Id say the Chukabocho is the most versatile knife, one billon chinamen can't be wrong. Cleaver is my #1 for line work, has always been. Chinese cleaver is the 1st knife I bought. Was in 4th grade and had to have one Because that's what Martin Yan used and I wanted to debone a chicken in under a minute. Dad took me to a Restaurant supply store and I spent my own birthday money on it, don't remember how much it was but know that $10 was the usual birthday money in my house back then, Still have the cleaver.
I'd credit Top Chef for spreading the popularity of high end kitchen knives, ray-ray (Daves pet name for the batter licker) uses crap knives, so do most on FN, Bobby boy teaches bad knife skills and habits, even Gordon looks like a fool to me the way he steels a knife, must do mor damage then good. Side note I watched GR's Christmas show and thought it was crazy and funny as hell that he had his young daughter stand on a pot over a hot stove and stir something, and creepy that he mouth kisses her... must be a English thing. Speaking of English I find it funny as hell also that Todd appears to be drunk in every show he does..watched him wonder around the stage on one show and do a funny monkey dance. Sorry for the long OT side track but thought some may find it funny.