As most of you know from my travel and food/wine writing, I thoroughly enjoy cooking at home, especially attempts to recreate the most inspired pairings I come across in the field. In my experience, there are two things that are essential to any successful epicurean kitchen endeavor: a quality skillet and the right knife.
My confidence in acquiring the right skillets has always been high, as there are so many established brands and trustworthy reviews. Over time, one can also become quite familiar with the surfaces one enjoys cooking with the most. In my experience, the same cannot be said for chef's knives. I once scored a vintage Forgecraft carbon steel chef's knife through an estate sale, and it quickly became my go-to. While my trusty whetstone had largely kept it in good working order, the day had finally come when I had to admit it was at the end of its road.
As I researched potential replacements, I became increasingly anxious. A good chef's knife is no modest investment for an indie journalist and the reviews on nearly every knife in my price range seemed so mixed as to prove futile. After about a year of dragging my feet, my frequent complaints were answered with an offer from Sakuto Knives. Would I like to try one of their "superior-quality Damascus chef knives" in exchange for an honest review?
The chance to dip my toe into the high-end chef knife market, risk-free as it were, had obvious appeal. I'm happy to report that I landed on a winner. The Japanese have long been known for making superior knives, owed to the storied craftsmanship involving layering high-carbon steel alloys with softer stainless steel to protect the hard inner core and restrict wear. Generally, the more layers, the higher the quality.
These durable, lightweight knives are paired with precision-designed handles that emphasize comfort and control. In the end, you get an incredibly light yet durable knife with a handle just weighty enough to inspire complete confidence as you wield it. The remarkable sharpness allows for smooth, perfectly clean slicing of anything from heavy meats to delicate fruits and vegetables.
The "Gyuto" style knife arrived in a beautiful, felt-lined storage box. It was accented by a ringlet inlay between the handle and the blade, the latter of which had been embossed with a gorgeous paisley-like pattern over the steel.
I couldn't wait to try it, so I thawed a large flank of Mahi Mahi for that evening. Sakuto's Damascus Chef Knife cut through the raw fish like it was warm butter, leaving the cleanest edge to the meat I'd ever seen. The following day, I used it to slice sushi and was even more impressed.
The big test, however, came when I used it to filet a very thick cut of sirloin for some tacos. I'm happy to report that it required no more effort than the yellowfin, and the perfect weight ratio from blade to handle made all the difference. As a bonus, the knife made very easy work of the accompaniments—pineapple, jalepeno, and red pepper.
The Sakuto is now the go-to knife in my kitchen, and I don't see that changing anytime soon. In fact, given its high-quality design and elite performance, I doubt I'll need another chef's knife in my lifetime. Check out their entire line at this link.
Comments
No comments on this item
Only paid subscribers can comment
Please log in to comment by clicking here.