Kitchen terminology is a funny and quirky. Everyone refers to chefs, even when talking about home cooks and other stations and ranks in working kitchens. Of course it is French for chief. No one bats an eye at referring to mise or mise en place, but it’s really just getting everything out and where you need it. If you were trained in French restaurants or cooking schools, all the traditional terminology is used, including batterie, and it just sticks. I think of it more as all of your kitchen stuff, not just knives. When people from the professional cooking world talk about their knives, they are more likely to refer to a knife roll or, more often in my experience, their kit. And then there is the god awful layer of confusion brought on by cooked up terminology. The greatest offenders seem to include Wusthof, Shun, and All Clad, constantly coming up with niche functions and special names for knives and pans. So, is it a fry pan, a sauté pan, a sauteuse, a sautoir, a poele, a skillet, or something else? Is it a rondeau, a low casserole, or something else? Is it a Dutch oven, a French oven, a cocotte, or something else? Is a classic utility knife a knife or a spatula? If it is a knife, is it a petty, a utility, or something else? Now where in the batterie are my darned sandwich knife and panini pan?
It’s a pan, Tim.
(Must read as Dr. McCoy reciting, “He’s dead, Jim”)
What, after all, is an “Essential Pan?” I obviously cannot rest until I acquire one. I’m looking at you, All-Clad …. mis en place is useful shorthand, but if I’m talking to my friends, I’m going to say my prepped stuff. Unless, of course, I’m laughing over un verre. 
I have often been tasked with explaining something involving specialized knowledge or expertise to people outside of that field. So I try to stick with using non-technical language or terms. Everyone is happier.
True dat. In jail and school we have our own little languages. When dealing with the public, we just tell them how it is, sans the fancy talk. That way I don’t have to explain what a OTD is. Just tell them what’s happening in plain English.
Every profession evidently loves to show off its specific profession’s language. That’s only good for puffing up insecure egos. If your ideas can’t be explained in plain language, well, look at your ideas. Then zip it.
As an unfrozen caveman lawyer, uh, “I concur” with your sentiment.
I loved Phil Hartman. Officer Miller was great. Wonder what was in his batterie.
Let us not forget the love of initialisms and acronyms! Between growing up in the US Navy, the Fed, banking and investment banking, securities, and HUD, FEMA, and IRS programs I spent over forty years having to participate in unintelligible conversations.
Yes! And I straddle 2 professional groups of acronyms! “IP” - is that Intellectual Property or Internet Protocol. PBJ - Probation before Judgment or Peanut Butter and Jelly?
The Fed as in Federal Reserve? Didn’t know you had a finance background.
Yes, that Fed, Not much of an academic finance background per se, but I picked up a ton of it in banks and running a state agency that administered multiple financing programs. I am a lawyer. My job at the Fed centered on regulating bank holding companies. Within two years I was working for a bank holding company.
I just thought of a knife I bought +/- 15 years ago when our local Mennonite-owned store first opened.
The store sells these knives. This one was $8, so I bought one. They are called Rada, made in Waverly, IA. I’ve had a very positive experience with this knife, but still prefer the quick sharpening of the Kiwi. The Rada holds and edge for about as long as a Kiwi, but is harder steel and more difficult to sharpen. Great affordable option if you’re looking as US made kitchen cuts. It’s my pretty petty knife.
Here’s the store. I get many spices from these fine people.
https://www.northwoodcm.com/deli-fresh-meat-grocery-sandwiches.html
The knife looks like a little Santoku. Looks like it would punch above its weight. The store looks wonderful. I love places like that.
Or it was a Santoku but got seriously ground down
The blade is 4.75 inches. Is that big/small enough for a petty? I used to use it a lot more, then I got the Kiwi paring knife.
LOL! I did beat that thing. Still gets sharp, though. I wasn’t as used to the western knife bevel. Got 'er down, now.
I think petty knife works. It’s petite. It’s a knife.
Rada maked a bigger version of the same profile, too.
