Tools
Behind the Design: Steak Knives
Crafted in the knife capital of France, our Steak Knives are inspired by those favored in French bistros: razor sharp and straight-edged, with a slender, curved profile.
By Team Made In
·Jun 6, 2023
·Jun 6, 2023
Crafted in the knife capital of France, our Steak Knives are inspired by those favored in French bistros: razor sharp and straight-edged, with a slender, curved profile.
Whether you enjoy an occasional Porterhouse or steak night is your specialty, preserving a plated steak’s tenderness is just as important as the cut, pan, recipe, and sides you choose. Conveniently, the best way to achieve that isn’t some time-consuming technique—it’s a simple tool.
Steak knives are to steak as carving knives are to the big holiday roasts: absolutely essential, both for utility and aesthetic value. Getting the chance to use special occasion utensils over everyday flatware makes a meal more memorable—and it’s sacrilege to spend hours prepping and searing a juicy cut only to serve it with dull, inadequate knives that will result in a hacked-up piece of meat.
Our Steak Knives are the antithesis. Crafted in the knife capital of France, they’re inspired by the steak knives favored in French bistros: razor sharp and straight-edged, with a slender, curved profile. We spent years over-engineering them. Finally they’re here and available in sets of four and eight, ready to be the perfect accompaniment for any cut.
Learn more about our three favorite features of our Steak Knife and see the difference serious attention to detail can make.
The steak knives you’re familiar with likely feature a serrated edge, presumably for ease of cutting through a variety of proteins. In actuality, this could be damaging the flavor and texture you worked so hard to build—serrated blades can tear delicate protein fibers, leading to a dry, tasteless steak. Ours feature straight-edged, flat, perfectly sharpened blades that slice cleanly and easily for a tender, juicy steak.
Some people prefer serrated blades for their enhanced cutting power, arguing that the saw-like teeth makes cutting easier and faster. We disagree: We think it just makes butchering your steak easier and faster. Plus, when it comes to sharpening, a straight-edged blade is simple enough to do at home, while a serrated blade needs professional attention.
Like all our other Knives, our Steak Knives are full-tang so there’s no risk of the blade snapping or becoming worn. They are also engineered to be perfectly balanced when in use or just resting on the side of your plate.
We’ve long admired French craftsmanship for its tradition and elegance, both in and out of the kitchen. It’s the reason so many of our products, from Porcelain Bakeware to Enameled Cast Iron to our Award-Winning Knives, are made there—and our Steak Knives are no different.
Our Steak Knives were modeled after the slightly more modern and exponentially more elegant steak knives favored by the French. Unlike the cheap serrated steak knives you’ll find in steakhouse chains, the French version features a sleeker profile, a straight edge, and a downward curved tip for easier, less cumbersome slicing. In other words: no awkward elbow hoisting or ineffective sawing.
The French foundries we work with are unrelenting in their commitment to preserving the unique qualities of raw ingredients, and that mindset inspired the final design for the Steak Knives. Each handle is made from locally-sourced French olive wood, and is completely unique in its beautiful wood grain detailing. This creates natural variation within and across Sets, yet still holds true to the tradition of wood-handled French-style steak knives.
Each Set arrives in a solid wood storage box for safekeeping until a special occasion (or sudden craving) strikes. Not only does this storage box protect unsuspecting hands and fingers rummaging through the kitchen drawers, but it helps the blade stay sharper for much, much longer.
As you can (hopefully) see, these aren’t the steak knives that come in a pack of flatware—they’re better. They improve not only the experience of cutting and slicing your steak, but the flavor and texture of each bite. Our bespoke set of Steak Knives launches Friday, June 9 at 10 AM ET—don’t miss out, as these won’t last long.
