Vivront founder Joseph Rueter stops by the WCCO to deliver a crash course in knife sharpening..and why most of us have probably been avoiding it for too long.
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Interview Transcript:
Hosts:
You want to make sure those knives are sharp when you're cutting in the kitchen?
Indeed you do. Joseph Rueter, the founder of local knife sharpening and kitchen shop Vivront, is here with us today. Great to see you. Thanks for joining us this morning.
Joseph:
Oh, it’s a pleasure. Thanks for having me.
Hosts:
Okay, so let's talk about what I need to know — knife sharpening 101.
Yeah. What do we need to know before we even step in the kitchen?
Joseph:
101 is that most people don’t.
Hosts:
(Laughs) Yes. That would be me, Joseph. Touché, touché, touché.
Why is it so important to sharpen your knives? You know, besides just wanting a good knife.
Joseph:
They become more predictable. And you have a lot more fun.
We’ve been taking all the barriers out of sharpening through our store at 50th and France, through our truck that moves around, and now with kits you can buy at the grocery store.
Hosts:
Oh, bring it home...
Joseph:
...pack your knives and ship them to us.
Hosts:
Okay, so show us how easy it is to do then. You can buy this in Kowalski's — you’ve connected with Kowalski's and you just buy this piece?
Joseph:
That's right.
Hosts:
We’ve done this before, but it was with dumpsters.
Joseph:
With dumpsters instead. Bagster works the same way. Right where you have simple instructions, blade guards inside that you stick to both sides of your blade.
You stick them in here — day, two days later, they get to us and then we ship them back to you.
Hosts:
Whoa. So all kinds of easy and you never have to show your face and say, “I didn’t take care of my knives.”
Joseph:
You can be super stealth about it.
Hosts:
And it’s safe. I mean, the knives got shipped to the store before we bought them there.
Joseph:
True. Good point. Yep.
We’ve partnered with the shipping organization to meet and exceed their shipping requirements.
Hosts:
Oh, fantastic. Will you show us some good knife skills?
Joseph:
Yes. This is salsa that we make in our classes. In the class, we talk about three ways to hold the food, three ways to hold the knife, and then we make a mango or peach salsa. Most of the year, we sub in mangoes because peaches are seasonal.
Hosts:
Which I think you’ve already made over here.
Joseph:
We have. Oh, it’s so tasty.
Hosts:
Okay, let’s do the pepper. I’m here for it.
Joseph:
One of the challenges with food is that it grows in circles. And then we eat it in sticks and cubes.
Hosts:
True. Why do we do that?
Joseph:
Because it’s easier than eating circles.
So with a pepper — cut the top off, cut the bottom off. That’s your first step.
Hosts:
Okay. Oh my gosh. I don’t sharpen my knives.
Joseph:
Do you notice the difference?
Hosts:
Did it just get easier? It was just like butter. You have to try this!
Was it like a butter knife? Like, it was just... yes. I might cook more.
Oh my gosh. What have I been doing with my life? We both... we are failures.
Joseph:
If you cut the top and the bottom off, then you can look through the void. The idea is that you can lay it down...
Hosts:
I don’t even have to use any pressure. Look at that. Oh my gosh. Do you know how much time we could save cooking dinners?
Joseph:
You know what people want? Safer and faster.
Hosts:
Yeah.
Joseph:
They’re more predictable when they’re sharp. And they’re faster too.
Hosts:
This is amazing. Wait, can we do a mango now?
Where is your shop located? Because this is a game changer.
Joseph:
We’re right at 50th and France. Three doors up from 50th on France Avenue.
Hosts:
Okay, okay. Hold on — we gotta go to the weather. But... wow. Get your knife sharpened.
My goodness. Joseph, thank you very much.
Joseph:
Pleasure.
Try SHARPOW for yourself! Click here to find a Kowalski's near you