My knife sharpening angle was wrong this whole time, found out by accident
Been cooking on the line for about 6 years now, mostly at a busy spot in Austin. Last week I was at a buddy's place and he pulled out this cheap angle guide, like a $12 plastic thing from a kitchen supply store. I laughed it off, said I've been sharpening by eye since culinary school. He made me check my favorite chef's knife, a 210mm Gyuto I use every shift. Turns out I was running a 25 degree angle on a Japanese blade that's supposed to be around 15. No wonder I was always touching it up mid-service and it still felt dull. After I reset it with his guide, the thing sliced through a tomato like it was butter, no pressure at all. Has anyone else had that moment where you realize a basic tool you skipped makes a huge difference, or do you just trust your hands and keep it moving?