Gyuto Knife

A gyuto knife (牛刀, Gyūtō) is the Japanese interpretation of the Western chef’s knife, designed to be light, nimble, and perfect for all-around performance in the kitchen. Unlike heavier Western knives, the gyuto features a thinner, harder blade. Therefore, gyuto offers a better balance of sharpness and precision. Translating to “beef sword,” the gyuto was created for slicing meat, but today it's trusted for chopping vegetables, trimming proteins, and mincing herbs with precision and ease.

The blade is typically between 210mm and 240mm, with a flatter belly than Western chef’s knives, making it excellent for push-cutting and slicing. Many professional chefs find the lighter weight and sharper edge angle of a Japanese chef’s knife gyuto more responsive and less fatiguing than heavier German-style blades.

Gyuto knives are double-beveled and come in a range of steels, from carbon-rich Blue Super Steel to stainless options like SG2. So they balance exceptional cutting performance with ease of maintenance. Moreover, the profile of a gyuto chef knife tapers to a fine tip, which helps with detail work like trimming silver skin or scoring vegetables. The heel of the blade offers enough clearance for confident chopping, while the balance point allows for smooth rocking or slicing motions. Therefore, whether slicing meat, julienning carrots, or chiffonading herbs, the gyuto adapts well to nearly every kitchen task.

If you’re building a versatile knife kit or upgrading from a general-purpose blade, a gyuto knife is an essential tool. It’s especially appealing if you want one knife that handles nearly every task, while still offering enough durability for daily use.