In the sleek setting of modern Mayfair-based Japanese restaurant Sake No Hana, we put seven chef’s knives to the test. Renowned head chef Hideki Hiwatashi trialed the 20cm+ knives in his fast-paced restaurant kitchen to chop, slice, fillet, smash and scoop-up fish, meats and vegetables.

For each knife, we timed how long it took chef Hiwatashi to make sashimi from a 5 x 6cm piece of salmon. Hiwatashi then picked out his two favourite knives and, alongside chef Thapa from his team, the knives were put head to head in our knife race.

Watch the WIRED knife race video to see chef Thapa and head chef Hideki Hiwatashi fillet and make sashimi from a prize piece of seabass using the best two from our steely selection.

An attractive contender for first place, this knife is made from high-chrome steel with an olive ash handle. The blade has a hardness on the Rockwell scale at 53-55 that makes it sturdy and durable, great for a busy kitchen environment. Chef Hiwatashi was particularly taken with the knife’s balance. "It feels like the heaviest and largest in the test, but the knife and handle are well aligned, so it’s comfortable to use and feels good in hand," he said. "It’s easy to fillet fish and the blade is strong for chopping fish bones, but the length and thickness makes it a little trickier for sashimi." £85 dexam.co.uk

Time it took to make sashimi: 12 seconds Score: 9

Forged in Germany from high-carbon stainless steel and with an impressive Rockwell hardness of 61, this knife did well in our test. Chef Hiwatashi enjoyed using its Pekkawood handle. "It felt comfortable in hand and was smooth when chopping vegetables and slicing fish," he said. "You can tell it’s well designed as its tail end doesn’t hit the board when chopping." Hiwatashi particularly liked the unique shape of the blade, which holds the middle finger in place, and he instantly noticed the sharpness of the blade and its good handle/blade balance. £199.95 subzero-wolf.co.uk

Time it took to make sashimi: 11 seconds Score: 8

Designed with a unique curved blade to make chopping and rocking cutting actions easy, this knife is made from high-quality German stainless steel. It features a hygienic Dupont handle and a 15-degree blade edge that gives great sharpness and makes cutting tasks a cinch. "In the sashimi test, the first piece of fish stuck together," said chef Hiwatashi. "I don’t think it’s the best knife for slicing fish - possibly as the blade is very light – but it is very comfortable to hold and performs well when cutting vegetables such as cucumber, lemons and harder foods such as carrots."
£56 robertwelch.com

Time it took to make sashimi: 13 seconds Score: 7

A traditional European-style chef’s knife, this design is made from hard steel between layers of softer stainless steel, with a heat-resistant ebonite handle. Chef Hiwatashi thought it performed well when making sashimi. "The shape and width of the blade and longer handle length – compared to the other knives in the test - make it good for sashimi," he said. "It is comfortable to use and gives accurate slicing. Balance is important for me, however, and the handle is quite heavy in relation to the blade." £109.95 lakeland.co.uk

Time it took to make sashimi: 8 seconds Score: 7

With its stunning ice-tempered blade, this knife is an eye-catching piece of kit. Although chef Hiwatashi wasn’t impressed with its sharpness, he did note that it felt very light – most likely due to its hollow weighted handle – and left no stress on his hand. "The knife feels good to hold, and I like the length and design for slicing fish," he says. "I didn’t enjoy chopping vegetables with it as my fingers hit the board, however. I think the knife is a good shape and length for sashimi." £119.99 globalknives.uk

Time it took to make sashimi: 11 seconds Score: 6

Made in Echizen in Japan from special Takefu steel, this blade is topped by six layers of hard and soft steel and has a marbling pattern on the blade’s surface. It also features an attractive wooden handle. Chef Hiwatashi was impressed by its striking good looks and noted that of all the knives in our test it is the most traditional in Japanese styling. "When a knife is very light I have to use my arm muscles when making sashimi," he said, "and this design is very light on hand and could do with more weight. It is sharp and did perform well when cutting lighter ingredients such as cucumbers and mangos, but for me it’s not heavy enough for denser vegetables such as carrots."
£248 archibaldlondon.com

Time it took to make sashimi: 11 seconds Score: 6

With a steel blade made in Germany and a brass riveted handle, this knife has a subtly curved handle for comfort. The blade features a high concentration of carbon and chromium to provide strength and edge retention and ensure the design is durable. Although the blade/handle balance felt good, chef Hiwatashi wasn’t impressed by its performance. "The blade is easy to bend and feels too light," he noted. "For me, the quality and handling is not as impressive as other knives in test, but then it is a good budget option." £20 farrar-tanner.co.uk

Time it took to make sashimi: 12 seconds Score: 4

Winner: Dexam – it took chef Hiwatashi just 59 seconds. Runner up: Wolf – it took chef Thapa 68 seconds.

This article was originally published by WIRED UK