Having a sharp kitchen knife is essential to successful and stress-free food preparation, but it’s really only half of the cutting equation. You also need a dependable cutting board on the opposite side to receive the sharp edge of the blade cutting through fish, meat, vegetables, and other ingredients. There is a variety of materials used for these cutting boards, but most of them just don’t make the cut (pun intended). Plastic ones are too soft and easily get damaged, while metal or stone boards are too hard and damage the knife instead. Wood is a good medium, but not all kinds of wood are created equal or are equally up to the task. This rather stylish cutting board rises to the challenge by calling upon the majestic properties of Japan’s Hinoki cypress tree.
Designer: Metaphys for TEUD
The cypress tree has always been associated with sacred legends and its Japanese equivalent takes that to an artistic level. Hinoki wood is considered to be a precious material and it has been used to build temples and palaces for centuries. The slow growth period of this sacred tree results in straight grains and an elegant pinkish color, giving it a unique and premium aesthetic that is almost too good to be used on a kitchen cutting board.
Hinoki wood is, in fact, the perfect kind of wood to be used for this kind of design. It has natural antibacterial and antimicrobial properties, which means it’s resistant to mold. The wood also has a natural fragrance that pleases the sense of smell even after having so many kinds of ingredients cut on its surface. Most importantly, it has a medium hardness that is gentle on knives, ensuring that they stay sharp longer. When paired with our dashing Ceramic Sashimi Knife, you get a dynamic duo that’s going to last you a very long time with minimum fuss.
Unlike most of its kind, the Hinoki Cutting Board’s oval shape and sloping edges give it a gentler and more visually pleasing appearance. It isn’t just for show, though, as the shape also makes it easier to drain fluids and juices off the board, coupled with the Hinoki wood’s natural drain-friendly property. And thanks to cypress wood being lightweight, the cutting board is easy to handle, clean, and store away when not needed, though you might want to have its sleek shape on display all the time anyway.
Of course, bare wood wouldn’t be good as a cutting board, which is why even the Hinoki board has a silicone coating on top for protection, especially against water and moisture. This coating penetrates as deep as 2mm into the fibrous part of the wood, ensuring that it can’t accidentally be removed or easily damaged just by cutting over the surface. Whether you’re gently slicing sashimi with our Ceramic Kitchen Knife, cutting juicy fruits, or dicing portions of meat, this regal Hinoki Cutting Board will support all your food prep needs, while making sure your knife stays sharp for a very long time.
