Do you ever take along a knife specifically to use at table when attending a BBQ or visiting a steakhouse for a meal?

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I have used my own knife in restaurants since I've been carrying knives, 45+ years. Whatever I have on me is good enough, because I like good quality tools, and always have. I own some blades I that consider beaters,
but I carry nice knives, and I use them for what they are meant for, cutting stuff. I'll even dip the corner of the napkin in my water glass to wipe off the blade before it's closed, or sheathed. I'm not totally uncouth, I just don't
much give a rat's ass what someone else might think of me. What knife I am using is the least of their worries, they just don't know it. If they're looking at the knife on the table, they're much less likely to notice the .45 on
the belt.

And, truth be told, most people aren't going to notice what knife you're using to cut your steak, or sandwich, or whatever, anyway. They're MUCH too busy with their phones, and their own conversations, to pay any real
attention to what's going on around them, especially the younger folks.
 
justjed said:
I have used my own knife in restaurants since I've been carrying knives, 45+ years. Whatever I have on me is good enough, because I like good quality tools, and always have. I own some blades I that consider beaters,
but I carry nice knives, and I use them for what they are meant for, cutting stuff. I'll even dip the corner of the napkin in my water glass to wipe off the blade before it's closed, or sheathed. I'm not totally uncouth, I just don't
much give a rat's ass what someone else might think of me. What knife I am using is the least of their worries, they just don't know it. If they're looking at the knife on the table, they're much less likely to notice the .45 on
the belt.

And, truth be told, most people aren't going to notice what knife you're using to cut your steak, or sandwich, or whatever, anyway. They're MUCH too busy with their phones, and their own conversations, to pay any real
attention to what's going on around them, especially the younger folks.
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👏
 
Centermass said:
I got thrown out of Ruth’s Chris the last time I stalked the display cart from across the room, speared the ribeye with a sharpened stick, then knapped some flint to cut it. Truth be told, it was probably the open fire I built in the dining room that sent them over the edge. Nobody appreciates primitive skills anymore.
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Agreed. I was tossed out of the movie theater for bringing in my own food.

I was like "C'mon, Man... I haven't barbecued ribs since the damn plague started!"
 
No, not specifically, but I always have a sharp knife in my pocket.
I suppose if I needed it to cut what I was eating I would, but I’d look around for some utensils first.
Not because I think it’s rude and uncouth, I don’t, but I wouldn’t want to have to clean my knife with no sink, soap and water.
 
My current steak knife, no thrills, no shrieks, I use it discreetly and knife amateurs sometimes even give me compliments.
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Stahlmann said:
Why is that exactly? If someone made the effort to bring their own particularly sharp and well-shaped knife in order to best cut and enjoy a steak -- cleanly sliced rather than torn, and they did so without making a big fuss or putting on a show, why would it be "rude and uncouth to do so?"

If anyone should actually notice, particularly one of the chefs or cooks, it would stand to reason they would actually be quite pleased that someone made the extra effort to best experience their efforts. Particularly given the fact that it would be highly difficult, expensive (and potentially dangerous) to ensure that all patrons received razor-sharp cutlery in a dining atmosphere. Even if it was fine dining.

Some prattle on about ostentatious knives and people acting oddly to bring attention to themselves, but it need not be that way. All those comments really boil down to nothing more than a bad case of psychological projection on the part of the commenters.
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As the former owner/chef of several haute French cuisine restaurants, I will be the first to admit the knives suck.

No way can a sharp knife be cleared by the wait staff, thrown in a utensil bin and sent through the dish machine, rapidly sorted by the dishwasher then back to the waiters to be polished. Christ, the injuries from broken glasses are bad enough, this would be a blood bath! That's why the knives are always serrated; that's the best the restaurant can logistically handle.

As a chef I would take no umbrage at someone using their own knife, totally understand. I bought upgraded knives for my restaurant and they still suck.

Another thing to consider with nice cutlery at a restaurant; one of my waiters stood behind a woman at a large table who was asking everyone to pass down their fish forks (yeah, yeah, it's a French restaurant) because she wanted to take them home. Quite embarrasing when he leaned over (she hadn't seen him) and stated that the restaurant needed the forks for the next customers! Nice knives wouldn't last the weekend.

That being said, my wife really doesn't like it when I clean my knife in my water glass at a restaurant :)

It is beyond the pale to think a chef would be upset at a customer using his own fine knife.
 
Chefget said:
As the former owner/chef of several haute French cuisine restaurants, I will be the first to admit the knives suck.

No way can a sharp knife be cleared by the wait staff, thrown in a utensil bin and sent through the dish machine, rapidly sorted by the dishwasher then back to the waiters to be polished. Christ, the injuries from broken glasses are bad enough, this would be a blood bath! That's why the knives are always serrated; that's the best the restaurant can logistically handle.

As a chef I would take no umbrage at someone using their own knife, totally understand. I bought upgraded knives for my restaurant and they still suck.

Another thing to consider with nice cutlery at a restaurant; one of my waiters stood behind a woman at a large table who was asking everyone to pass down their fish forks (yeah, yeah, it's a French restaurant) because she wanted to take them home. Quite embarrasing when he leaned over (she hadn't seen him) and stated that the restaurant needed the forks for the next customers! Nice knives wouldn't last the weekend.

That being said, my wife really doesn't like it when I clean my knife in my water glass at a restaurant :)

It is beyond the pale to think a chef would be upset at a customer using his own fine knife.
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Good to hear it straight from the horse's mouth!
 
Thank
Chefget said:
As the former owner/chef of several haute French cuisine restaurants, I will be the first to admit the knives suck.

No way can a sharp knife be cleared by the wait staff, thrown in a utensil bin and sent through the dish machine, rapidly sorted by the dishwasher then back to the waiters to be polished. Christ, the injuries from broken glasses are bad enough, this would be a blood bath! That's why the knives are always serrated; that's the best the restaurant can logistically handle.

As a chef I would take no umbrage at someone using their own knife, totally understand. I bought upgraded knives for my restaurant and they still suck.

Another thing to consider with nice cutlery at a restaurant; one of my waiters stood behind a woman at a large table who was asking everyone to pass down their fish forks (yeah, yeah, it's a French restaurant) because she wanted to take them home. Quite embarrasing when he leaned over (she hadn't seen him) and stated that the restaurant needed the forks for the next customers! Nice knives wouldn't last the weekend.

That being said, my wife really doesn't like it when I clean my knife in my water glass at a restaurant :)

It is beyond the pale to think a chef would be upset at a customer using his own fine knife.
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Thanks for an insider's/expert's viewpoint, Chef. The notion that it would be "rude and uncouth" to use one's own cutlery is clearly nonsensical. I really appreciate the sanity check from a pro!
 
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If he ever has a cook-out at his place: that's the party to attend!!
 
Bob Denman said:
If he ever has a cook-out at his place: that's the party to attend!!
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Meh, I don't know. French food scares me. A friend of the family used to own a very famous one here in Chicagoland and the few times I was there I had no idea what the hell I was eating. I politely nibbled trying not to gasp at what I had no idea. I did recognize the escargot and skipped that.
 
K.O.D. said:
Meh, I don't know. French food scares me. A friend of the family used to own a very famous one here in Chicagoland and the few times I was there I had no idea what the hell I was eating. I politely nibbled trying not to gasp at what I had no idea. I did recognize the escargot and skipped that.
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I'll betcha he knows his way around cooking steaks...
 
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