Santoku

Santoku knife

Used santoku knives, modest appearance but molybdenum vanadium steel

The santoku bōchō (三徳包丁) or bunka bōchō (文化包丁) is a general-purpose chef's knife originating in Japan. Its unshouldered blade, which is typically between five and eight inches long, has a flat edge and a dull back which curves down near the point to a tip angle of around 60 degrees. The top of the santoku's handle is in line with the top of the blade, giving the chef's fingers plenty of room underneath. The word santoku means "three good things," a reference to the three cutting tasks it performs: slicing, dicing and mincing.

The santoku is a good compromise between a Cleaver (knife) and a regular chef's knife. The flat edge is excellent for slicing and mincing, very good for dicing, and works fairly well for light chopping. It is especially popular among people with smaller hands, and is commonly seen on television in the hands of female chefs such as Rachael Ray and Martha Stewart.

References

"Equipment Corner: Do You Really Need a Santoku Knife?". Episode "Bistro Classics." America's Test Kitchen TV show. 2005 Season. Viewed April 3, 2005.

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