Available in a wide variety of different types and sizes, a knife is used for cutting, chopping, dicing, slicing, mincing, peeling, separating, and other kitchen tasks where the thin metal shaft of a blade is of value for food preparation. There are only three knives that are crucial in a kitchen: a chef’s knife, a paring knife and a serrated knife. Any other knives are a luxury–they can make cooking easier and more enjoyable, but are unnecessary. A chef’s knife (sometimes called a cook’s knife) is the most important knife to have in your kitchen. also called butcher knives — have a flat, rectangular-shaped blade. They come in a variety of sizes, depending on their intended use. They’re one of the broadest, heaviest knives, and sometimes feature a hole near the spine of the blade so they can be hung up when not in use. a cutting instrument consisting of a sharp blade fastened to a handle. : a weapon or tool resembling a knife. : a sharp cutting blade or tool in a machine.