Photo by Kevin J. Miyazaki
Justin Carlisle
“You need, for God’s sake, a decent chef’s knife.” –Anthony Bourdain, Kitchen Confidential
It used to be that good European-style forged knives, including well-known brands such as the German-made Henckel, the Swiss Victorinox and the French-manufactured Sabatier, were what every chef carried in their cutlery kit. Then Anthony Bourdain in Kitchen Confidential, his tell-all book on the restaurant industry, extolled the virtues of Japanese knives and chefs and home cooks alike took notice. Chefs today have adopted both traditional and Western-style Japanese brands, including Nenohi, Shun and GLOBAL, as their go-to cutlery in the kitchen.
The look and feel of a Japanese knife is one of elegance and style. Cutlery expert Lee Frederick of The Sharp Brothers, who prefers a Japanese knife made by Sha Ra Ku Mono, calls them downright sexy. Justin Carlisle at Ardent Restaurant, a recent James Beard Award nominee for Best Chef in the Midwest, says his love of Japanese cutlery comes from working with Madison sushi chef and Japanese native Shinji Muramoto. Carlisle prefers these knives because of their overall feel as well as their ability to maintain an edge. Screaming Tuna chef Jason Morimoto agrees pointing to his personal favorite, a handcrafted Suisin brand that is everything a chef needs in a knife “but intimidating in how extremely sharp it is.”
The design of Japanese knives has significant differences from their European counterparts. While European knives are more about utility and heft, Japanese knives are lighter and thinner making them especially useful for precision cutting. Where a Western-style knife is sharpened and tapered on both sides, Japanese blades are single-edged and tapered on only one side. The types of metals used in the manufacturing process are also factors in their hardness. Many high-quality Japanese knives are still made with carbon steel unlike the modern industry standard of stainless steel. Carbon steel, although susceptible to corrosion if not handled properly, has a superior ability to maintain an edge.
Some Japanese knives, including GLOBAL and Shun, have sought to merge east and west aesthetics into their style. Chef Morimoto uses a Shun-brand Yanagiba, a stainless steel sushi knife with a thicker spine and a Pakkawood handle that’s perfect for slicing raw fish. Carlisle uses a few GLOBAL knives known for their sleek, one-piece stainless steel design and surgical sharpness.
When it comes to knife care, Morimoto states that heavily used knives should be sharpened at least every other day. Carlisle hand sharpens his knives using a Japanese water stone, a mildly abrasive stone that gently refines the edge without removing too much metal. When honing a knife edge in between sharpening, Bourdain believes a diamond steel works the best.
For professionals and avid home cooks who really care about their cutlery, these knives will be a joy to use. Locally you can find Japanese- and European-style cutlery at Williams-Sonoma and Sur la Table, or online through Seattle Cutlery and Chef Knives to Go.
