Flint & Flame

A chef can’t work without good knives. A good knife helps you be a better cook. You need knives that are reliable, sharp and do what they’re supposed to do. I’ve lost count of the times I’ve walked into somebody else’s kitchen to do a dinner party or help out a friend and it’s been like cutting with spoons! When you have good knives you can cut everything properly, you’re maximising the portions you’re going to get, you’re not wasting anything which is vitally important, and in a restaurant setting you’re maximising profit. Knives help us to be sustainable in the kitchen to maximise the amount of food we use with no wastage.

I’d been using Flint & Flame knives for a while, and met Steve Mould, the UK Sales Director, while I was doing cookery demonstrations. I told him how much I loved his product, so we discussed putting together a selection of knives to complement field to table cooking, knifes that could be used for everyday use in the kitchen, but with that added extra of meeting the special tasks presented by cooking with game.

So then we chose which knives to put in the collection, keeping game very much in mind. Each one has a purpose. The folding lock knife is a utility knife that you can use when you’re out in the field, perfect when you’re out stalking, the boning knife is designed for boning and breaking down anything from a deer carcass to small game. I particularly love the filleting knife. It’s such a thin, sharp, flexible blade, great for removing sinew and I even use it for carving.

The paring knife is a kitchen mainstay for peeling onions, preparing vegetables.

The chef knife is another everyday knife for chopping, slicing and dicing.

You want a knife that feels right in the hand, is perfectly balanced, stays nice and sharp. And is low-maintenance; I don’t want a knife that needs to be aggressively ground, and these knives just need to be run through a sharpener every now and then. But what I love most about them is not just that they do their job and they do it phenomenally well, they’re also beautiful to look at. I’ve seen people just go ‘wow’ when they’ve opened that box. With knives that’s not always an indication of quality, but these are an absolute pleasure to use. They’re something you can be proud of. Flint & Flame can also laser etch the knives with your restaurant name, or a company logo, or a message if they’re a gift.

When I was working with Steve Lee on the Game Larder books we discussed who we wanted to buy them. We wanted them to be for people who shoot and stalk; for foodies; for chefs and also student chefs. We wanted the same for these knives. The foodie who buys a whole fish or whole joints of meat, the person who wants to take their bag all the way from field to table. Young chefs looking for their first set of decent knives, and anybody who wants to make the most of their joy in cooking.

1. Zero Pressure Point technology:

The handle is designed to minimise calluses and blisters from prolonged use, a must for professional chefs and a real bonus for home cooks.

2. Centre Point Balance:

The mass of the knives is balanced to give excellent ‘weightless’ control and cutting precision.

3. Ergonomic Handle:

The knife fits perfectly into the hand, eliminating fatigue and discomfort.

4. Smooth Bolster & Spine:

Enables the user to ‘pinch’ the knife at the correct point at the top of the blade, essential for comfort and providing the control needed for fine chopping.

4. Smooth Bolster & Spine:

Enables the user to ‘pinch’ the knife at the correct point at the top of the blade, essential for comfort and providing the control needed for fine chopping.

5. High Quality Steel:

The blade is made from extremely durable X50CrMoV15 German Steel, which takes and holds a long-lasting edge.

6. Razor Sharp Edge:

Flint & Flame knives stay sharp longer and require minimal maintenance, needing only a few passes through the ceramic knife sharpener every 2 to 3 weeks.

7. Sharp Heel:

Blades shaped to be kept sharp all the way back to the heel mean greater efficiency, especially when mincing garlic and herbs.

Take away any of these features and the knife is compromised: combine them and you have a knife that is a joy to use.

www.flintandflame.co.uk