This text is part of the special book Plaisirs
Quebecers’ enthusiasm for good kitchen knives continues to grow. What types of knives do the pros use, and who are these craftsmen who make them?
Equip yourself like a chef
“I wanted to equip myself with a good knife to perfect my techniques,” says Stéphane Gadbois, a factory manager with a passion for cooking. “I discovered that chef Martin Juneau got his supplies from Guillaume Delisle, a specialist in Japanese knives. Curious, I went to his shop, L’Émouleur, exceptional Japanese blades. I came out with my first santoku, a chef’s knife. »
From foodies like Stéphane Gadbois, Guillaume Delisle serves more and more of it in his shop on rue Laurier, in Montreal. “In 2009, when I opened my business, I was betting mainly on a clientele of cooks,” he explains. Before opening his shop, Guillaume sharpened the knives of chefs like Normand Laprise or Hugues Dufour. He then discovers their predilection for Japanese knives. “It made me want to become one of the first in the country to offer this type of knife. »
A traditional know-how
In 2012, Guillaume went to Japan for the first time. “Japanese forges were famous for making katanas, the swords worn by samurai. Today, they make kitchen knives with super-sharp blades,” emphasizes the man who decided to specialize in sanmaï steel knives. The cutting surface is made of a very hard high carbon steel, and the rest is soft stainless steel. These knives cut like a razor.
Martin Juneau was one of the first chefs to adopt L’Émouleur knives. “The quality of the blade certainly makes the job easier and more enjoyable, however quality comes at a price. The chef points out that Guillaume’s knives are also unique pieces that he likes to have in his kitchen.
The cutler artisans of Quebec
In Quebec, the art of cutlery has attracted passionate artisans, who have distinguished themselves by the quality of their work. Dave Fortin is one of the most experienced, his pieces have attracted the attention of conductors such as David Forbes, Daniel Vézina and Stéphane Modat. “Already at the age of 13, in my parents’ basement, I assembled a handle that I carved out of firewood with a blade that I cut out of a sheet of metal”, says the man who decided to become a cutler in the age of 17 after coming across an American magazine specializing in cutlery. However, when he discovers that these knives sell for around 600 dollars, he abandons his career plans, thinking that he would never be able to sell pieces of this price. He will then go to train in special education without completely giving up his passion.
A looming art
Dave makes a decisive encounter in the person of Jacques Jobin, one of the first artisan cutlers in Quebec. The latter introduced him to metallurgy and made him discover high-performance steels as well as the heat treatment process to harden the metal. In 2001, after a trip to India, Dave created a company for sharpening and making artisanal knives. His meeting with Alexandre Musso, a Corsican cutler, will henceforth define his style. He will teach him the technique of damask steel, which Dave will apply to create pieces that evoke magnificent mountain landscapes. This artistic process has become the trademark of the craftsman.
In 2005, he founded Couteaux Deva in Quebec. It stands out for the uniqueness of its knives. Fortin likes to define himself as a metallurgical artist. In 2020, he won the Distinctions en Métiers d’Art award for his contribution to the world of blacksmithing. “I like to create meaningful objects by incorporating pieces from our heritage,” confides the cutler.
This is what seduced chef Stéphane Modat, who then asked him to create knives for the restaurant of the Château Frontenac hotel in 2013.
The series of knives “Les bois du Québec” was made from different local woods, including animal antlers. “I love his very local approach. He works almost exclusively with trees from Quebec and pieces of metal from here, which he recycles to make his blades,” explains the chef. The latter has just ordered from him, for his new restaurant Le Clan, knives whose handles will be made from the legendary old elm of rue Saint-Louis, “the ball tree”.