The most important skill in the Kitchen.
I believe that one of the most important skills in the kitchen is knife skills. It is the basics of cooking and it is one skill you do need under your belt. We all have to be able to cut our raw ingredients up during prep and the way you cut it will alter the taste and texture of a dish. The sharper your knife, the cleaner your cuts will be and the easier it is to control (also a lot safer than a blunt knife). If you’re going to have to use a knife every day, why not use a good
chef knife?
I received the Miyabi 5000FCD 20cm Gyutoh Chef Knife to test out and one of the things that I was first drawn to was the beautiful pattern on the
Miyabi Knives. The steel is folded over the core to create 48 layers; this ripple pattern you see on the knives is called Damascus. Who else can you trust to make a beautiful knife but the Japanese, home of the Samurai swords?
I must say once you try a good knife it’s hard to ever go back to the cheap ones. One thing I am in awe of is the beauty of the wooden handle as it makes me feel a tad like a Samurai (yes I have been watching Altered Carbon). The handle has a polished finish that fits perfectly into my hand. At home we have knives with a plastic hand and also a metal one but none of them compares to this – it literally feels like an extension of my arm. There is also a bit of weight and sturdiness to the handle which makes the knife feel a lot more balanced in the hand.
My first test was cutting tomatoes for my lunch. The knife was amazingly sharp and just slides through the tomato with no pressure. The tomato still retained its shape and the thinner you went, the same effort was needed. I actually had a smile on my face when cutting it because I have never, ever had a knife that so effortlessly cut through things (I’ve squished and maimed a few of tomatoes in my life). Another test was cutting onions which again cut through effortlessly and cleanly with its sharp edge.
I am also quite enjoying the shape of Gyutoh with its longer knife tip end compared to our Shun Santoku which has a flatter tip. This makes it a lot easier to use the rocking motion when cutting up veggies. The longer blade and the overall design is done so well that you don’t really have to force it to do something, it just does it like a good tool would.
One thing you have to be mindful of is being careful with what you use it for. Due to it having a harder steel, it makes the knife more brittle so I will avoid cutting anything too hard. I would only use it for delicate cuts i.e. veggies, meat (not bone) and only on a wooden or plastic chopping board.
My verdict if you can’t already tell is that I am quite in love with the
Miyabi 5000FCD Gyutoh. Something beautiful to look at and use in the kitchen but it is more than just a pretty face. It fits the hand very easily with it’s beautiful wooden handle and makes it makes using it, effortless.
Shop the entire Miyabi Fusion Knives here.
About the Author:
Berny is a giant sweet tooth at heart where her love for beautiful desserts and photography collided together to create I Only Eat Desserts. It is a place where she shares the desserts she bakes but be warned, she does have a slight obsession with all things matcha and peanut butter.
You can follow Berny at www.ionlyeatdesserts.com.
