NOTE! The site is under construction but will be ready soon.
★★★★★
5 out of 5 stars on Google
Gyuto knives are the traditional Japanese all-round knife. It is a knife that can handle most tasks in the kitchen.
Price
Length
Steel
Series
The word “gyu-tou” literally means “beef sword,” and the knife was originally developed for cutting larger pieces of meat. Today, however, the Gyuto knife is seen more as an all-purpose knife – even in Japan.
In the West, it is especially known as a Japanese chef’s knife, and for good reason: it’s the knife many chefs use the most, precisely because of its versatility.
Both in professional and home kitchens, the Gyuto is often the first choice when you need a knife that can handle a bit of everything.
The Gyuto wasn’t actually one of the first knives developed in Japan, even though today it’s among the most widespread. Historically, the Japanese diet was largely based on vegetables and fish, and land animals were rarely consumed. This was due to both religion and tradition. As a result, there was no need for a knife specifically designed for meat, as there was in the West.
That changed when Japan began opening up to the West in the 19th century. With the introduction of cattle farming and new eating habits, there was a growing need for a knife that could handle larger cuts of meat. This led to the development of the Gyuto knife, inspired by the French chef’s knife, but refined with Japanese craftsmanship and finesse.
A Gyuto is a versatile Japanese meat knife, typically measuring between 180 and 240 mm in blade length. Many home cooks prefer 210 mm as a good middle size – long enough for larger ingredients, yet still easy to control.
The shape will look familiar to most, as it closely resembles a Western chef’s knife, but with a slimmer and often harder blade. This makes it easy to work with, especially for precise cuts and long strokes.
If you’re looking for a Japanese knife that’s a bit shorter and more compact than a Gyuto, you might consider a Santoku – also a great all-rounder, but in a shorter format.
Gyuto knives are fantastic for vegetables of all sizes. The long, slightly curved blade allows you to chop onions, slice cabbage, or cut through a whole celeriac. This is where you really feel how well-balanced a Gyuto knife is, whether you’re working quickly or need precision.
If you only need a knife for vegetables and want to avoid pointed tips and long blades, then a Nakiri knife is more suitable. But as a daily workhorse in the kitchen, the Gyuto handles almost all vegetable tasks, both big and small.
This isn’t a filleting knife. The Gyuto is too wide and large to perform precise fish filleting. For that, a Deba or a Yanagiba would be a better choice, depending on whether you’re deboning or slicing raw fish into thin slices.
This is where the Gyuto truly shines. The Japanese meat knife was originally designed for this exact task – slicing meat. And it still does that better than most.
It’s not meant for deboning. But for everything else involving meat, it’s ideal. Carving a roast, slicing a duck, or portioning larger cuts – the Gyuto excels at all of it.
Because the blade is relatively long and thin, you get clean and controlled cuts – not just through meat, but also fat, sinew, and crust. This makes a difference in the appearance, durability, and texture of the final dish.
When choosing a Gyuto chef’s knife, there are a few things worth considering. First, the blade length: most people choose 210 mm as a great all-around size, but if you work with very small or very large ingredients, it might make sense to go up or down.
The type of steel also plays a role. Harder steel stays sharp longer but requires a bit more attention. Softer steel is easier to maintain but needs sharpening more often. What works best depends on your preferences and kitchen habits.
