If you are like most people, then you probably think of knives as just another kitchen utensil and that they are all one in the same. They all do look sort of alike, after all. But they are completely different. Well that’s what I thought until my friend who is currently studying the culinary arts at his university decided to tell me about the different types of knives that chef’s use and their history. It wasn’t all that interesting at the start. No one cares about knives and their history. That is until he begun to tell me about Japanese Chef Knives. Wait one second! What! The Japanese make chef knives? Since I’ve been to Japan once before I was pretty interested.
One the best knives out there is the Japanese chef knife, otherwise known as the gyuto. These knives have far more variations and differences than those you would find elsewhere. The Japanese also went a step further and made their knife out of a harder steel which makes it more innovative than those manufactured in the western hemisphere.
There are some things to remember when looking at knives, whether you are looking at a Japanese chef knife or another kind of chef knife. The handle and the blade make a big difference in knives in general, and these are no different.
1. Sharp edge or Blades – the blades can be made of a number of materials, mostly carbon steel, stainless steel, titanium, ceramic or laminated. this may not seem important at first, but they affect the way how food is prepared and ease of maintenance. For example titanium knives are great for filleting because they are light and will retain their edge for a longer period of time.
2. The Handle — you will also find handles that are made of a wide variety of materials. Common ones include wood, plastic, rubber, micarta, leather and stainless steel. The handle material and shape will definitely affect how easy a knife is to use. Case in point; if you have a wooden knife handle you will find that it is easy to hold but not easily maintained, plus over time it may break. Compare that to a knife with a plastic handle, which you can easily take care of and clean, but they will be difficult to use if the handle or your hands happen to be wet or damp.
A chef’s knives really are not a joke, and if you are serious about cooking they should not be a joke to you either. That they are produced in different countries and that the West has now taken an interest in Japanese chef knives. So for that cooking guru in your family this could very be a perfect gift for them.
A chef isn’t a chef without a good set of knives. Find out more about Japanese chef knives and discover the different types you could use in your kitchen.
