Just like a Katana blade was the soul of the samurai, A Japanese knife is the soul of its rightful owner and chef. The chef’s tools are the representation of the past, present and future of his or her culinary endeavors.
The knife a chef brings on to the theater stage I call the cutting board is both sacred. In the last few decades, us Americans are realizing how important cooking tools are and should be to chefs. I remember as a youngster watching Iron Chef, being inspired by so many amazing chefs and their challengers. But one Celebrity Chef really stood out, that was Bobby Flay. The reason is, in my opinion is that I could not believe how disrespectful he was for standing on the cutting board after he won, and particulary disrespectful to his opponent who literally values every tool and equipment. I always say that cooking is not just a job, but a culture and lifestyle. Flay, obviously did not do it intentionally to disrespect other chefs, but I thought it was his lack of culture and understanding. A culture that every chef needs to teach, and every upcoming chef needs to be taught. The chef should truly respect his or her tools, after all the well-being of the chef is counting on it. A knife is absolutely the extension of the chef’s hands.
I can usually tell a lot about the chef by the knife he or she possesses. The cleanliness of a chef’s knife portrays his or her work ethics. The sharpness of a chef’s knife shows his or her skill and precision. The shape of the chef’s knife represents his or her experience and character. Last but not least the choice of knife the chef uses expresses the dream and vision he or she has.
Obviously, it’s just my opinion but let me explain. First the cleanliness of the knife, if the knife is dirty, it means the chef was too lazy to clean after his or her shift. Come on! Everyone is f**ken tired! Show some respect to your knife and your craft! Second, the sharpness. A true chef understands that in order to do precise and skilled work you need a sharp knife. So that being said, it’s easy to understand that a dull knife means “no skills”. Third, the shape of a chef’s knife. Throughout a culinary career a Chef sharpens his or her knife millions of times and throughout this process the shape and angles of the bevel morphs into the specific cutting style of the chef. This is why I can tell the experience and character of the chef. Lastly, the choice of the knife. There are many choices of brands and types of knives, of course ranging in price. A chef that’s destined to go far in his or her career, chooses the best knives out there. I realize that amazing knives are very expensive, but a true chef understands that it is an investment in his or her career.
With an amazing set of knives, you need the right cutting board. I specifically only use Japanese made single bevel knives, and I’m not against western brands and double bevel knives. I think it really does depend on the chef’s style and what he or she is classically trained in.
Japanese knives, especially the carbon steel blade, have a tendency to chip if used improperly or cut on wrong surfaces. Japanese blades should always be used only on wood or rubber cutting boards.
If you cut, slice, chop, etc. on a plastic cutting board using Japanese blades, there is a strong possibility you will damage the blade. Now you know why true chefs cherish their knives, tools, and cutting boards.
I have a lot of respect and love for chefs all over the world. Honestly, what job has twice as long hours as an average working person, and get paid half the average college graduate worker? A f**ken chef!
Every battle-tested chef will attest to what I’m about to say…
I think you have to be a little unpredictable, creative, gutsy, clever (not smart), thick skinned, passionate, genuine, pure hearted, angry, loving, caring, loud, aggressive, passive, and last but not least artistic. Not anyone can take on the role of a chef. I believe the only thing a chef strives for is that one smile when the customer eats your dish. Most chefs don’t do it for the money or the fame. Chefs truly sacrifice everything just to put a smile on a customer’s face. Family time gone. Weekends gone. Personal time gone. Outing with friends gone. The list goes on and on.
So next time you are eating in your favorite restaurant, just call out the chef and give him or her compliments. Trust me these words mean the world to the chefs. It makes all the hard work worthwhile.
Here is a list of knives and tools I use as a chef. I would also like to write about what these knives and tools are specifically used for. When you first start off as a chef you don’t have the money nor have the capacity to understand the usage of different tools, but as you advance in the arts you will appreciate the different tools.
So here is a quick run down of the basics I use:
The standard “Gyuto” it’s probably close to a western basic chef knife. It translates to “Beef knife.” I use it for basic cutting of meats, vegetables, prepping, etc. A very practical knife if you ask me.
Next is the “Yanagiba;” its western counterpart is the slicer knife. Its most commonly used as a sashimi knife in Japan. This knife is probably mostly used by Sushi Chefs, or Japanese cuisine chefs. Its length and design is the key which allows it to slice through fish and meats with ease.
Another is the “Deba” it is a very unique knife that is used mainly to filet fish and cut through bones. It is very thick and heavy by design. You can use it to glide through meats yet sturdy enough to chop through bones. Deba is truly a must in a Japanese kitchen.
Following is the “Usuba,” the vegetable knife. All the intricate cutting of Japanese vegetables is performed using this knife. Shojin ryori – Buddhist cuisine – vegetarian cuisine- kaiseki ryori- all cannot be made without the usage of this simple yet complex design of this knife.
Another useful knife is the “Pairing” that is used by both western and Japanese chefs. This knife is also called a “Petty” and very useful when cutting small vegetables and fruits. I personally use it for a lot of detailed work. It comes in very handy.
Japanese knives should only be used on wood or rubber cutting boards. In Japan they use “Hinoki” or other woods but here in the states we also have many options. My advice is not to use plastic cutting boards as they will damage the knife.
The last tool I will touch on this time is the “Saibashi” cooking chopsticks. Usually longer than the chopsticks you eat with and sturdier. Depending on the design of the Saibashi, chefs will use it for plating, stir frying, picking up sliced fish and meats. It’s also a lot more cleaner than using your hands. I personally prefer it over tweezers or tongs.
I will link a few recommendations for these knives and tools here.
Also, regarding the Japanese knives, most are made of carbon steel, so they do rust, so please clean and dry after use. There are lots of stainless-steel options which are very convenient because they don’t rust.
There are a lot more knives and tools that are in my arsenal, I will definitely write another blog about it in the future.
Mr. Coffee