December has surely got to be the time of the year where we spend the most time in our kitchens. Whether we’re prepping snacks for a social gathering, organising all the delicious goodness for Christmas Day, or creating a grazing board for our NYE celebrations. So, why not invest in some high-quality chef knives to bring it all together?

We recently caught up with Newcastle’s go-to knifeman, Leigh Boys from The Blade Runner, over 12 months on since we initially caught up, and the local Chef and knife enthusiast has continued to expand his range.

With Leigh’s 15+ years of experience in the chef world, he brings with him not only a heap of experience and expertise, but a true passion for food and of course, quality knives. Since launching the business in late 2018, The Blade Runner has gone from a side hustle and passion project to now a fully-fledged and continually growing business.

Now to the important stuff, what knives can you get your hands on?

Leigh has a huge range of knife styles including everything from Chef Knives, All-Purpose Knives, and Utility Knives, to Sashimi Knives, Fish Filleting Knives, Cleavers, and everything in between.

“All of my knives are high quality and represent value for money. If I wouldn’t use them as a professional, I don’t sell it,” Leigh said.

When it comes to buying knives, if you don’t have the knowledge of what to look for, you can often get pulled in with cheesy marketing campaigns, Asian symbols, and pretty packaging, Leigh takes the guesswork out of it by only stocking incredible knives that are made to stand the test of time.

The Blade Runner’s top-rated Japanese knife brands include Akifusa, Fujiwara, Hitohira, Hokiyama, Kitaoka, Morihei, Mutsumi Hinoura, Ohishi, Tadafusa, Tojiro, Tsubaya, and Yoshihiro. What’s even more impressive, is that Leigh is stocking a range of local knives, one of which is right from the Hunter region; Tansu/Hunter Valley Blades.

Made right here in the Hunter Valley, these handmade chef knives have won many awards such as ‘Best New Maker’ and ‘Best Kitchen Knife’.

Other than his incredible knife offering, The Blade Runner is also stocking a range of knife and kitchen accessories, from knife sharpening equipment such as whetstones and steel rods to fish tweezers, knife bags, and more.   

Leigh also plans to be popping up at some of our local markets over the coming months, so to be sure not to miss him, follow along on The Blade Runner journey on Instagram here.

These incredible knives certainly are a cut above the rest and are sure to be a part of your cooking repertoire for years and years to come. Head to The Blade Runner’s website and browse their unique range of high-quality Australian and Japanese chef knives!