Carbon Knife Co. may specialize in hand-forged, high-end Japanese blades and expert sharpening, but what sets its new Larimer Street shop apart is how it brings the ritual of cooking to life. Designer Kevin Nguyen of Regular Architecture paired the gleam of precision metal with a curated collection of specialty cookbooks, each spanning a full wall—one of steel, one of stories.
“As chefs, we are also bookworms who love the physical feel of a body of work,” says Craig Field, cofounder of Carbon Knife Co. alongside his wife Tina Chon. “There’s something way more personal about a book, from the stories to the photography, that’s just more satisfying for us. We build our collection based on personal experiences with cooking, plus recommendations from chefs we trust, discovering techniques and cuisines we might never have explored on our own.”
Here, you won’t find any tired classics collecting dust. Instead, the wall is a love letter to what’s next in food—bold, global, and unexpected— showcasing the freshest voices shaping how we cook and eat. The shelves offer something for every skill level: beginner-friendly favorites like Six Seasons by Joshua McFadden and Mi Cocina by Rick Martinez sit alongside chef-level guides such as Noma Guide to Fermentation by René Redzepi and David Zilber and Fish Butchery by Josh Niland. Lately, Craig has focused on sourcing cookbooks that highlight country-specific cuisines, uncovering gems that might otherwise be overlooked.
Part knife gallery, part library, Carbon Knife Co. celebrates the beauty of quality craftsmanship and the minds that wield it. It’s a place where precision meets passion, and where every blade and book tells its own story.
For print-exclusive stories, download the digital magazine or pick up a copy from select local King Soopers, Safeway, Tattered Cover, or Barnes & Noble locations.
