The Unexpected Knife Anthony Bourdain Recommended For Home Cooks

When it comes to knife and cookware endorsements from celebrity chefs, they should generally be taken with a grain of salt. Gordon Ramsay hawking HexClad pans in a Super Bowl commercial doesn't necessarily scream high-quality cookware, but rather money grab. However, that wasn't Anthony Bourdain's style. He was a deeply opinionated man who never shied away from stirring the pot — he never sold out either. His endorsements were the result of real use and experience and many of Bourdain's favorite kitchen tools were simple things. So, when he shared that you ought to have a particular knife, it was a good idea to listen — and I did. After my first read of Bourdain's book "Kitchen Confidential," I followed his advice and added an offset serrated knife to my arsenal. While this particular blade is a bit out of the ordinary, his suggestion was spot on.

An offset serrated knife, also sometimes called an offset deli or bread knife, is a tool with a serrated or scalloped blade that is offset a couple inches below the handle. It looks slightly odd, but when you use it, you understand that this unique design is exactly what makes the tool feel like a chef's knife. With a typical serrated knife, cutting down to the bottom of a roast or a loaf of bread means bringing your knuckles all the way to the cutting board. An offset serrated knife instead keeps your hand in a more natural and comfortable (not to mention safer) position.

The offset serrated knife was one of several blades that Anthony Bourdain suggested for home cooks in "Kitchen Confidential." For things like cutting bread, slicing tomatoes, and carving roasts, it is indispensable. For anything you might use a serrated knife to cut, this is a better option. I have been using this Stainless Steel Offset Bread Knife from MIU France for over a decade now. It works great and has a price tag under $20. This Mercer Culinary Offset Wavy Edge Knife is another budget-friendly choice. Or, if you prefer to invest in a more upscale blade, you can't go wrong with a Dalstrong Serrated Offset Bread Knife.

Beyond the offset serrated knife, Bourdain's other suggestions were simple. Everyone needs a good chef's knife, and Bourdain suggested the chef's knife he himself used in the kitchen. With those two, you are just about covered. But, he did mention that for fiddly work some might want a paring knife. Folks who really enjoy preparing whole fish or breaking down meat might also want a thin and flexible blade like a fillet or boning knife. 

My knife collection is designed exactly around Bourdain's advice: a mid-range chef's knife that I keep sharp, an offset serrated knife with a scalloped blade, a paring knife for trimming small fruits and vegetables, and a fillet knife for preparing fish. The man knew what he was talking about when he said that you really don't need anything else.