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…
The Macallan, Bentley serve up a single malt Scotch whisky worth more than a car
The Macallan and Bentley mean luxury
The Macallan

When it comes to luxury, The Macallan and Bentley are two of the biggest names in the world. While one is a single malt Scotch whisky brand and one is a car company, they both carry a certain, fancy weight. It only makes sense that the two brands would collaborate for a special bottle of Scotch whisky. This is likely because a whisky-powered car is more science fiction than reality.
What does the new whisky look like?

It's called The Macallan Horizon, and its bottle was created in collaboration with British automobile brand Bentley Motors. It was designed to meld the worlds of single malt scotch whisky and the sleek, elegant car brand. The result is a horizontal (hence the name) bottle crafted with a breathtaking 180-degree twist.

Read more
Forget wine — Beer and cheese is an unbeatable combination
Put the corkscrew away and crack open a cold one
Beer and cheese

When one hears the term cheese pairings, wine is the beverage that most often comes to mind, we'd wager. Because, of course, it is. The pairing of wine and cheese is as classic a coupling as peanut butter and jelly, bacon and eggs, or chocolate and strawberries. They're meant to be together. But that certainly doesn't mean that wine is the only adult beverage that can dance an alluring tango alongside everyone's favorite dairy product. Beer, as humble as its reputation can be, is also a beautiful balance to cheese's immense offering of flavors. While some may think of beer as not being as multi-dimensional and varied in its palate-pleasing capabilities as wine, this is not the case - especially now that we live in a world with so many exquisite craft beers, stouts, and lagers.
Of course, another classic accompaniment to cheese is bread or crackers. Why might that be, one might ask. Is it because we're simply in need of a starchy vessel to usher the cheese into our mouths? The answer is actually a bit deeper than that. Starches like bread and crackers are made from the same yeasty ingredients as beer, so their pairing makes perfect culinary sense.
This isn't to say, though, that one can simply pick up a hunk of cheddar and crack open a Budweiser and expect culinary artistry. The science is a bit more nuanced than that, so we're here to help you find the best pairings for your favorite beers and cheeses.

How to pair beer and cheese

Read more
Mijenta has a new cristalino tequila — here’s why bourbon fans will love it
Mijenta has a cristalino tequila perfect for bourbon drinkers
Mijenta Cristalino

If you’re new to tequila, you might not know all the terms. Even if you’re just a beginner, you probably know all about blanco, reposado, añejo, and maybe even joven. But chances are, you’re not familiar with Cristalino tequila. This reasonably contemporary style is simply añejo tequila that’s been charcoal filtered to remove its natural caramel color and various impurities.

The style is more than just a little popular. It’s actually the fastest growing style of tequila according to Nielsen data. The newest brand to get in on the Cristalino trend is Mijenta.

Read more