Wüsthof has launched a multi-platform consumer marketing initiative that salutes and aligns itself with “edgy” young chefs and culinary professionals who challenge “the status quo in pursuit of excellence,” the company said.

The new and comprehensive brand initiative, called “defining the Edgë,” will be highlighted during the International Home + Housewares Show in Chicago this month and begins to roll out in April with national print and digital media advertising, a new microsite with multi-media content, social media initiatives, public relations and promotions. The underlying message of “defining the Edgë” is that Wüsthof knives give home cooks an unparalleled “edge” in their kitchens.

“What’s truly exciting about our new campaign is how relevant it is to today’s food-centric and hyper-connected culture,” said Annette Garaghty, vice president of sales and marketing. “Younger adults in particular are keenly interested in discovering, sharing and interacting with their local cutting-edge restaurant and food truck chefs, butchers and favorite food bloggers. We’re tapping into this passion by identifying and introducing local food heroes to consumers in ways that also provide an opportunity for targeted consumers to learn about and purchase Wüsthof products.”

The campaign will spotlight three individuals in the initial 2012 roll-out: Richie Nakano, Jonathon Sawyer and Camas Davis. San Francisco-based Nakano is the owner and chef of Hapa Ramen, a pop-up food stand at the Ferry Plaza Farmers Market. This spring, Nakano is opening Hapa, his first brick and mortar ramen noodle restaurant, which will focus on bringing modern techniques, along with the use of fresh ingredients from the best local farmers, to traditional Japanese ramen cuisine.

Owner and chef of The Greenhouse Tavern and Noodlecat in Cleveland, Ohio, Sawyer is cited for having established one of the first sustainable food restaurants in Cleveland. He has trained under, worked with, and collaborated with acclaimed chefs Charlie Palmer, Michael Symon and Sam McNulty in New York City, Cleveland and Ohio City. The Greenhouse Tavern is a French and seasonally inspired gastropub with the distinction of being the first certified “green” restaurant in Ohio. Noodlecat is an American-Japanese mash-up focused on local ingredients and sustainability.

Davis is founder of Portland Meat Collective in Portland, Oregon. Prior to learning the art of butchery, Davis was a food and travel journalist in New York City. In 2009, she started her traveling butchery classes, and currently she is creating a meat-focused CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) to help consumers purchase sustainably raised, local meat directly from small Oregon farmers.

Nakano, Sawyer and Davis will be individually featured in a series of full-page print ads, which breaks in April and targets leading epicurean magazines. Digital ads will hyper-target the foodie culture, and follow this audience in its natural connection points with a mix of static units, video, rich media, custom videos, and content integration.

The campaign also includes the April launch of a media-rich, wüsthof.com “defining the Edgë” microsite, www.wusthofedge.com, where the two selected chefs and butcher will be on view with web videos filmed at their local venues that include cooking demonstrations, recipes, knife skills tips, and other related content.

There will also be social media initiatives on Wüsthof’s Facebook and Twitter platforms.