An Edge in the Kitchen: The Ultimate Guide to Kitchen Knives -- How to Buy Them, Keep Them Razor Sharp, and Use Them Like a Pro (Hardcover)

by Chad Ward (Author)
Key Phrases: ceramic honing rod, steel your knife, stamped knives, Essential Knife Skills, Chef's Choice, The Other Half of the Equation (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review
"A definitive guide for buying knives....[An Edge in the Kitchen] covers everything you need to know and more." -- Lynne Rossetto Kasper, cookbook author and host of The Splendid Table

"Chad Ward...has written a handsome volume on knives and everything you might want to know about them, and about using them....It’s not only filled with good info put together with a good design, the writing is lively as well." -- Michael Ruhlman, author of The Making of a Chef, The Soul of a Chef, and The Elements of Cooking

"This year has already seen the publishing of several good knife books. Add [An Edge in the Kitchen] to the list....Ward...has crafted a book that is instructional and deep...as well as highly readable." -- Tampa Tribune

"You’ll be hard pressed to find as succinct and complete a collection of wisdom on the topic as this masterful volume from cook and writer Ward. He covers nearly everything...giving cooks all the information they need....This book [is] as indispensable as the tools themselves." -- Publishers Weekly (starred review)

Chad Ward offers all you need to know....A lot of knife wisdom served with a splash of wit and a sprinkle of trivia make this a book you’ll want to read from cover to cover as well as to prop up by your knife block. -- Sara Moulton, host of Sara's Secrets

Review
"Chad Ward...has written a handsome volume on knives and everything you might want to know about them, and about using them....It's not only filled with good info put together with a good design, the writing is lively as well." (Michael Ruhlman, author of The Making of a Chef, The Soul of a Chef, and The Elements of Cooking )

"A definitive guide for buying knives....[An Edge in the Kitchen] covers everything you need to know and more." (Lynne Rossetto Kasper, cookbook author and host of The Splendid Table )

Chad Ward offers all you need to know....A lot of knife wisdom served with a splash of wit and a sprinkle of trivia make this a book you'll want to read from cover to cover as well as to prop up by your knife block. (Sara Moulton, host of Sara's Secrets )

"You'll be hard pressed to find as succinct and complete a collection of wisdom on the topic as this masterful volume from cook and writer Ward. He covers nearly everything...giving cooks all the information they need....This book [is] as indispensable as the tools themselves." (Publishers Weekly (starred review) )

"This year has already seen the publishing of several good knife books. Add [An Edge in the Kitchen] to the list....Ward...has crafted a book that is instructional and deep...as well as highly readable." (Tampa Tribune )

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 240 pages
• Publisher: William Morrow Cookbooks (June 10, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0061188484
• ISBN-13: 978-0061188480
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 7.5 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.5 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars See all reviews (19 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #32,205 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

30 of 30 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Most complete & best value book on the subject, August 26, 2008

By	Joss Delage (Seattle, WA USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Chad Ward - An Edge in the Kitchen

I own two books on kitchen knives and knife skills, this one and Weinstein's Mastering Knife Skills. Chad Ward's book is the best of the two by its breadth and wealth of information and is objectively a very good book.

Physically, the book is a medium sized hard cover, well edited. There is a number of good B&W pictures through the book to illustrate specific points, and there's a central section of 48 pages of glossy color pictures depicting specific knife techniques (battonets vs. julienne, onion, tomatoes, cutting a chicken, butterflying a piece of meat, skinning salmon, carving a turkey, steeling a knife, several sharpening methods, etc).

The book is organized as follows:
1 - Choosing the right kitchen knife:
This section is about 90 pages, so it's a sizeable part of the book. The author goes through the various knife types, costs, etc. Generally, Chad advocates staying away from knife block & sets, and explains that a home cook can do most everything with 3 knives: 8" to 10" chef, paring, and a serrated (or scalloped) bread knife. So his recommendation is to get the best of those. What is really helpful is that the author gives specific recommendations for all budgets - below $100, $200, or "the sky's the limit". Too many books just say "get what feels best". Chad goes beyond this to give a range of specific endorsements. This part also includes 10+ pages on cutting boards and how to take care of them.

2 - Kitchen knife skills:
This section is about 30 pages but also has most of the color pictures in the center section. This is where the key knife skill concepts are explained, how to hold the blade and the item to be cut, etc. This is similar to other knife skill books, but with one major improvements which is a few recipes to practice the skills. Those recipes are really welcome, and because they are basic recipes that can be used as base for a number of varied dishes, they are great recipes to include in this book.

3 - Knife sharpening:
This section is about 70 pages and covers the theory & science of knife sharpening as well as specific reviews and advices for several methods. Chad reviews the sharpening of Western as well as Japanese style knives, and several sharpeing systems (e.g., Spyderco, EdgePro, etc).

At the end of the book are several pages of resources to buy knives, boards, sharpeners, etc.

In short, I think this is a complete book that covers the key concepts of knife skills, but also addresses knife selection and care. If you buy only one kitchen knives & skill book, I would recommend it.

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Must For Your Kitchen Library, June 18, 2008

By	Michael Miles (Houston, Texas, United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

With a measured dose of wry humor and thoughtful commentary, Chad Ward debunks the myths and dispels the mysteries of the most essential, yet misunderstood, and under appreciated tool in the kitchen, the humble cook's knife. Whether you're a seasoned home cook, a confused beginner, or a professional cook, you'll undoubtedly benefit from Mr. Ward's comprehensive knowledge which he freely shares in an unintimidating, easily understood style. Bridging the chasm between professional culinary texts and the limited information available to the home cook in various cookbooks, he covers all the critical subjects associated with choosing, using, maintaining, sharpening, and even cleaning up after using a good knife. This book will make a fine, if not essential addition to the reference library of your favorite cook, knife enthusiast, or anyone who simply wants to know more about how to use and maintain the knives in his or her kitchen.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars everything you've ever wanted to know, July 18, 2008

By	K. calcott - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

this is the most thorough comprehensive clearly written and amusing book that I've seen on all things knife - how to choose what you need, what's the difference between the expensive choices, how to keep a screaming sharp edge, clear guidelines and different chefy cuts and terminology. really excellent. wish I could say I still have it but my son stole it as soon as he saw it.