A Japanese-style [santoku knife](https://www.masterclass.com/articles/santoku-knife-explained) is a general purpose knife you can use to cut, slice, and chop. The word santoku means “three virtues,” in reference to these triple common uses of the blade. Kitchens may stock santoku blades alongside chefs’ knives, but key differences between the two remain.
A chef knife, or chef’s knife, is a common and versatile type of kitchen knife that is more prominent in the West. While this type of knife bears a resemblance to a santoku knife and can do many of the same things, it distinguishes itself in its basic makeup and design.
Santoku and chefs’ knives share a fair amount of similarities, but there are four main areas in which they differ.

1. __Material__: Knifemakers turn to carbon steel when building santoku knives, while they prefer stainless steel for chefs’ knives. [Carbon steel](https://www.masterclass.com/articles/carbon-steel-vs-stainless-steel-pan-explained) is often much more refined after knife sharpening than stainless steel, so exercise extra caution when handling a santoku knife’s cutting edge.
2. __Point of origin__: Chef knives are Western knives; their basic design originated in seventeenth-century Germany. Santoku knives hail from Japan. Over time, manufacturers have adapted and evolved both the German and Japanese knives to meet specific chefs’ needs in different cultures.
3. __Shape of the blade__: A santoku knife has a single bevel (there is only one side with a sharp edge) and a curved blade; a Western-style chef’s knife blade has a double bevel (each side of the blade is sharp at the top) and comes to a pointed tip. Blade length depends on each specific model, but chef knives are generally longer. Both types of [knives](https://www.masterclass.com/articles/chef-gordon-ramsays-list-of-essential-kitchen-knives) may have a straight edge or a Granton edge (a blade with indentations). 
4. __Uses__: Santoku knives have thinner blades in comparison to the wider blades of chef knives. As a result, cooks tend to prefer santoku blades when making extra-thin slices. Chef knives’ wider blades make them more useful when you are deboning or disjointing meat, although a cleaver might be better suited to that task, depending on the size of the piece. To practice good [knife skills](https://www.masterclass.com/articles/gordon-ramsay-teaches-knife-skills), use a rocking motion with either knife for precision cutting, dicing, mincing, or paring on a cutting board.
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Home cooks and professional chefs alike use both santoku and chef’s knives for a variety of cutting tasks. Both types of cutlery have their places in a kitchen knife set, but there are important distinctions. Learn more about santoku vs. chef’s knives to see what fits your own personal preferences.

Home cooks and professional chefs alike use both santoku and chef’s knives for a variety of cutting tasks. Both types of cutlery have their places in a kitchen knife set, but there are important distinctions. Learn more about santoku vs. chef’s knives to see what fits your own personal preferences.

Santoku vs. Chef Knives: How to Use Common Kitchen Knives

A Japanese-style <a href='https://www.masterclass.com/articles/santoku-knife-explained' target='_self' class='mc-text--link' data-mc-segment-trigger='true' data-mc-segment-event-type='Article Page Click' data-event-obj='{"textTag":"p","href":"https://www.masterclass.com/articles/santoku-knife-explained","linkCopy":"santoku knife","category":null}'>santoku knife</a> is a general purpose knife you can use to cut, slice, and chop. The word santoku means “three virtues,” in reference to these triple common uses of the blade. Kitchens may stock santoku blades alongside chefs’ knives, but key differences between the two remain.

What Is a Santoku Knife?

A chef knife, or chef’s knife, is a common and versatile type of kitchen knife that is more prominent in the West. While this type of knife bears a resemblance to a santoku knife and can do many of the same things, it distinguishes itself in its basic makeup and design.

What Is a Chef Knife?

Santoku and chefs’ knives share a fair amount of similarities, but there are four main areas in which they differ.<ol class="mc-m-4"><li class="mc-my-4"> 1. Material: Knifemakers turn to carbon steel when building santoku knives, while they prefer stainless steel for chefs’ knives. <a href='https://www.masterclass.com/articles/carbon-steel-vs-stainless-steel-pan-explained' target='_self' class='mc-text--link' data-mc-segment-trigger='true' data-mc-segment-event-type='Article Page Click' data-event-obj='{"textTag":"p","href":"https://www.masterclass.com/articles/carbon-steel-vs-stainless-steel-pan-explained","linkCopy":"Carbon steel","category":null}'>Carbon steel</a> is often much more refined after knife sharpening than stainless steel, so exercise extra caution when handling a santoku knife’s cutting edge. </li><li class="mc-my-4"> 2. Point of origin: Chef knives are Western knives; their basic design originated in seventeenth-century Germany. Santoku knives hail from Japan. Over time, manufacturers have adapted and evolved both the German and Japanese knives to meet specific chefs’ needs in different cultures. </li><li class="mc-my-4"> 3. Shape of the blade: A santoku knife has a single bevel (there is only one side with a sharp edge) and a curved blade; a Western-style chef’s knife blade has a double bevel (each side of the blade is sharp at the top) and comes to a pointed tip. Blade length depends on each specific model, but chef knives are generally longer. Both types of <a href='https://www.masterclass.com/articles/chef-gordon-ramsays-list-of-essential-kitchen-knives' target='_self' class='mc-text--link' data-mc-segment-trigger='true' data-mc-segment-event-type='Article Page Click' data-event-obj='{"textTag":"p","href":"https://www.masterclass.com/articles/chef-gordon-ramsays-list-of-essential-kitchen-knives","linkCopy":"knives","category":null}'>knives</a> may have a straight edge or a Granton edge (a blade with indentations). </li><li class="mc-my-4"> 4. Uses: Santoku knives have thinner blades in comparison to the wider blades of chef knives. As a result, cooks tend to prefer santoku blades when making extra-thin slices. Chef knives’ wider blades make them more useful when you are deboning or disjointing meat, although a cleaver might be better suited to that task, depending on the size of the piece. To practice good <a href='https://www.masterclass.com/articles/gordon-ramsay-teaches-knife-skills' target='_self' class='mc-text--link' data-mc-segment-trigger='true' data-mc-segment-event-type='Article Page Click' data-event-obj='{"textTag":"p","href":"https://www.masterclass.com/articles/gordon-ramsay-teaches-knife-skills","linkCopy":"knife skills","category":null}'>knife skills</a>, use a rocking motion with either knife for precision cutting, dicing, mincing, or paring on a cutting board. </li></ol>

Santoku vs. Chef Knives: 4 Key Differences

Become a better chef with the <a href='https://www.masterclass.com' target='_self' class='mc-text--link' data-mc-segment-trigger='true' data-mc-segment-event-type='Article Page Click' data-event-obj='{"textTag":"p","href":"https://www.masterclass.com","linkCopy":"MasterClass Annual Membership","category":null}'>MasterClass Annual Membership</a>. Gain access to exclusive video lessons taught by the world’s best, including Niki Nakayama, Gabriela Cámara, Chef Thomas Keller, Yotam Ottolenghi, Dominique Ansel, Gordon Ramsay, Alice Waters, and more.

Want to Learn More About Cooking?

Home cooks and professional chefs alike use both santoku and chef’s knives for a variety of cutting tasks. Both types of cutlery have their places in a kitchen knife set, but there are important distinctions. Learn more about santoku vs. chef’s knives to see what fits your own personal preferences.

Home cooks and professional chefs alike use both santoku and chef’s knives for a variety of cutting tasks. Both types of cutlery have their places in a kitchen knife set, but there are important distinctions. Learn more about santoku vs. chef’s knives to see what fits your own personal preferences.
