Utensils & kitchen tools · Knife

Chef's knife

A broad, all-purpose kitchen knife, usually 18–25 cm, for chopping, slicing, dicing and mincing.

Essential in most kitchens · Manual · 140 recipes

Photo: ProjectManhattan, via Wikimedia Commons (CC-BY-SA-3.0)

What it is

A knife with a wide blade that curves gently towards the tip, so it can rock on the board. The broad heel gives knuckle clearance and power for hard vegetables. Japanese gyuto are lighter and harder; santoku are shorter and flatter with less curve. It is the main workhorse of the kitchen.

What it’s for: Most cutting tasks on a chopping board, from onions to meat to herbs.

How to use it

Grip the handle with your thumb and forefinger pinching the blade just ahead of the handle.
Curl the fingertips of the other hand into a 'claw' to hold food, knuckles against the blade.
Rock the blade, keeping the tip on the board, or slice forwards and down.
Use the spine, not the edge, to scrape food across the board.

Good to know

Tasks: chopping onions and garlic, dicing vegetables, mincing herbs, slicing meat, crushing garlic with the flat of the blade, breaking down poultry
Materials: stainless steel, high-carbon steel, ceramic, Damascus steel
Care and cleaning: Wash by hand, dry at once and store in a block, guard or on a magnetic strip. Hone regularly and sharpen when it stops gripping a tomato skin. Carbon steel rusts if left wet.
Limitations: Too big for fine peeling and too smooth for crusty bread.

Safety

A sharp knife is safer than a blunt one, which slips.
Never leave knives in a sink of water.
Use a stable board with a damp cloth underneath.

If you don’t have one

Santoku — Shorter and flatter, good for push-cutting; works for nearly all the same tasks.
Food processor — For large-volume chopping.

Equipment guide

How it works: A thin, sharp edge concentrates force onto a tiny area so it parts food rather than crushing it. A curved belly lets the knife rock for mincing; the blade's weight and balance decide how much work your hand does. A sharp knife needs less pressure and so is safer than a dull one.

Material	Good	Watch out
Stainless steel (German-style, about 56–58 HRC)	Tough and resistant to chipping and rust; easy to hone.	Softer, so it loses its edge sooner.
Harder stainless steel (Japanese-style, about 60–63 HRC)	Holds a very sharp, thin edge for longer.	Thinner edges can chip on bones, frozen food or twisting.
Carbon steel	Takes a very keen edge and is easy to sharpen.	Rusts and discolours; reacts with acidic foods.
Ceramic	Stays sharp a long time; non-reactive.	Brittle; chips and cannot be sharpened at home.

Western chef's knife: 20–25 cm, curved belly; rocking and chopping.
Gyuto: Japanese chef's knife; thinner, lighter.
Santoku: Shorter (16–18 cm), flatter; push cutting.
Chinese cleaver (cai dao): Wide, thin blade; slicing and scooping.
Nakiri: Flat edge for vegetables.

Buying guidance

Starting out: A 20 cm stainless chef's knife or 18 cm santoku that feels balanced in your hand, plus a honing steel.

Keen cook: A harder-steel gyuto and a whetstone (about 1000 grit) for sharpening.

Professional: Cooks choose by task and maintain their own edges on stones.