Anthony Bourdain Recommended This Chef’s Knife for 17 Years (and It’s Under $100!)

The late Anthony Bourdain had a lot of very strong opinions. He hated Johnny Rockets, Unicorn Frappuccinos, the third slice of bread in the middle of a club sandwich, and people who put too much soy sauce on sushi. One thing he loved, though, was a really good chef’s knife, and he had remained pretty loyal to one over the years.

In Bourdain’s best-selling memoir Kitchen Confidential from 2000, he wrote passionately about how much he despised knife sets. He wanted home cooks to forget about all those big blocks full of knives they’d never need and just get one really good chef’s knife: the Global G-2 Chef’s Knife.

According to The Daily Meal, Bourdain was still sticking with that recommendation even in 2017, a year before his suicide. At the premiere of his new documentary at the time, Wasted: The Story of Food Waste, Bourdain told the audience that he still recommends the Global chef’s knife. “As a starter chef’s knife, the Global is pretty good for a first timer,” he said.

The knife is lightweight, with a smooth grip a lot of home cooks love, and it keeps its sharp edge, which means easier prep work for you. It also means a lot of value — the price falls somewhere in the middle of the chef’s knife spectrum at about $160 full-price but usually well under $100 on sale (and it goes on sale often).

For what it’s worth, we also think the Global chef’s knife looks really cool with its entirely stainless steel construction and perforated handle. When you’re cooking with something every day, you’d want to have something nice to look at — plus, it helps if it makes you feel like a badass.

Of course, there’s no one-size-fits-all chef’s knife. It’s a matter of size and shape, and whether the knife feels good in your hand and is comfortable to use. That’s why you should try to get a feel for the knife in person if possible, so you can know for sure if you’d like it. Global’s 8″ chef’s knife is available at Williams Sonoma and Macy’s, so you can call your local store and see if it’s in stock before stopping by.

But the bottom line: The Global is a great knife, and one of the most popular options for home cooks who are thinking, “I just want to get one really good chef’s knife. What should it be?”

Buy: Global 8″ Chef’s Knife, $99.80 (normally $159)

What’s your go-to chef’s knife? Tell us in the comments below!