Chinese chef knife FA-70

Product detail

Those of you who have had the opportunity to peek behind the "scenes" of a Chinese restaurant will surely confirm that it is an extraordinary experience. The intensity with which they work in a relatively small space is breathtaking. For the Chinese, as for other Asians, productivity is a determining factor. In addition to the cooks and their helpers with their quick movements, the abundance of steam, the noise and especially the exotic aromas, you have probably noticed the many bamboo steam baskets and "overgrown" cone pots that have gained popularity all over the world under the name of wok. But one wonder that from a distance resembles a square ping-pong racket has certainly not escaped your attention. The chef rarely let go of it. In a flash, he cuts vegetables into fine slices, herbs into tiny pieces, makes powder out of peanuts, crushes garlic and cuts meat into even pieces. In a graceful motion like a croupier at roulette, he scoops it all up and throws it into the steaming wok. It is no coincidence that the wonder has earned the official name the Chinese chef knife. Sometimes you may come across the term Chinese knife, which we strongly object to. A Chinese knife is any knife made in China. However, we are talking about a type of knife made in Japan. And there is a huge difference.

It would be a big mistake to confuse this tool with a meat cleaver. At first glance they are quite similar, but functionally they are very different. Both have a wide, square blade, but the cleaver falls into a different weight category. Likewise, its blade is adapted for portioning meat, tendons, gristle and smaller bones with pressure. 

The Chinese chef knife is considerably lighter, and more importantly, it is a knife. This means that we cut by sliding, not by pressure. Its blade is therefore subtler. The Chinese chef knife from the Japanese brand Fuji Cutlery has a 175mm long blade with a symmetrical edge. Handy even for those who do not have much experience with the type, yet large enough for comfortable scooping. It is made of SUS-420J2 stainless steel. As we have come to expect from the Japanese, the reference to hamonoand shinogi line cannot be missed. The manufacturer's name in the form of kanji characters is placed on its back. The firm beech wood handle fits well in the hand. Four milled rings ensure that the knife does not end up where it should not. The 325g weight is a pleasant surprise considering the dimensions. 

You certainly will not be peeling potatoes with this knife, but there are plenty of things it can do with surprising ease.

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