KATABA news letter Vol.2- For multi purpose use, Gyuto knife or Santoku knife？

Hi there, this is  Nagisa.

When you’re looking for a general purpose knife, you may wonder which is better to choose, Gyuto or Santoku.

Both are multi purpose knives that are good for cutting meat, fish and vegetables. Actually, “Santoku” means “three virtues". This is because it can be used for these three different types of ingredients. “Gyuto” means “beef knife” and is named after its historical origin.

Main difference of these knives is the shape of blades. Gyuto has a wide range of length between around 180mm~270mm. On the other hand, Santoku is a bit shorter, measuring around 160mm~180mm. Also gyuto has narrower blades which slightly curved to the tip.

left: Gyuto  Right: Santoku

Today,  Santoku is the most commonly used knife in Japanese home kitchens. Gyuto (also known as the chef’s knife) is used not only in home kitchens, but also in professional kitchens.

If you like the Santoku shape but need more pointier tip, Bunka knife would be the good option.

To be fair, you can choose which you like the most. If you like the one, that's the one!

Nagisa