Skip to main content

Feasting: The Misen Knife is Making Our Kitchen Dreams Come True

Feasting is our column dedicated to cooking, grilling, eating and discovering what’s on the menu across America and the world.

There’s definitely a sweeping idea in the culinary world that a good knife needs to be expensive. And it isn’t necessarily unwarranted because with premium materials and craftsmanship comes premium prices. But what if there was a way to get a professional quality tool without spending hundreds of dollars? Luckily for all you home cooks out there, Misen has found a way.

5 Product Shot
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Starting with one extraordinary knife, Misen is redefining kitchen essentials through premium materials, thoughtful design and honest pricing. Most knives are so expensive because of traditional retail markups, so Misen partnered closely with factories and sells directly to the consumer online. By cutting out the middle man, they’re able to offer an incredible knife, made with premium materials, at a wholesale price.

Any pro chef will tell you a quality chef’s knife is the single most important kitchen tool, perfect for everything from mincing garlic to breaking down a whole bird. So Misen spent the last 18 months making sketches, building prototypes and testing along with home cooks, product designers and builders to create an amazing chef’s knife at an honest price.

Related: Feasting: Heartwood Forge Knives

A great knife should do two things very well: feel good in your hand and cut with a razor-sharp edge. Western-style knives have a pronounced belly that encourages a rocking motion while flatter Japanese knives are more efficient for slicing. The Misen incorporates elements from both styles, designed with 15 degree edge angles that support multiple cutting techniques whether it’s rocking, slicing or chopping. Premium Japanese AUS-8 stainless steel gives it a sharper, longer-lasting edge, and it has 60% higher carbon content than other mainstream “premium” knife brands for sharpness retention and durability. Misen’s unique sloped bolster moves gradually onto the blade face which provides a comfortable grip for every hand and encourages a proper “pinch grip” hold for increased control. The thermoplastic handle is incredibly resistant to shrinkage or warping and becomes subtly rounder towards the front to work in tandem with the sloped bolster.

7 Lifestyle Shot
Image used with permission by copyright holder

To say we are excited about this knife is an understatement, but Misen needs your help. They launched their Kickstarter campaign this week to fund the first production run of the knife for things like the initial custom molding, raw materials and skilled labor. If you want to be one of the first people to own this incredible knife, head over to their page and lend your support now.

Editors' Recommendations

Amanda Gabriele
Amanda Gabriele is a food and travel writer at The Manual and the former senior editor at Supercall. She can’t live without…
This is how to make a proper Moscow Mule
It's the classic cocktail in a copper mug, and we're going to show you how to make a Moscow Mule
Moscow Mule with a bowl of limes

You know you've made it as a cocktail when one of the most popular ready-to-drink options is made in your name. That's the case with the Moscow Mule cocktail, the classic mix of vodka and ginger beer, preferably in a copper mug.

Here are some pro tips to keep in mind. First, select a quality vodka. The flavor may be mostly buried in the rest of the drink, but you're still after smoothness. In terms of ginger, go with a proper ginger beer instead of ginger ale. The latter is far too sweet. If you're really feeling intrepid, do as Death & Co. does below and make your own ginger syrup to couple with club soda. You'll be amazed at how much more pronounced the ginger qualities are when going this route.

Read more
How to make The Last Word cocktail, a gin classic from another era
Impress your guests and make this circa 1916 drink
Last Word cocktail

Gin often plays a prominent role within classic cocktail culture. Such is the case with The Last Word cocktail, a delightful green concoction enlivened by the aromatic clear spirit. It's a cocktail that has practically lived two lives: one as it was born during the heyday of early 20th-century American bar life and another that started about two decades ago.

How did it come about? Drinks folklore says The Last Word was devised by Frank Fogarty at the Detroit Athletic Club circa 1916. Oddly enough, Fogarty was not a bartender but an award-winning vaudeville comedian. Regardless of his progression, he came up with a damn good cocktail that uses some rather obscure ingredients.

Read more
The 5 best vegetarian and vegan dishes to try right now
Even if you love meat, you might be surprised how tasty these meals are
Cauliflower steak with peppercorn sauce

It's spring and a wonderful time of year for fresh produce to make the best vegetarian recipes all the easier to create (and thoroughly enjoy). If you like meat, so be it, maybe get more creative with your sides or try one of these dishes for fun. If you're a vegetarian, it's a fine time to put together some satisfying meals with real heart and soul. Here are some of the best vegetarian and vegan recipes for dinner to try.
Kale sauce with any noodle

This Josh McFadden recipe from Six Seasons
is great to have on hand as it can accompany just about any kind of pasta.
Ingredients

Read more