The Shun Classic 5.5” Santoku is the Asian version of the chef’s knife and features more of a sheep’s foot blade with a spine that drops sharply to meet the hardened, acutely-ground cutting edge. The Santoku doesn’t have the sharp tip of the chef’s knife and is not as easy to use for removing stems and cores from fruits and vegetables. However, although the ultra-thin blade is not as well-suited for general chopping, the Santoku excels when it comes to slicing starchy vegetables and cross-grain cuts of poultry, fish, and meats. And no knife works better than a Santoku for cutting paper thin slices of potatoes and garlic, or juliennes of peppers, cucumbers, and other fruits and vegetables. 

A Santoku has a flatter edge than a chef’s knife and is better suited for slicing rather than for rocking. However, some light chopping can still be achieved by using a light tapping motion for softer foods such as mushrooms and strawberries. The weight of the Shun Classic 5.5” Santoku is far less than its European-styled counterpart which means reduced fatigue as the food prep time increases.