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Editorial desk
Maya Chen
Editor-in-Chief
Testing Japanese kitchen knives, whetstones, and cookware. Maya Chen is Editor-in-Chief at Kako US, leading the testing team and writing its knife reviews. The focus is edge geometry, heat treatment and performance in American home kitchens, with coverage also extending to whetstones and cookware. Knife testing uses the desk's five-point scale and timed cutting protocol, and Maya personally sharpens every knife through a 1000/6000 grit progression beforehand. Edge retention is recorded with a BESS tester and every result enters the comparison tables, connecting sharpening preparation, test readings and the comparison of knives.
12 years covering this niche
- Gyuto and santoku geometry
- Carbon steel and stainless cladding
- Whetstone grit progressions
- Edge retention testing
- Japanese knife profiles for Western kitchens
Career timeline
- 2007
- Began cooking professionally in Seattle restaurants.
- 2012
- Worked as a line cook at a James Beard–nominated Portland kitchen.
- 2017
- Started a knife sharpening pop-up at Seattle farmers markets.
- 2019
- Founded Kako US as a test kitchen and review site.
- 2021
- Expanded testing to whetstones and carbon steel cookware.
Credentials
- Certified Executive Chef
American Culinary Federation 2014
- Advanced Knife Skills Certificate
Culinary Institute of America 2016
How I test
Maya uses the desk's five-point scale and timed cutting protocol. Before testing, every knife is personally sharpened through a 1000/6000 grit progression. Edge retention is recorded with a BESS tester, and each result is entered in the comparison tables.
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- This information is being prepared.
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