCb1X2FBT1

I've never owned one, but I hear people rave about the knives by Victorinox.

Forschner is Victorinox.

https://www.amazon.com/Victorinox-Fibrox-45520-Frustration-Packaging/dp/B008M5U1C2/ref=pd_lpo_79_bs_tr_t_2?ie=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=M588RDJH6MJNSGBKXHKX

This is the only real answer for a budget level chef knife.


Victorinox Fibrox Pro Chef's Knife, 8-Inch Chef's FFP.

Exception: This guy.

You'll have way fewer friends but the ones left will be chill as fuck

there are no other activities

everything will hurt


Get crocs if you're just testing the water

birkenstock bostons if you're serious

buy this knife


https://www.amazon.com/Victorinox-Fibrox-45520-Frustration-Packaging/dp/B008M5U1C2