Buying knives for chefs in Mexico (that sharpen with a bench grinder....)

[dklyve]

Love this forum, finally a supporting member!

On to the questions. Here in Mexico, an al pastor (trompo) chef uses a fillet knife to cut the cooked pork off the spit. He wants a bigger 20 inch fillet knife. I don't quite understand because I don't think he needs the flex of a fillet knife. It's common place here to use a honing rod all day. Then once or twice a month a guy comes on a bicycle that has a bench grinder on the back. Yup. Plugs in, and grinds down the kitchen's knives. I'm still learning to sharpen with my japanese stones, but the bench grinder makes me cringe a bit. I guess it works to some extent!

Another chef cuts beef and chicken, but as it's cooking, on the flattop. I don't know what kind of beater they need haha but I am tasked with getting them new equipment.

So, what do I get for the pastor chef?
And what indestructible beast should I get for the chef cutting on the flattop? This isn't your normal "knife recommendation so I didn't use the form. Obviously need to educate the chefs a bit, and budget isn't very high. But I'm sure we can improve from the Walmart knives they are using.

Thanks for your help!!! I'm lost with this one haha

 

[Gshep91]

I use a bench scraper whenever I want to “chop” meat on the flat flat top. Usually it’s pre cut before cooking to some extent and then making it smaller for tacos or something.

If you’re actually slicing directly on the flat top, I can’t imagine any knife will go long without needing a touch up

As for a slicer? 20 inches is long. No suggestions there from me

 

[mengwong]

Coming from Philadelphia I’m used to seeing this kind of cutting on the griddle:

I bet the bench grinder guy would have no trouble putting an edge on a beveled spatula… I don’t know though, I’m just a home cook. But it’s ARM!

https://a.co/d/015oxut

 

[Cpalms]

Love this forum, finally a supporting member!

On to the questions. Here in Mexico, an al pastor (trompo) chef uses a fillet knife to cut the cooked pork off the spit. He wants a bigger 20 inch fillet knife. I don't quite understand because I don't think he needs the flex of a fillet knife. It's common place here to use a honing rod all day. Then once or twice a month a guy comes on a bicycle that has a bench grinder on the back. Yup. Plugs in, and grinds down the kitchen's knives. I'm still learning to sharpen with my japanese stones, but the bench grinder makes me cringe a bit. I guess it works to some extent!

Another chef cuts beef and chicken, but as it's cooking, on the flattop. I don't know what kind of beater they need haha but I am tasked with getting them new equipment.

So, what do I get for the pastor chef?
And what indestructible beast should I get for the chef cutting on the flattop? This isn't your normal "knife recommendation so I didn't use the form. Obviously need to educate the chefs a bit, and budget isn't very high. But I'm sure we can improve from the Walmart knives they are using.

Thanks for your help!!! I'm lost with this one haha

For the Al Pastor guy a Dexter (white handle) 12 Cimeter would be my choice or if he wants a little flex Dexter 12' Narrow slicer. For a lot of Flex get the Victorinox 12" Salmon slicer.

For the flat top guy get a Dexter 4" griddle scrapper and put an edge on it with the belt sander. And a Dexter Hamburger Turner.

I'd probably also throw in a couple of Dexter (white handle) or Victorinox 8" or 10" Chef knives and a Dexter Cleaver.

All are widely available and can be had inexpensively.