The Timeless Edge: Inside “I Cucinieri” by Coltellerie Berti
There are knives you own, and knives you keep, then there are knives you pass on. Coltellerie Berti has forged the latter since 1895 in Scarperia, Tuscany, where each blade is still the work of a single artisan from start to finish: a philosophy that treats time not just as duration, but as quality made visible. The result is cutlery that carries a lineage of iron, fire, and skilled hands into the future.
What makes “I Cucinieri” iconic
“I Cucinieri” is Berti’s collection for people who crave a better experience in the kitchen and at the table, enthusiasts who love performance, beauty, and the Italian craft tradition. Every piece is handmade in Italy and designed for both daily cooking and special occasions, with form and function in quiet balance.
Materials that matter (to you and the planet)
Recycled steel blades. The collection uses 50Cr15MoV stainless steel, treated to HRC 55–57 with a cryogenic cycle (+1055 °C / −80 °C). Steel is infinitely recyclable without losing its properties: think of it as a “permanent resource”, and the world recycles it at astonishing scale. Here, that sustainability meets performance in blades tuned for sharpness, toughness, and long service life.
byPP recycled grips for food contact. Handles are made from byPP: an Italian recycled plastic derived entirely from pre-consumer polypropylene production waste. Because current regulations forbid the use of post-consumer recycled plastic in items that contact food, byPP is the viable path to a grip that’s both safe and sustainable. Translation: you get a circular-materials story without compromising your mise en place.
An Italian district supply chain. “I Cucinieri” reads like a map of Italian excellence: design and project work in Tuscany; automation in Piedmont; grips, rivets, sharpening, washing, laser marking, assembly, and packaging in Lombardy; wheels and industrial washing in Veneto; and specialized serrations and grinding in Friuli. It’s sustainability as social design, craft and industry in close relationship across five districts.
Meet the knives
Il Principe: A large carving knife for meat and cheese; the chef’s everyday ally for chopping and slicing. 23 cm blade.
Lo Specialista: The roast and slicer: straight spine, centered tip, and a talent for thin, even cuts of raw or cooked meats. 24 cm blade.
Il Fornaio: Serrated edge tuned for crusty breads and delicate cakes alike. 9″ blade.
Il Preciso: A medium carving knife made for vegetables and fish, thin, nimble, and gentle on textures and taste. 17 cm blade.
Bistecca 1000: A versatile steak/multiuse knife that glides through meat without shredding and pulls double duty peeling and scraping produce. 12.4 cm blade.
And then there’s the show-stopper:
L’Unico: the do-it-all rectangular blade
Inspired by Asian profiles, L’Unico pairs a broad, flat 18 cm blade with precise, confident cutting. Dice vegetables, julienne, slice boneless meats and fish (raw or cooked), then use the blade as a bench scraper to ferry ingredients. It ships with a protective sheath, clip closure, RePET core with PU leather effect, and an embossed logo, so the edge stays safe between tasks.
Design DNA you can feel
Berti’s look is pared-back and timeless: clean graphics and soft tones that let the tools, and the hands behind them, take center stage. The historic oval “Ellisse Berti” mark evokes the company’s own archival tooling, a small nod to heritage that quietly signals what these knives are about: precise work that doesn’t fear the passage of time.
Why cooks fall for “I Cucinieri”
Beyond edge retention and balance, these knives carry a philosophy: whoever starts a knife finishes it, and the blade they make is meant to outlast passing trends. That’s how a kitchen tool becomes a family tool. With eco-conscious materials, an all-Italian build, and profiles for every prep, “I Cucinieri” gives you excellence at your fingertips, today, tomorrow, and for whoever cooks after you.