Here’s What Reminds Chef Masaki Saito of Home

Author: Katherine Singh · Photography: Noritoshi Ichikawa

A talisman is anything that gives someone a sense of home. For Masaki Saito, the only two-time Michelin-starred chef in Canada, a steel knife holds a special place in his heart, and in his everyday tool kit—if only for practical reasons

After I graduated high school in 2006, I went to Tokyo to study and learn about sushi. Every student needs to buy a good knife. This was the first knife that I purchased after graduating the first level, and I’ve continued using it as my primary knife for over 15 years. It was made by a Japanese samurai sword maker and forged with the highest-grade steel, so it cuts the fish on a beautiful angle. When I use it, it doesn’t make me feel nostalgic or sentimental; I use it because it’s a good knife.

Culture/Food/Identity/Spring 2025

Here’s What Reminds Chef Masaki Saito of Home

A talisman is anything that gives someone a sense of home. For Masaki Saito, the only two-time Michelin-starred chef in Canada, a steel knife holds a special place in his heart, and in his everyday tool kit—if only for practical reasons

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A talisman is anything that gives someone a sense of home. For Masaki Saito, the only two-time Michelin-starred chef in Canada, a steel knife holds a special place in his heart, and in his everyday tool kit—if only for practical reasons

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