Au Nain — French Cutlery Mastery Since 1885
A House of Tradition Trusted by France's Finest Kitchens
Founded in 1885 in Thiers, the historic heart of French cutlery making, Au Nain has spent over a century establishing itself as a reference for professional French-made knives and cutting tools. Across four generations, the house has built its reputation directly with the people who use these tools every day: chefs, butchers, fishmongers, pastry makers and bakers. This continuity, both familial and territorial, is precisely what gives Au Nain its credibility in a craft where the transmission of skill matters as much as the technique itself.
At French Connoisseur, we bring this professional-grade French craftsmanship to your own kitchen, offering a selection of Au Nain's signature wood-handled tools, knives and mandoline, each one built to the same exacting standard found in the country's most demanding restaurant kitchens.
A Complete Mastery of the Craft
Au Nain commands nearly every stage of traditional cutlery making in-house: cutting, grinding, straightening, assembly, polishing and sharpening. Every piece is made in France, by qualified craftsmen working in workshops that have preserved the essential steps of production rather than outsourcing them. This complete mastery allows the house to guarantee tools that are robust, consistent and genuinely suited to intensive use, whether in a professional kitchen or your own.
Why Chefs Choose Au Nain
What has earned Au Nain its standing in the best restaurants across France is, above all, a combination of reliability, durability and cutting performance. Every tool is designed around the real demands of service: repeated use, hygiene requirements, and the constant need for a sharp, dependable edge. Au Nain is recognised as a supplier to professionals precisely because its tools are built around real kitchen needs, not simply around appearance.
Functional French Design
Au Nain's design has never been decorative for its own sake. It is, first and foremost, functional, shaped by a genuine pursuit of ergonomics, grip and durability. The house also keeps traditional French forms alive, drawing on its long heritage to produce tools with an unmistakable identity within the world of professional kitchens. This loyalty to proven, time-tested shapes, combined with the integration of modern materials, is exactly why the house remains relevant in high-end restaurant kitchens today.
What's in the Collection
- Server Wood Handle 60cm: A traditional serving fork, ideal for large roasts and barbecue use.
- Cranked Server Wood Handle 60cm: An angled serving fork, designed for greater control and reach over the grill.
- Spoon Wood Handle 60cm: A robust serving spoon, equally suited to carving stations and outdoor cooking.
- Fork Chef Wood Handle 60cm: A precision carving fork built for stability when working with large cuts of meat.
- Knife Wood Handle 60cm: A long carving knife, matched in length and finish to the rest of the wood-handled range.
- Knife Set "Chef" 3 Pieces Coffret: A presentation case bringing together three essential chef's knives, ready to gift or to anchor any serious kitchen.
- Stainless Steel Mandoline: A professional-grade mandoline for precise, consistent slicing, built to the same exacting standard as Au Nain's knives.
A Professional Reputation, Earned Over Generations
Today, Au Nain stands as a true reference in French professional cutlery, precisely because it combines longevity, national manufacturing and deep specialisation in its craft. Its strength also comes from a refusal to diversify for its own sake, the house has remained focused on the cutting tools essential to the trades it serves. In the most demanding restaurant kitchens, this kind of specialisation matters more than any brand statement ever could, because it translates directly into consistent results, service after service.
