These steak knives will sharpen up your next dinner party
Looking to host a dinner party at which steak takes centre stage? You'll need the right gear; and we can help you there...
Words: Izzie Price
When it comes to steak knives, skimping will do you no favours. Actually, you should never skimp on any kitchen tools at all — a gentleman should strive to excel in the kitchen — but your steak knives should be the cream of your culinary kit. They need strength, they need serration, they need edge.
That’s why we’ve curated a collection of the finest steak knives you can get your hungry hands on. And that means, rather than making any future guests contend with sub-par slicers, your next dinner party will be the sharpest, most sophisticated and meatiest meet-up of everyone’s year.
For your steak preparation: Blenheim Forge Gyuto
As the chef, this is the knife for you. Your guests will need to have their own steak knives, of course; but if you’re slicing the steak yourself before presenting it with a flourish on the plates (together with any vegetable accompaniments), you’ll need to have a knife worthy of the delicious meal you’ve no doubt prepared.
Blenheim Forge is the undisputed master manufacturer of chef knives. Each knife is hand-crafted in Peckham and heavily inspired by Japanese knife-making traditions, whilst also embodying the latest advances in metallurgy: and the Gyuto neatly encompasses both Japanese history and modern innovation. It’s ideal for slicing through meat, fish and vegetables, with a flatter heel perfect for chopping and a gradually curving tip that allows for a rocking action as you slice your steak; and with a walnut handle and a Japanese Blue Paper steel core, it’s as luxurious as a steak knife gets.
For an elegant dinner party: Opinel Steak Knives in Olive Wood
Now this is where your guests will benefit from your steak knife beneficence. Courtesy of Opinel and available at The Conran Shop, these sleek, shining steak knives come in sets of four; and if they’re from Opinel, you know they’ll be good. Joseph Opinel famously created the Opinel folding knife in 1890, and it’s held a defining place in French culture ever since; Picasso even purportedly used an Opinel knife as a sculpting tool.
These particular steak knives are shaped from luxuriously grained olive wood and offer both classical style and razor sharp blades — which are crafted from modified stainless steel and have the added advantage of chrome, which provides anti-corrosive qualities.
For an informal gathering: Villeroy & Boch Texas Steak Knives
It’s another set, this time comprising six knives; and the American state-themed title should give a clue to this knife’s character. It has a somewhat rustic element to it, with its fine-grained walnut wood and ability to slice through steak and pizza alike: which makes it the perfect option for a late summer barbecue.
Rustic doesn’t mean lacking in quality, though; these knives are as sharp as you could hope for. They’re crafted from exceptionally high-quality stainless steel and are blessedly easy to clean (because no one wants to be standing over the sink long after the last guest has taken their leave…), as well as being comfortable to hold: which makes them an etiquette staple for the more relaxed dinner party.
For a dinner date: Kai Shun Premier Steak Knife
Here, we have a set of knives designed for a more intimate culinary affair (available from Borough Kitchen): owing to their being packaged in sets of two. Perfect for a dinner date, these Japanese steak knives are just the thing to merrily slice their way through meat and vegetables alike as you impress your date with your winning conversation, mercifully free from the distraction of being hampered by inefficient cutlery.
Having said that, the conversation may centre on these knives; and for good reason. The Kai Shun Premier range stems from a collaboration between renowned Japanese knife makers Kai Shun, and German chef Tim Mälzer; and the key point with these knives doesn’t lie in their multi-textured steel blades, but in the ‘tsuchime’: each blade’s back has been hand-hammered down to the middle, to create air pockets that prevent food sticking to the knife as you prepare your meal.
For the perfect gift: Jean Dubost Le Thiers Steak Knives
Farrer & Tanner famously only stocks the best; and these steak knives are no exception to the brand’s unfailing eye for quality. Jean Dubost is a world-famous French cutler, harking back to 1920; and these particular knives were crafted in Thiers, which is otherwise known as the ‘European capital of cutlery’.
The blades are sharpened and highly polished to give them a dazzling gleam; and they’ll slice cleanly through meat with hardly any effort. In a refreshing twist, the handles are crafted from black acrylic (rather than wood), which is curved and smooth to comfortably fit the hand; and there’s also the potential to engrave a message on the knife blades. So keep them for yourself and impress your guests, or package them up as the perfect gift, complete with inscription: it’s your culinary call.
For a contemporary twist: Laguiole Cream Steak Knives
If you’re looking for a contemporary twist: look no further. Steak knives tend to be associated with classic (and often French) cutlery, but Laguiole — best known for the Laguiole knife, first created in 1829 — offers a modern take on this renowned dining room staple.
Their cream handles will make these steak knives a dinner party talking point (just make sure they match your plates…), and with the brand name engraved on the blade and their presentation in a natural wood knife block, they’d make for a stellar gift as well as a dinner party essential. It’s not too early to start thinking about Christmas…
Wondering what drinks to serve at this long-awaited dinner party? How about our cocktail of the week…
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