Knives

For me, one of the great pleasures of studying Japanese cuisine has been perfecting my Japanese-style knife skills, techniques that open a range of cooking possibilities - and not just for pros.

Hey, I could have shown you a cover shot of Japanese Kitchen Knives, but I thought you'd rather see a photo of the craftsman who actually fashioned the very knife pictured on the book's jacket!

I love these guys. Ueno-san on the left, Nagase-san on the right, two exceptionally talented chefs at Takegami who run the restaurant's dining counter, and who...

I love working with Japanese kitchen blades. I've visited blacksmiths before and have written about them, and own several blades. Right now I'm in Tokyo for a few months apprenticing at several restaurants (more on that soon), and cutting every day for hours. Chefs here have been graciously instructing me on my technique.