The well-known best chef knife and its Japanese equivalents, the Gyuto and Santoku knives, are made to serve as a cook’s main cutting tools. You should pick one of these as your first knife because it can be used to mince, slice, dice, and chop various kinds of fruits, vegetables, meats, and fish. Whatever type you choose, this chef knife will be your most important player. These knives are not the same even if they are similar.
The rocking curve of the blade, the fine tip, and the deep, stable heel combine to create a form that is entirely true to function in one of the most practical and adaptable designs now on the market—the chef knife. To understand how to use one, all you have to do is a glance at a chef’s knife. We advise selecting a chef’s knife made of high-carbon stainless steel when buying your first western-style knife.
Fine chef’s knives can be made from other materials, but high-carbon stainless steel is preferred by the majority of high-quality manufacturers because it has good edge retention, is durable, and is simple to maintain. They also won’t rust, and they normally are a little less brittle when it comes to hard materials.
Japan produces a large number of knives in a variety of materials and of variable quality. However, Japan is renowned for producing superb blades that are awe-inspiringly sharp and often thinner than western blades in the market for high-quality cutlery. Due to its extreme hardness and ability to maintain a razor-sharp edge on a thin blade for an extended period of time, certain premium Japanese manufacturers forge blades from carbon steel. Be careful that carbon steel knives will need extra maintenance due to their susceptibility to rust. And even with appropriate maintenance, the blades usually get a “patina” that is dull.