A knife is to the Chef what a scalpel is to the surgeon. So, when a representative from Sakuto proposed to send me a Damascus steel knife complimentary for a review, I was quite excited. I admit that I never heard of Sakuto before, probably because I was not looking specifically at kitchen knives before, but learned that it is one of the most famous Japanese brands that originated in Seki, a city well known for its sword production. No, frankly, I never really cared about what kitchen knife I was using before taking a knife skills class at the Culinary Institute of America few years ago (I’ll pass on the fact that the first day of my next class - a week of French classics-, I cut my finger badly while cutting some celery…).

So, when it comes to knives, Japan is quite renown, but I never heard of Damascus steel before and discovered that these knives are made from several layers of flat steel with different properties that are arranged one onto the other, being sharper and more durable than a classic stainless steel. They also have some patterns on the blade that make them such a piece of art that you hesitate to use them in the kitchen and would just use them as decoration like you would a sword. The Gyuto knife is heavier than the classic Chef’s knife I own and feels solid, well balanced, with a good grip, the handle being made with Pakkawood, a composite material made of wood and resin that is commonly used in Japanese knives. It is definitely sharp that is a real pleasure when cutting meat or vegetables.

Cleaning it in the dishwasher is certainly not an option! So, handwashing and drying immediately is preferred. Some people say that you need to polish them weekly to preserve the patterns, but I am not there yet…

I never had a Japanese knife before and I love this: it is not only beautiful, but the best knife I ever owned. So, if you are looking for an upgrade to your Chef’s knife, check out Sakuto!

Sponsored post: Damascus Chef Knife from Sakuto

I Just Want To Eat!