Matt Owens is Development Chef for Alliance Group and National Chairman of the Craft Guild of Chefs, which supports chefs with training and development. Here is his ultimate guide to knives.

THE BASICS

You don’t need too many knives to start. I recommend getting the best chef’s knife you can afford, as well as a paring knife, slicer and a serrated knife, and go from there.

Utility

This is a similar shape to a paring knife, but smaller and slimmer for intricate work such as deveining shrimp.

Bread

A long blade with a sharp serrated edge. They are more difficult to sharpen, so should be replaced every five years.

Chef's

A large, slightly curved knife to chop all ingredients with a rocking motion. It can withstand heavier root veg because of the broad handle.

Santoku

An alternative all-rounder. Dimples stop veg sticking to the knife. It’s shorter and more precise than a chef’s knife.

MEAT AND FISH

Use a knife that is fit for purpose, especially when it comes to carving and filleting.

Carving

A long, slim knife to cut raw and cooked meat precisely. Also good for slicing cake layers. You’ll need a cleaver to butcher meat and cut through bone.

Filleting

A flexible, slim blade with a fine point and very sharp edge to precisely fillet fish. Most knives are used vertically, but filleting knives cut horizontally along the shape of the fish.

VEGETABLE

Not all vegetables are created equal – you’ll need a straight knife and a serrated one.

Nakiri

A broad, rectangular Japanese vegetable knife with a sharp blade. It has a straight edge to quickly chop up and down rather than rocking back and forth.

Tomato

A small, serrated knife that cuts through tomatoes without squashing them. The forked tip de-cores and peels them without losing juice.

Matt's knife advice for chefs

• Use a knife that’s larger than the item you’re cutting to be efficient and safe
• Store knives in a clean box or knife roll with a blade guard to protect them
• Do not open tins and packaging or hack at bones with a knife as this blunts the blade
• Never put knives in the dishwasher: the extreme temperature damages the blade and handle. Simply wipe clean in hot, soapy water
• Knives are a personal thing; it’s how they feel in your hand that counts. Always try before you buy, as you would a new car

How to sharpen a knife

Sharpen knives regularly. A blunt knife makes the job harder and does not achieve a clean cut. There are three ways to sharpen a knife:

WHETSTONE: saturate a whetstone in water. Start on the stone’s coarse side, and drag the knife across at a 20-degree angle several times. Finish off on the fine-grain side. Repeat on both sides.

KNIFE SHARPENER: electric or manual knife sharpeners are fast and convenient, but may dull knives more quickly. You can also take knives to a specialist for sharpening.

HONING: if you keep knives sharp, you can maintain the edge with a honing steel. Place the tip of the honing steel on a work surface and grip the handle firmly in one hand. Press the thickest part of the knife against the steel at a 15- to 20-degree angle, and pull the knife down towards you. Follow through to the tip of the blade. Hone both sides of the blade.