The Traditional Kitchen Knife Bobby Flay Recommends Is On Amazon

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Whether you're an amateur home cook or a seasoned chef, a high-quality chef's knife is one of the three knives you need in your kitchen arsenal. However, with so many options out there, choosing the right one can quickly become overwhelming. You'll want something versatile enough to finely chop vegetables, break down a chicken, and handle just about everything in between. Durability matters, too. A good knife should last for years, if not a lifetime, with the right care. And, of course, it needs to hold its sharp edge. Luckily, Food Network star Bobby Flay has a recommendation that takes some of the guesswork out of the process (per The Kitchn): the Shun Classic 8-inch Western Cook's Knife, available on Amazon.

Before getting into the knife's many selling points, there's one thing we have to address. At $163.95 (which is the sale price — it's normally around $205), it's certainly not a budget-friendly buy. But there are plenty of reasons why we think it could be worth the investment. At its core, knife steel is a blend of iron and carbon, with manufacturers adding other elements to improve its performance. It's these added elements that set Shun knives apart from the rest. 

The Shun Classic 8-inch Western Cook's knife uses a proprietary blend called VG-MAX, which is specifically formulated to resist corrosion and wear while maintaining a sharp edge. It also has a high carbon content, helping the blade achieve the hardness needed for excellent edge retention. The combination of elements in VG-MAX gives the Shun an advantage over many more affordable knives made with lower-grade steel, which have the tendency to lose their sharpness far more quickly with regular use. In other words, you're paying for a knife that's designed to stay sharp, rather than one that needs constant maintenance to keep it performing.

If the name didn't give it away already, Shun is a Japanese knife brand, and all its knives are handcrafted in Seki City, a region renowned for centuries of sword and knife making. Any kitchen nerd knows that Japanese knives are up there with German ones when it comes to quality, so just by looking at the place of origin, you can expect a considerable degree of craftsmanship to have gone into this blade.

Interestingly, despite its Japanese origins, the Shun Classic 8-inch Western Cook's Knife doesn't adopt the traditional santoku shape, often considered Japan's answer to the Western chef's knife. Both blades are versatile, all-purpose kitchen knives, but they differ in their blade profiles and the way they're typically used. Neither is necessarily better than the other; that distinction largely comes down to personal preference and preferred cutting style. 

While the blade might not have a traditional Japanese shape, the handle certainly draws on Japanese craftsmanship. It's made from Pakkawood, an engineered composite created by stacking thin hardwood veneers and infusing them with phenolic resin, which is then bonded together using high heat. The result of this admittedly complicated process is a durable, moisture-resistant material that's less prone to warping and cracking than ordinary wood. This makes it easy to keep clean, although that doesn't mean you should put the knife in the dishwasher or leave it to soak in the sink. Even quality materials can't protect even the most durable blades from the harsh detergents, water, and high temperatures, which will inevitably cause rusting and damage over time. Hand-washing and drying your knife promptly remains the better option.