Thanks to the rising popularity of sushi and other Asian delicacies, the Asian-style chef's knife, called a santoku, is now commonly found in American kitchens. This seven-inch santoku from the Henckels Twin Gourmet collection features a broad blade with a razor-sharp edge, and is designed to tackle a multitude of chopping, slicing, and dicing food preparation tasks. In contrast to a hollow-edge santoku, the blade on this one is smooth, yet it still excels at cutting paper-thin slices of fish, meat, or vegetables. The santoku makes a versatile addition to any kitchen and a superb gift for the chef who especially enjoys preparing Asian cuisine.

The Henckels Twin Gourmet collection features traditional three-rivet styling, a visible full tang for strength and balance, and a single-piece blade that is stamped, rather than forged, which helps keeps the line reasonably priced. The blade, made from high-carbon, no-stain steel and strengthened in Henckels' exclusive Friodur ice-hardening process, retains its sharp edge through extensive cutting and chopping. Made in Germany and covered by a lifetime warranty, Twin Gourmet knives are dishwasher-safe but are best cared for when washed and dried by hand. --Ann Bieri