For Seasoned Home Cooks, the Best Holiday Gift Is the Only Chef's Knife They'll Ever Need
WÜSTHOF
Seasoned home cooks know that not all knives are created equal. In fact, many home chefs can be fierce loyalists of their favorite steel. However, we've happened upon a knife that's so good, even your most culinarily experienced loved ones might retire their older blades in favor of it. It's Wüsthof's 8" Chef's Knife from the brand's Amici collection, and it's as beautiful as it is precise.
According to the brand, the Amici knife series is inspired by the Italian philosophy of "la dolce vita," or appreciating the simplest, sweetest things in life. And what could be sweeter than expertly preparing a meal for the people you love? With Italian sentiment and German-made precision, Wüsthof's Amici collection was born.
All eight knives in the collection, along with the knives in the six-piece block set, are made from a single piece of Wüsthof steel embedded in a Mediterranean olive wood handle. The custom-grained, sustainably sourced Calabrian wood is naturally antibacterial and water-resistant, built to last for ages and designed to fit comfortably in the palm of your hand. The knives also have a full bolster (the thick area between the blade and the handle), which protects hands and fingers through even the most fierce and forceful chops.
Courtesy of Wusthof
To buy: 8' Chef's Knife, $300 at wusthof.com
And while all the knives in the Amici series would make excellent gifts (the Santoku knife, serrated bread knife, and the paring knife certainly go the distance in any kitchen), the 8" Chef's Knife takes the cake for being the most versatile. For starters, the chef's knife classically gives cooks the most control over slicing and chopping, and makes it easier to determine how, exactly, the blade moves through your food. Chef's knives are also sturdy enough for bigger jobs—think squash and large cuts of meat—but also have a delicate, razor-sharp tip for more precise work. It's an everyday knife, a special occasion knife, and everything in between, and a good chef's knife could theoretically replace every other knife in your kitchen.
And Wüsthof's Amici Chef's Knife isn't just great in terms of quality—it's also beautiful, which means it makes the perfect gift for the top chef on your list (even if that chef happens to be you). Plus, it comes with a lifetime warranty, free returns, and free shipping, which means it's a low risk but high reward holiday buy for that special someone who prefers to spend most of their time in the kitchen.
