My Favorite New Kitchen Tool

Japanese knives are the new kids on the (chopping) block.

For more than 25 years, I’ve used an assortment of German knives for all my chopping, slicing, and dicing, believing these were the best knives in the world. I even gifted German knives to friends and relatives for weddings and anniversaries and recommended them to everyone who asked for my opinion as a professional food editor.

But a couple of years back, I met a chef who waxed eloquently about the new wave of Japanese knives available at many U.S. cookware shops. Although I was initially reluctant to buy new knives, thinking there was no way to improve on my trusty Wusthof-Trident knives, I decided to buy a few Japanese knives and give them a try.

Of the various knives I’ve purchased, I am most impressed with the Shun knives. What do I prefer about them? They are thinner, sharper and feel more comfortable in hand. And best of all, they make easy work out of chopping.

My absolute favorite is the Shun 6.5-inch nakiri knife. It looks something like a Chinese cleaver, although it’s narrower and easier to hold. The nakiri is largely used for chopping vegetables, but it’s extremely versatile and I love using it for nearly all my chopping: garlic, onions, parsley, herbs, carrots, leafy green vegetables. Though it resembles a cleaver, you can’s use it to cut through bones (the edge is too finely honed and will chip) and I’d never use it to slice meat or fish.

One thing to be aware of with Japanese knives is that they are extremely sharp so you have to be uber-careful to keep your fingers out of the way when using them. At first, I was a bit apprehensive about using such sharp knives and it took a few days to get comfortable working with them.  But beware: You need to keep your wits about you when using any sharp knife.

As well, keep in mind that all knives need to be sharpened periodically. If you invest in Japanese knives, be sure to get a sharpener specifically designed for Japanese knives, which are sharpened at a different angle than European-made knives. Choose from two types of popular sharpeners: ceramic and electric.

And, don’t forget, a good wooden chopping board completes the picture.