The story of Quintin Middleton, who went from being a bladesmith to the owner of Middleton Made Knives, one of the most renowned knives manufacturing businesses, with famous Michelin-starred chefs as clients.
The story
It was 2008 when Quintin Middleton, after six years of working as a bladesmith's apprentice, constantly busy crafting cutlery and hunting knives, realized what his true dream was: to create and sell knives for professional chefs. His initial attempts didn't yield positive results, and it wasn't until 2010 that the then Executive Chef of Cypress, Craig Deihl, gave him the opportunity to closely observe his kitchen. Quintin learned the proper use of knives and began crafting custom ones for Craig and his team. This marked the beginning of word-of-mouth success.
Today, Middleton's company, Middleton Made Knives, is among the most renowned for high-carbon, stainless steel, and damascus knives with stunning and colorful handles. Among the passionate customers are chef names like Sean Brock, Kwame Onwuachi, JJ Johnson, Guy Fieri, and Marcus Samuelsson. Quintin has even developed a folding chef's knife and is working on a miniature version. "At first, the moment I loved the most was seeing my work take shape, but today, after many years, I find it much more gratifying to hear a satisfied customer," he tells Eater.
But how did he learn to make knives? "I was working in this local mall, and a guy walked in and said, 'I make knives for a living.' My eyes lit up immediately, and I asked him, 'Hey, can you teach me?' His name is Jason Knight, and I was his apprentice for six years. He really taught me everything: how to make a knife, how to ensure my knives were straight, and how, to do that, everything had to happen in the transition from handle to blade. Just like when an executive chef teaches a line cook how to control the steak's temperature. People take their tools for granted. Many people think cooking is a thankless job. Now, in the midst of the culinary boom, everyone is working on increasingly avant-garde recipes, but at the same time, they find themselves using dull knives.
Most people have been using the same knives for 50 years and have never sharpened them. They throw them in the dishwasher as if they were forks. But now, people are eating lamb and scallops, all raw materials that really require time and money to be cooked to perfection. If you have a precious $95 Wagyu steak, do you want to use that shredded steak knife to cut it?" Quintin says.
So, how is he bringing changes to his industry? "I firmly believe in representation. So, as a person of color, I have to show that I can represent my profession in a new light. We are more than entertainers, we are more than athletes, we are more than this. Everyone looks at the chef, but no one really looks at the farmer, and no one really looks at the baker. Now that the spotlight is also on other artisans, it is crucial to be able to authentically represent the art of knife production."
Quintin Middleton has undoubtedly become a true star of sharp blades, but despite appearances in the Wall Street Journal, the New York Times, Forbes, and GQ, the only thing that truly matters to him is hearing his son say, "Dad, I recognize your work ethic." A recognition that encapsulates the passion and hard work that led to his extraordinary success.
Cover photo: @Andrew Cebulka
