The knife maker becomes official partner of Gault & Millau
A knife for the Chef of the Year 2022
As part of the 2022 Gault & Millau Gourmet Fair, Richard Kappeller crafted a knife for Chef of the Year, Max Natmessnig, based on a hand-drawn sketch. When creating the design, the focus was on the connection to his homeland, the selection of premium materials, the craftsmanship’s uniqueness, and the knife’s versatility. Richard Kappeller is now the official Gault & Millau partner for the Chef of the Year award.
Knife specifications:
The knife, with a total length of 280 mm, was crafted using the so-called “stick tang” construction method. This means that the blade is slightly tapered in the handle area. From the back, a ferrule with a very precise slot is fitted, and the handle material is drilled out, fitted, and everything is glued together. Stainless, powder-metallurgical Heimskringla damascus steel was used for the blade. A 925 silver plate was fitted into the knife as a finish.
Mokume handle scales:
Between the blade and the handle, the ferrule was crafted from the special material Mokume, which consists of forged copper, brass, and nickel silver. This technique was used in Asian culture for fine objects.
Hand-engraved work:
Hand-engraved work, created under a microscope, looks significantly more natural and refined than machine engraving. With hand engraving, edges can be cut with much greater precision, and curves can be rendered with greater elegance. Unlike machine engraving, there is no need to account for corner radii, allowing much finer lines to be rendered and engraved on the workpiece.
A handle with a connection to home:
Since we learned that our Chef of the Year 2022, Max Natmessnig, hails from Lower Austria, apricot wood was chosen as the handle material. The apricot wood, with its calm aura, blends perfectly with the heavily grained Damascus steel.
My entire team and I wish Mr. Natmessnig much joy with his new knife, which, despite its fine materials, was created for use in the kitchen.
All the best for the future!
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