You really just need 2. A good chef’s knife and a good paring knife. Then expand from there if you really get into cooking and find use cases for specialized knives.

The trick is finding a chef’s knife that you love. There’s the German style (wusthof, henckels, messermeister) known for a shape that encourages a rocking motion when cutting. They often have thick bolsters that some do not like. Makes it hard to sharpen the blade from top to base.

There’s the French style which is similar to German, but its shape is less curved. Look for knives made in Thiers.

Then there are the Japanese styles which have been very popular. Look for a gyuto (sp?), it’s a hybrid of western and eastern styles. Too many brands to list, but a good starter brand would be Tojiro DP.

Look for a forged blade and a balance that feels good to you.