The key difference in how the two types of knives
are used is that with a Western-style knife, rocking,
planting the tip of the knife on the cutting board and
lifting only the heel end as you feed food underneath,
is a very common motion. With a Japanese-style
knife, this is impossible—the shape of the knife
doesn’t allow for rocking. Slicing and chopping are
the more common movements, and mincing herbs
becomes a matter of repeated slicing rather than
rocking.
The only way to tell which knives you prefer is to
go into a store and try them out.
- An 8- or 10-Inch Chef’s Knife or a 6- to 8-Inch Santoku
Knife
This is my knife. There are many others like it, but this one
is mine.
Your chef’s knife should be an extension of your hand
and so should feel completely natural. When I’m feeling
down and I need a bit of physical support, I don’t ask my
wife to hold my hand. I don’t rub my dog on his belly.
Nope, I go to my knife and just hold it. We’ve spent a lot of
time together. I know her every curve (I just now realized
that my knife is female) and exactly how she fits into my
hand and likes to be held, and in return, she is supportive,
loyal, and wicked sharp.
The chef’s knife is the one you’re going to be using for
95 percent of your cutting tasks, so you’d better make
damned sure that you’re comfortable with it, and here’s the
