Honing Steel Forward or Backward

I have a very simple reason for taking the edge away: It's less dangerous - for you, don't do this before someone.

I don't know if it makes for better or worse honing (should be the same as long as the angle is the same I'd say).

Think of how metal gets an edge; you can get an edge on metal either forwards or backwards. My personal belief is when you sharpen a knife the traditional way you are honing the metal and thin edge back into the knife; when Gordon Ramsay hones in reverse, he's going forward, not folding backwards, so I believe you get a sharper edge because the metal is now pointing towards the part of the blade you cut with and has a sharper hone.

I have asked at least six chefs about what their training said; they could actually see the point of folding the blade towards the cutting edge. Obviously, you're supposed to use a stone afterward, but it works for a quick solution in the kitchen. The first time I saw Gordon Ramsay sharpen the knife that way I was surprised. After considering and asking questions it seemed quite logical. To each their own, but it is pretty hard to get away from what you have been taught. You never know, in a few years everyone may be honing the knives the other way; after all, everything evolves.