Working from his long-time studio steps from the Pacific Ocean in Southern California, Don Carlos Andrade designs and creates heirloom quality chef knives by hand, each with a unique and inviting look and feel all his own. Whether an Alsace-inspired hidden tang butcher’s knife, a precision forged carbon steel chef with clay-induced hamon, or a slim, elegant, satin-finished slicer, Don’s ability to combine form and function makes each creation an instantly recognizable Andrade. Gorgeous blade finishes, uniquely sculpted handles carved from a variety of beautiful materials, unique, cloth-covered sayas, and of course his trademark round handle inlay, are elements we love. His loyal following by chefs around the world, and his status as our longest standing knifemaker, is evidence of Don’s quality, dedication, and ever-evolving approach to his craft.

A formally trained chef and long-time artist with a background in stone and bronze sculpting as well as artistic blacksmithing gives Don the tools needed to produce work that is both technically superb and visually striking. Working in a slow, meditative manner, using simple, handheld tools results in finished objects that seem alive in the hand; we could easily argue that Don’s knives seem to have souls of their own.

Don enrolled in culinary school in Los Angeles in the mid-1980s where he first experienced a handcrafted knife. His fascination with these sacred tools, artfully made extensions of the chef’s hand, quickly led Don to the buying and selling of various one-of-a-kind knives to learn everything he could about the objects through hands-on experience and up-close examination. It would be nearly twenty years from this point before Don made his first knife, but the flame was lit. During those two decades, moving on from kitchens to cast bronze and sculpt stone, Don honed his creative muscles, teaching stone carving for a number of years at a local college. Then, in 2006, after collecting and testing knives of a wide variety and with a growing interest in bladesmithing, Don apprenticed with master metalsmith Tai Goo (also an Eatingtools artist) and he made his first knife that same year.

In the nearly two decades since, Don has become a prolific and sought-after artisan of culinary knives, integrating the skills and knowledge from a lifetime of experience into each project. Our founder, Abe, first met Don around 2007 at a global knife show, and the two have remained close ever since. Upon Eatingtools’ launch in 2012, Don was one of the first artists to join the family, and his exquisite work, from ornate, integral construction blades to simple paring knives, has graced the collection since.