We bought a new knife today. A 7" Santoku Henckels knife. A Santoku has a blade shape similar to a chef's knife, but it doesn't taper at the end. The taper of the chef's knife allows it to "rock n' chop". The Santoku has a straighter line and is great for mincing and slicing. This particular knife also has shallow spots along the blade so that food slides right off - good for soft cheese, or delicate meats - like raw fish (sushi anyone?) It's also good for cutting fingers, which I can personally attest to.