Professional Knives & Cutlery | Fontana Hotellerie

The Knives & Cutlery category at Fontana Hotellerie brings together a professional selection of knives and cutlery for professional kitchens, mise en place and foodservice. You'll find chef's knives, peelers, bread knives, boning and filleting knives, complete cutlery sets for restaurants, hotels and catering: tools chosen for durability, balance and lasting performance.

How to choose professional knives and cutlery

For professional kitchens, the key criteria are blade material — 18/10 stainless steel guarantees corrosion resistance and high durability, while high-carbon steel offers superior edge retention but requires more maintenance. The type of edge — straight, serrated or micro-serrated — determines its use: straight blade is universal, serrated is ideal for bread and hard-crusted products. Balance between blade and handle reduces fatigue during prolonged use in a brigade kitchen. For cutlery, evaluate the weight and thickness of the metal: professional 18/10 stainless steel cutlery withstands intensive industrial dishwasher cycles while maintaining lustre and shape. Always verify MOCA compliance and food-contact suitability.

Main uses in the foodservice sector

Professional knives are essential tools in every foodservice context: from kitchen preparation — cutting meat, fish, vegetables, fresh pasta — to table service. Complete cutlery enhances the mise en place of restaurants, hotels, catering and banqueting, with lines suited to any service style, from contemporary bistro to fine dining. Sommelier and cheese knives find specific use in beverage service and cheese trolley management, while spatulas and pastry knives are indispensable in the laboratory for pastry chefs and bakers.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you choose professional knives for foodservice?

For professional kitchens, it is essential to evaluate blade material (18/10 stainless steel or high-carbon steel), edge type (straight for universal use, serrated for bread and crusts), balance between blade and handle to reduce fatigue in brigade work and MOCA compliance for food contact. For intensive foodservice use, knives with ergonomic handles and forged blades are preferred.

What are the differences between 18/10 and 18/0 stainless steel cutlery?

18/10 stainless steel cutlery contains 10% nickel, which provides greater corrosion resistance, lasting lustre and robustness through industrial dishwasher cycles: this is the standard choice for hotels and restaurants. 18/0 cutlery, without nickel, is more economical but less resistant to oxidation over time; it is suitable for environments with lower usage frequency or for those requiring compatibility with induction cooktops.

Which knives are essential in a professional kitchen?

A professional brigade needs at least: chef's knife (20–25 cm blade, universal use), peeler (8–10 cm blade, precision work), serrated bread knife, boning knife for meat and poultry, filleting knife for fish. For pastry and baking, add spatulas, palette knives and fresh pasta blades. The choice depends on the type of cuisine and work volume.

What is the best material for restaurant cutlery at high volume?

For restaurants, hotels and catering with intensive washing, 18/10 stainless steel is the benchmark material: it resists corrosion, maintains lustre over time and withstands alkaline detergents from professional dishwashers. Always verify that cutlery complies with MOCA regulations (food contact) and is suitable for industrial dishwashing. Metal weight and thickness are further quality and durability indicators in the foodservice sector.