Traveling chefs

[Wylde]

Hello everyone. Let me introduce myself, because this is my first post. I cook at home most of my life and love knives even longer. I've got plenty of different kinds of kitchen knives at home. 2 years ago when I turned 35 I decided to became a chef (I know, pretty late) and went for summer to Spain. This is my second year in kitchen and I still love it.
I have to travel light then I always have to pick up just few knives with me.

What knives would you take with you for your summer/winter job?

[jmcnelly85]

A light travel kit really depends on the restaurant, but I would have a hard time without a nice 240 gyuto, a beater chef, a 150 petty, and a 270 bread knife. If I have these in a roll I feel I can walk in to any restaurant in the world and have a chance.

Some places you might need a good boning knife, dedicated fish knives, long slicers, shears, a massive cleaver, a full sized scimitar, paring knives, oyster knives, herb scissors, a usaba… etc

99.9 percent of everything can get done with the top list, but every restaurant has its own needs that specialized equipment can make more efficient.

[ex1580]

A light travel kit really depends on the restaurant, but I would have a hard time without a nice 240 gyuto, a beater chef, a 150 petty, and a 270 bread knife. If I have these in a roll I feel I can walk in to any restaurant in the world and have a chance.

Some places you might need a good boning knife, dedicated fish knives, long slicers, shears, a massive cleaver, a full sized scimitar, paring knives, oyster knives, herb scissors, a usaba… etc

99.9 percent of everything can get done with the top list, but every restaurant has its own needs that specialized equipment can make more efficient.

Well said! What did you need the scimitar for?

[jmcnelly85]

I like them for turning large cuts of meat into something that will fit in a meat grinder. Useable on salmon and barbecue as well. I think a 10 inch breaking knife is a little more versatile of an option if I wanted to pack light.

[Wassabi777]

I've thought alot about this sort of thing, along with other tenured pros.

Core:
240mm WA thin gyuto
150mm thin petty

Optional:
Bread knife
Beater/Double-thick gyuto/Western Deba

This is really all anyone needs in any western kitchen. For the purposes of a western kitchen a 240mm WA gyuto and 150mm petty can stand up to any other shape.