Anthony Bourdain's Favorite Knife Was His Secret Weapon In The Kitchen

Chefs often cite that their most important kitchen tool is the chef's knife. It should be practical and durable, a tool to rely on for hours of chopping, slicing, and dicing. Anthony Bourdain, the late culinary icon known for his adventurous palate and unfiltered storytelling on "Parts Unknown," was no different; his simple secret weapon in the kitchen was his favorite knife. As mentioned in his book "Kitchen Confidential," Bourdain's favorite knife was the Global G-2 8-inch chef's knife.

Global produces its stainless steel knives in Japan, where it has been using the same production methods since 1985. Japanese knives are popular amongst chefs, but European knives are also a top choice; for example, Ina Garten prefers the German Wüsthof chef knife. A key difference between Global's Japanese knife and many European knives is the tip — Global uses a straight edge point, while European knives use a beveled edge. The company's design, along with the combination of molybdenum and vanadium metals, is what allows the Global G-2 knife to stay sharper for longer.

Not just for famous chefs and professional kitchens, Anthony Bourdain's favorite chef's knife is a good choice for home cooks as well. It's lightweight and easy to control — each knife is perfectly balanced by Global. The handle is ergonomic and comfortable for long chopping sessions, plus it features a dimpled texture to reduce the risk of slippage. On Amazon, the Global G-2 8-inch chef's knife boasts a 4.8-star rating, with a regular price of $159, although it's sometimes on sale for just under $100.

Anthony Bourdain recommended chefs and home cooks to invest in one quality knife, rather than a traditional knife set, which he considered to be a waste of money. The point of the chef knife is to be incredibly versatile, capable of handling almost any kitchen task. Rather than having a different knife for each purpose, the chef knife should be able to mostly fulfill each purpose, whether it be cutting chunks of meat, slicing fruit, or mincing delicate herbs.

If you're using one knife for most kitchen tasks, it makes sense to splurge on a chef's knife, rather than spending hundreds on knife sets. Some chef's knives can cost up to several hundred dollars, but with the proper care, they should last a lifetime. Know that you don't need to necessarily break the bank to buy a solid chef's knife; the nice thing about the Global G-2 knife is that it's quite affordable compared to other options on the market. The investment into a good chef's knife should mean that you worry less about a dull blade and sharpening; these are produced with durability and heavy use in mind. Yes, you'll need to still practice proper knife care and sharpen it from time to time, but much less often than cheap, generic kitchen knives that dull quickly.

Once you're equipped with the proper chef knife, it's worth learning how Anthony Bourdain safely chopped onions with his Global G-2.