Knives

For any beginning cook I recommend starting  out with a quality cheaper knife.

Chefs knife: 
For your chef's knife I would recommend Dexter-Russell International Cutlery 10-Inch Cook's Knife or Dexter-Russell International Cutlery,Cook's Knife 8''. A 10 inch knife will give you a better range of motion but if you feel uncomfortable with a knife of that size an 8 inch knife will do just fine.

Paring knives: 
almost any good paring knife will do the job but I would personally recommend Dexter Russell Sani Safe Paring Knife 3 Piece Set. Dexter is a sturdy knife for a good price.

Fillet knife: 
This knife isn't an essential knife but they do come in handy. Because you can save money by fabrication your own chicken and filleting your own fish. So for this knife I would recommend Sani-Safe Commercial Cutlery, Filet Knife 7''. Great quality knife that is easy to work with.

Knife sharpener: 
Every good cook needs a knife sharpener and also needs to know how to use it. I would recommend using Dexter-Russell DDS-12 12" Knife Sharpener - Sani-Safe Series. It is a great price for the beginner but a must have for all cooks.

If you have these things in your kitchen you are ready to start learning how to cook like a professional chef.

Happy cooking,
Shannon