Image by Getty Images via @daylifeChef Masaharu Morimoto believes knives are the heart of the kitchen. "A kitchen without a knife is not a kitchen," says Mr. Morimoto, who has appeared on "Iron Chef" and serves high-end Japanese food at Morimoto in New York City. The chef chooses and cares for his knives fastidiously.An avid knife collector, Mr. Morimoto owns more than 100 knives, but he adds that he doesn't use them all. Three core knives are versatile enough for most purposes. In his restaurant kitchen and in his Iron Chef battles, Mr. Morimoto relies on three basic Japanese-style knives: the butcher's knife known as a d eba, in two sizes, and a yanagi, which is designed for slicing sashimi.
When picking a knife, Mr. Morimoto believes in making the choice based on how it feels. Choose "the one that fits your hand best," he advises. "A good knife should feel balanced when you hold it," he adds. "It should not feel too heavy or too light." A knife that isn't comfortable to hold is going to be unwieldy when chopping has to be done.
The chef maintains his knives' condition by cleaning them meticulously after each use. Careful cleaning prevents bacteria from growing on the knife and in the knife holder.
Mr. Morimoto never puts knives in a dishwasher. "Japanese chefs believe our soul goes into our knives once we start using them," he notes. "You wouldn't put your soul in a dishwasher!" Instead, he washes them gently but thoroughly with detergent and sponge and wipes them clean afterward. Any moisture left on the blade can be damaging. "Even fingerprints are the cause of rust," Mr. Morimoto says.
He likes to wrap his knives in cloth, which absorbs moisture, and stores them in a kitchen drawer. (He keeps the knives that he collects but doesn't use inside the boxes they came in.)
Mr. Morimoto is conscientious about sharpening his knives often. At his restaurant, he sharpens his knives after work every night. If you don't sharpen a knife and let its edges get dull, then it will take more time to make it usable.
The chef uses a sharpening stone and recommends that people carefully research stone grades before purchasing one. A lower grade of stone is rougher and may chip more delicate knife blades. For really fine-edged blades—essential in knives intended for sushi or sashimi slicing—he recommends a stone with an extremely fine grade of 8,000 to 10,000. (The higher the grit number, the finer the stone.)
Before using the sharpening stone, Mr. Morimoto soaks it in water for 30 minutes. He then removes it from the water and places it over a wet towel to prevent it from sliding around.
Mr. Morimoto holds his knife with the edge toward his body and lets the edge of the blade make contact with the stone at a 15- to 20-degree angle before starting the grinding. Mr. Morimoto tries to maintain that angle with one hand while using two fingers of his other hand to touch the center of the blade and guide it gently toward and away from him. He does 20 strokes on each side of the blade.
Although many chefs travel with their knives, Mr. Morimoto generally avoids this. "I've had a few problems at airports," he says. "One time I had to give up my knives." If he does travel with his knives, he puts them in a basic knife bag that's made for carrying blades and makes sure to swaddle the bag inside his checked luggage.
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