I was a chef for almost 10 years and felt a close bond with the knives I used every day. Knives are like a chef’s hands. When I cut something, I cut it with passion. It’s an emotional thing. It’s a part of us. It’s got history in it.

 

With Japanese knives the charm is all in the craftsmanship. Every step of the process is traditional—they’re handmade with no machinery involved. Artisans make only seven knives per month, while some tailor-made knives can take years.

 

It’s for chefs who have been working for a while with 1-2 knives and know what kind of knives they like. Money is also a factor since the title “chef” here is pretty different from the West.

 

There’s very little in the way of kitchen knives as it’s something very new to Thai chefs. Also, we don’t have enough good materials in the country.

 

Japanese knives have got more soul and back-story. One family I met was a samurai sword maker before changing to make kitchen knives. Western knives are usually mass-produced with machinery. The Japanese knives are high-carbon and made with a real human touch. Therefore, it offers a much better quality but also needs a lot of care. Every blade is unique.