Deep Cuts, Episode 1: Anna Chen of Alma
At KNIFE, we spend a lot of time talking about tools—knives, materials, makers, and craft. But tools only really come alive in the hands of the people who use them. Over the years, some of the most meaningful conversations we’ve had in the shop haven’t been about steel or grind, but about the quieter, harder-to-articulate parts of cooking: identity, longevity, restraint, and how a person grows alongside their work.
Deep Cuts was born out of those conversations.
This new video series is our attempt to slow things down and listen more closely. No rush, no hot takes—just honest, long-form conversations with cooks and food people we admire, exploring the deeper layers of their work, their thinking, and their relationship to craft.
For Episode 1, we sat down with Anna Chen, chef and co-owner of Alma.
Alma has steadily built a reputation for food that feels intentional and deeply personal. There’s a clarity to it—nothing unnecessary, nothing forced. That same clarity comes through in Anna’s approach to cooking and in the way she speaks about her career. In this episode, she reflects on her path into professional kitchens, the realities of opening a restaurant, and what it means to cook in a way that’s both ambitious and sustainable.
Anna speaks openly about the pressure to constantly evolve, and the challenge of knowing when to push forward and when to pull back. Rather than framing success as constant growth or expansion, she talks about refinement—learning what to keep, what to let go of, and how to protect the parts of the work that matter most.
We also talk about knives—not as objects to collect, but as tools shaped by repetition and trust. Anna shares how her preferences have changed over time, how certain knives earn their place through daily use, and how familiarity and feel ultimately outweigh novelty. It’s a perspective we hear often from experienced cooks: the best tools are the ones that quietly disappear in your hand.
Deep Cuts isn’t meant to be instructional or aspirational in the traditional sense. It’s not about techniques or shortcuts. It’s about process, perspective, and the long arc of working in food—what stays, what changes, and what you carry forward.
Starting this series with Anna felt right. Her thoughtfulness, honesty, and grounded approach to cooking embody exactly what Deep Cuts is about.
Watch Deep Cuts, Episode 1 featuring Anna Chen of Alma now on our YouTube channel. This is just the beginning—we’re looking forward to sharing more conversations that go beneath the surface, one cut at a time.
Thanks for reading / watching.
- E