Wusthof Gourmet Chef’s Knife

Kitchen Stainless Steel Vegetable Cutlery

With a few concessions to the advantages of modern stamped steel blades, this Wusthof Gourmet Chef's Knife is in some ways an improvement over the heavier forged steel patterns that made the company famous.

Missing is the forged steel bolster and the thick, stiff steel that made the older chef's knives workhorse blades suited to nearly every kitchen task. This knife should be reserved for the lighter work--leave chopping for your cleavers. The lighter weight and thinner blade do make it more efficient and less fatiguing for the repetitive work of mincing, chopping, and slicing herbs and vegetables.

The ice hardened steel keeps an edge well and is tough enough to survive bending and twisting stresses, but again you should exercise some caution, since the build of the handle isn't quite so strong as the older product lines. The shaped polymer bolster is enough to protect your hand from slipping, but doesn't add much strength to the blade and could be worked open slightly if you use the knife for twisting and prying.

If you are already accustomed to the action of the Western chef's knife you'll find many of the advantages of the Japanese Santoku in this Wusthof knife, without having to change your cutting style.