across the table: knife expert hopes to sharpen up chefs - binchotan charcoal for sale

Although the address is the main street, the Japanese knife import store in Venice is a bit hidden, just a few steps away from a humble multi-function parking lot
Unit building, expressed by No only105.
"I kind of like it," explains owner Jonathan Broida . ".
"People have done some research to find me.
I ended up getting the kind of customer I wanted.
"As a newbie walks into his shop, he won't just sell you a knife.
He wants to sit at a short table in the middle of the room, preferably on genmaicha tea, a lovely ceramic tea bowl made by his wife Sara's family in northern Japan to explore your relationship with the knife.
Call him a knife.
What dish do you like to cook?
How about your knife?
What did you cut?
What kind of cutting board do you have?
What knife do you have?
How comfortable are you to grind your own knife?
Broida has a big following among knife geeks.
Including some local chefs (
From Spago, Providence, Country Canyon, ink and more)
They love the hand-made and sharp blades.
He used to be professionally cooked and understood what they needed from tools.
He shared his knowledge.
The difference between single-and double-
Tilt, how the blade is forged and formed, and the advantages of each Steel
Carbon, stainless steel, half
Stainless steel and everything in the middle
Employed by their production.
Broida opened the store two years ago.
He received a degree in Asian studies and began to cook for a living. he once went to work in Japan.
There he asked the chef to teach him how to grind the knife. Big mistake.
He said with a smile that soon he was expected to sharpen everyone's knife.
But he learned and learned better.
Every chef he meets has different skills.
But he explained that they are still the chef of the sharpener, not the professional sharpener.
There is a big difference.
As he became more interested, he found craftsmen who could show him more.
He found his father in the process.
The son is the best professional pencil sharpener he has ever seen.
He still goes back to work with them every year.
Three high raw meat along the walls of the store
Dozens of knives sold are made of steel, of which 80% are custom madeFor Broida.
The sideboard displays the potteries of the Sarah family and other potters.
I found a few bags of binjotan (
Japanese charcoal).
Copy of the latest Lucky Peach magazine and Michelin Three
The "basic food" by French star chef Michelle buraz is also there, just waiting for someone to browse.
Chefs drop by to grind knives or repair knives, or just hang out and maybe check out the informal work list released by Broida.
"I'm trying to create a knife geek community," Broida said . ".
He will tell you that you don't need dozens of knives, and at the same time he admits that he keeps every knife he has when he climbs up the skill ladder in the kitchen.
"I am a mouse.
I keep everything because of its emotional value.
"But the knife is just a tool.
The most important thing, he said, is to know how to sharpen.
He can do it for you, but it's better if you study by yourself.
"If you don't improve your tools, there will always be a certain degree of disjunction with your tools, which bothers me.
"When he grinds the knife for you, every knife is hand-processed with Japanese waterstones. For double-
The cost is $15, a beveled knife. Single-
Depending on the size, the bevel knife is $15 to $25.
He will also repair debris, broken tips, patch surfaces, etc, and can replace or upgrade handles on Western and Japanese knives.
To solve this problem, Broida posted a series of online knife grinding and technical workshops on YouTube (
Japanese Knife Imports have their own channels).
He will do one too. on-
A fee-charged sharpen class in the store and swear that he can teach almost any reasonably capable person in two to four hours (two-hour one-on-
$150 for a grinding class).
The most important thing is not to be afraid to use your knife.
"Unless your knife is broken twice, or bent at a serious angle, I can almost fix anything, even a little pleasant," he said in comfort . ". "Go for it —
Within the scope of common sense.
Japanese Knife Imports, 1501 major St. , No. 105, Venice, (310)399-0300, . Open 11 a. m. to 6 p. m.
Monday to Wednesday and Friday, from noon to 5. m.
Saturday and Sunday
Rest on Thursday and major holidays. irene. Virbila @ latimes.