Any pros out there using a santoku?

[SaladApe]

Planning to acquire a long, tall petty but now I'm tempted by a Hinoura santoku - more of a mini-gyuto profile. Do they get a lot of love in the pro kitchen?

 

[labor of love]

The same way a gyuto can be a multi purpose knife in a pro setting a Santoku attempts to do the same but in a home setting.
I see very few Santoku in pro kitchens because I think the idea of an all purpose knife that’s only 7 inches long isn’t ideal.

 

[M1k3]

They can work as a line knife. Still prefer a Gyuto.

 

[marc4pt0]

I love using Santokus. Have a couple "larger" ones. They are great all arounders

 

[SaladApe]

I think what I actually 'need' is a tall-ish gyuto at around 200mm. Masashi makes a 180mm gyuto. The Hinoura I'm considering is a Tsukasa and looks the part aesthetically but...

 

[M1k3]

Syousin Suminagashi?

 

[SaladApe]

Oho, yes. Exactly. This is what I'm looking at: https://www.couteaujaponais.com/cou...de-tsukasa-hinoura-santoku-165-mm-c2x27844765

 

[minibatataman]

Even in professional kitchens, it's down to personal preference. As you can see some love them, some don't. I personally use a 250mm gyutohiki and a 180mm slicer on the line. If I need something taller like a santoku, I'd want it to be much much longer, so santokus are useless for me.

 

[labor of love]

Yes, my only point earlier was to say Santoku wouldn’t make much sense as an all purpose knife in a pro kitchen like it does in a home kitchen.
But as one of several knives in a kit maybe it makes sense to some people.
I’m never been interested.

 

[Kippington]

I've seen quite a few chefs use them.
They are all the same type of knife-person - They'll pick one up to use, think "Hey... this works" and will never be interested in trying something more appropriate. Its a real "just get sh!t done with the least amount of fluffing around" attitude, which isn't a bad one to have in a kitchen if I'm honest.

They'll occasionally borrow one of my knives when a santoku doesn't suit the job. None of them know how to sharpen, but they're appreciative and notice when I sharpen the santoku for them.

 

[Noodle Soup]

I can tell you from cooking beside him, Ethan Becker is a fan of that style of knife. Me a little less so.

 

[Robert Lavacca]

I don’t even own one. I’ve thought about it. If I need something smaller than a 270 or 240 gyuto i’ll just use a 210. Something is tempting me to try a smaller nakiri lately or petty. Or a nakiri in general. I can get by my day to day in the kitchen with a gyuto no problem. Have for years. A santoku would be nice for home but usually the larger a knife is, the more you can cut at once. Getting the job done quicker.

 

[lemeneid]

How about a Takeda “santoku”?

 

[bahamaroot]

The Santoku was designed so there would be a knife to buy for the women in our lives.

 

[NO ChoP!]

I much prefer a bunka in that size. Same flat'ish profile, but a more useful pointy tip, and a bit more masculine.

 

[SaladApe]

I've seen quite a few chefs use them.
They are all the same type of knife-person - They'll pick one up to use, think "Hey... this works" and will never be interested in trying something more appropriate. Its a real "just get sh!t done with the least amount of fluffing around" attitude, which isn't a bad one to have in a kitchen if I'm honest.

They'll occasionally borrow one of my knives when a santoku doesn't suit the job. None of them know how to sharpen, but they're appreciative and notice when I sharpen the santoku for them.

This is a good observation. One of the best chefs I ever worked with used a Black Diamond Solingen serrated knife with an offset blade for everything, just because. I don't think it was even possible to sharpen the thing. Here in the UK most chefs just seem to have their favourite Global or Shun santoku in their roll and if they need something bigger, just take one of the nylon handled ones off the wall.

 

[panda]

i used a wusthof classic santoku for the first 4 years of my career back when i didnt know anything about knives or bothered to research. the profile is better than the huge belly western blades but it's simply too short to be a main knife.

i actually like santoku, theyre just too short.

 

[Kippington]

i actually like santoku, theyre just too short.

You like looooong santoku? I got u fam

 

[panda]

looks like a shiny watanabe

 

[SaladApe]

You like looooong santoku? I got u fam

...Damn.

 

[daveb]

But, but, but, That looks like a knife!

 

[henrymeows]

I use a Santoku because she bought it for me. I keep it sharp and it gets the job done. Thinking of an upgrade and shopping for a gyuto though.

 

[labor of love]

Kinda want that shig santoku in bst. Good handle and price. The problem is I know I wouldn’t treat it with the care it deserves