Chicago Cutlery Review

I love knives.

Okay, not in a creepy Freddy or Jason sort of way. But more in a I think I am a great chef although I am not sort of way. I am a pretty good cook although I am far from being a professional.

But I know that even if I am not a professional chef, I still need the proper equipment. One of the things any cook should have is great knives. You need them for so many things and having good knives makes a huge difference when cooking.

My problem is I have one good knife and one okay knife. I used to have more but they mysteriously disappeared. Now I have theories about where my other knife went but it would involve making some crazy accusations against my cat, Shawn. And I don't want to go there. Let's just say if she had thumbs, we would be dead.

Anyway, the okay knife is actually falling apart because the handle was bamboo and it just didn't hold up. Note to knife makers, don't use bamboo as the handle. The good knife is fantastic but if it's dirty or in the dishwasher, I have nothing to cut with except the crappy knives.

This leads me to the reason I am writing this review. I had the opportunity to review a new knife from Chicago Cutlery. You know I was all over that like white on rice. I needed a new knife and I have heard of Chicago Cutlery and it is one of the brands I have been eyeing to replace my "lost" knife.

Chicago Cutlery just launched the Sharpest Cities program and are currently working with Stephanie Izard – Top Chef contestant and winner on showing cooks how to improve their knife skills. From the site: It’s not surprising that many are unaware of how to properly hold or use one of the most common kitchen items … knives. With so many shapes, sizes and brands available – many individuals lack the proper skill set. In fact, a recent study fielded for the Chicago Cutlery brand measured U.S. and Canadian consumer’s attitudes about cooking and food prep and found that Canadians are “sharper” than Americans when it comes to cooking habits and kitchen knife use. The study even revealed that Montreal and Vancouver outranked cities like New York, Los Angeles and Chicago! For more information on the Sharpest Cities program, check out the site because it has some great info.

To test my knife skills, which are quite awesome, I received the 8" Landmark Forged chef knife. This baby has a stainless steel forged blade with a polymer and stainless steel handle. It's nice! This knife is a little larger than the one I have and it also has a skinnier tip, which I like.

What can I say? I loved it. It was sharp. It came with a sheath to keep it protected. I like the weight of the knife. It is weighty enough to be able to chop but not so heavy that it encumbers the chopping. There are some knives that I have used that are too heavy and, at least for me, that doesn't work because I always feel like I am not in control. I like the skinnier tip. My other knives don't have it. But it is actually quite nice for fine chopping. I can use the tip to finely chop onions, garlic and herbs.

The knife was even strong enough to cut through a chicken bone. Now I don't recommend using your knife to do this but I made a roast chicken and couldn't get the thigh loose, so I just cut through the bone. It was a nice clean cut.

It was sharp enough to make thin cuts as well. I could cut a piece of beef almost paper thin which is fantastic. The knife is really good. When I need another knife, Chicago Cutlery is at the top of my list. They have so many different types and sizes that you can find any knife to suit your cooking style.

Chicago Cutlery also has other products. The cutting boards look amazing. All I can say is that knives can be a good thing and these are definitely are a good thing! I have already added a knife sharperner and kitchen scissors to my Christmas list!!!

Disclosure: I received a sample product for review purposes. No other compensation was given and the opinions in this post are solely mine and are based on my experience with the product.

About World Kitchen, LLCHeadquartered in Rosemont, Illinois, World Kitchen and its affiliates manufacture and market metal cookware, glass, ceramic and metal bakeware, tabletop products, cutlery and kitchen tools sold under well-known brand names, including Baker’s Secret®, Chicago Cutlery®, Corelle®, CorningWare®, EKCO®, Magnalite®, OLFA®, OLO®, Pyrex®, Revere® and Visions®. The company and its affiliates employ approximately 2,800 people, and have major manufacturing and distribution operations in North America and Asia-Pacific regions. For more information, visit www.worldkitchen.com.