Many people argue that the most important tool a cook can have in the kitchen is their knife.
Sharp Knife Shop is the kind of supplier that will take care of all your knife needs. The Hamilton-based shop recently opened an outpost in Etobicoke; they needed more warehousing space for their booming online business. The Toronto location also has a lovely retail section that they've built up for in-person shoppers (and parking).
Sharp Knife Shop specializes in Japanese knives, which are thinner, sharper and more precise than North American knives. This allows for more efficient and consistent prep, and Gage, the owner of Sharp Knife Shop, would say it makes your food taste better. Japanese knife culture (which stems from their sword-making culture) has a strong tradition of hand-forging tools, and they showcase their superiority with how long their knives stay sharp and how easy they are to sharpen. Japanese knives can be more delicate, but a delicate and sharp knife is probably better than a blunt one.
Gage used to be a chef and Toronto is the city he got his cooking chops, so it's great that he is setting up shop in the community that was home for so long. He was a regular frequenter of knife shops in Toronto and again when he worked at Michelin star restaurants in Oslo and Chicago. When Gage was looking for a way to escape the very stressful chef life but still work in the industry, his passion for knives and knife shopping just made sense. The store in Hamilton was opened because there was no cool food or chef's store there, but a bustling restaurant scene that needed some pizzazz.
Sharp Knife Shop also offers knife-sharpening classes, where you use a Japanese whetstone to learn how to sharpen your knife; your knife does not have to be Japanese to take this class. They also do knife skills classes; an introduction to knives, how to set up your station, how to grip your knife properly, and other tips and tricks that will give you a skill set that comes straight from the professional kitchens the team comes from. You get to practice with real food (and they try to be seasonal with their ingredients), and you get to take home everything you prepare during the class.
Their classes are $60, and for both classes you can walk in with nothing, although for the sharpening class, they recommend you bring a knife that you need to be sharpened; a cutting board and apron is provided. Keeping with the educational side of things, they understand that a lot of folks are new to the Japanese knife world, and they've geared their online store and in-store experience to cater to those needs. The staff tries to spend a lot of time with people, talk to them about maintenance, and help pair them with the perfect piece.
Sharp Knife Shop is located at 195 Norseman St Unit 14, Toronto.
