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| BestJapanese Chef Knives |
The Gyuto / Gyutou / Chef's
In general, the gyuto has several characteristics in common with a Western-style chef's knife.
Something of a hybrid between a traditional Japanese nakiri and a western kitchen knife has evolved to handle multiple tasks: slicing vegetables and fish and meat. As such, it has a longer and thinner blade and is quite agile.
Knives of the Japanese chef Gyuto. The one on the left is NOT rusty, we promise. It is a carbon steel blade, which means it has no stainless steel properties. That is the controlled oxidation that is formed by the contact of food. It's something good. Prevents rust from forming, although we recommend stainless for most people. Photo by Mike Quinn.
The profile of the blade is quite similar to that of a French sabatier, although the curve of the belly of the edge is less pronounced. Depending on the profile of the blade, you can cut with some gyutos, but most are actually designed to cut under pressure.
The truer edge profile gives you more contact with a cutting board, which provides a larger cutting surface than the European versions. And you do not need to get up so high, which results in less fatigue and a more efficient cut.
In addition, the tip will often be a little lower, more in line with the center of gravity, rather than sitting higher and closer to the spine. This makes it very good for more detailed works, as well as for decorative presentations.
With a double beveled edge, it is sharpened on both sides and usually measures between 8 and 12 inches. The Gyutos, and the others listed below, are available with an ergonomically styled handle in the Western style or in the traditional "wa" style: straight, with a round or octagonal profile and usually constructed of hardwood.
The gyuto is a lightweight all-purpose knife that excels in precision work such as chopping and fine preparation of vegetables and light proteins. However, this type will not work well when cutting dense materials such as bone or cartilage, or when cutting large objects such as Hubbard squash.
In general, the gyuto has several characteristics in common with a Western-style chef's knife.
Something of a hybrid between a traditional Japanese nakiri and a western kitchen knife has evolved to handle multiple tasks: slicing vegetables and fish and meat. As such, it has a longer and thinner blade and is quite agile.
Knives of the Japanese chef Gyuto. The one on the left is NOT rusty, we promise. It is a carbon steel blade, which means it has no stainless steel properties. That is the controlled oxidation that is formed by the contact of food. It's something good. Prevents rust from forming, although we recommend stainless for most people. Photo by Mike Quinn.
The profile of the blade is quite similar to that of a French sabatier, although the curve of the belly of the edge is less pronounced. Depending on the profile of the blade, you can cut with some gyutos, but most are actually designed to cut under pressure.
The truer edge profile gives you more contact with a cutting board, which provides a larger cutting surface than the European versions. And you do not need to get up so high, which results in less fatigue and a more efficient cut.
In addition, the tip will often be a little lower, more in line with the center of gravity, rather than sitting higher and closer to the spine. This makes it very good for more detailed works, as well as for decorative presentations.
With a double beveled edge, it is sharpened on both sides and usually measures between 8 and 12 inches. The Gyutos, and the others listed below, are available with an ergonomically styled handle in the Western style or in the traditional "wa" style: straight, with a round or octagonal profile and usually constructed of hardwood.
The gyuto is a lightweight all-purpose knife that excels in precision work such as chopping and fine preparation of vegetables and light proteins. However, this type will not work well when cutting dense materials such as bone or cartilage, or when cutting large objects such as Hubbard squash.
The Santoku (Home Chef)
The Santoku is another kitchen knife of general use with an aspect similar to the one of a kitchen knife, but it is shorter, thinner and more agile, combining the characteristics of a gyuto and a nakiri.
Measuring between 5 and 7 inches, it has a flatter edge and a lamb's foot point, with a dramatic angle point of up to 60 degrees.
With a slight angle on the cutting edge, it allows a bit of rock cutting, but there is very little tip travel due to the profile of the foot of the sheep: the straight pressure cut up and down is easier and more efficient.
A typical santoku will have a double beveled edge of western style and will maintain a uniform thickness from the column to just behind the cutting edge. The blade can be flat or incorporate Granton divisions for better food release.
The shape of the tip, plus the height of the blade, makes a santoku ideal for taking food, and provides a solid and safe point of support for the free hand when it is biting.
Like a chef's knife, the santoku can be used for a variety of cutting jobs in the kitchen. Lightweight, agile and easy to maneuver, they are excellent for cutting and cutting tasks, but lack the length of the blade for jobs such as cutting fish or meat.
Sujihiki
The sujihiki has a long, narrow blade with a short height that is designed to cut boneless meat, fish, poultry and game.
The short height means less surface area, which reduces friction, which makes it ideal for slicing ultrafine slices of your favorite protein. Even fatty or fatty fish does not adhere to the small surface.
A long, thin blade, usually in the range of 9.5 to 12 inches, slides through large pieces of protein without the need for a cutting motion.
The cutting action is a single drawing or pull that provides a clean and precise cut without irregular edges or torn pieces, and requires a light and skillful cutting technique.
Often regarded as the western version of the traditional sushi / sashimi knife (the yanagi), the sujihiki is similar in size and function to that of a conventional carving knife, which makes it ideal for slicing and slicing.
The suji is usually a little lighter and somewhat more flexible than a yanagi, which makes it useful for trimming, as well as for cutting tasks.
Another notable difference between sujihiki and yanagi is the shape of the edge. A yanagi will be beveled alone, while the suji has a double chamfer.
Some manufacturers produce sujihikis with grooves, Granton slots or a hammered profile above the cutting edge to further reduce friction and prevent sticking
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