Two Stars. Thirty Millimetres. Made in Japan.

The Shokunin Extra Thick Chopping Board XL is used at two Michelin star Ynyshir — Gareth Ward's kitchen in Wales, one of the most talked-about restaurants in the UK. The 750x330x30mm working surface is sized for stations where a standard board runs out of room: whole-fish fabrication, large butchery, or a prep station that needs to handle volume without resetting between tasks. The 30mm depth is double the standard kitchen board thickness, which means it doesn't move, doesn't warp, and absorbs the force of heavy knife work rather than transmitting it to the bench. Made in Japan.

Shokunin — 職人

Shokunin (職人) is the Japanese word for an artisan who has devoted their working life to mastering a single craft — sushi chefs, knife-makers, ceramicists, and lacquerware specialists are all referred to as shokunin. The term carries a specific meaning that goes beyond skilled worker: a shokunin pursues mastery as an end in itself rather than as a means to recognition. Applying it to a chopping board is deliberate. In a Japanese professional kitchen, the board is an extension of the knife — the surface on which precision is either supported or undermined. This board is made in Japan, where the manufacturing standards for professional kitchen equipment reflect the same philosophy the name references: uncompromising materials, correct dimensions, built to last rather than built to impress.

Why do professional chefs use thick black chopping boards?

Thickness is about stability and longevity, not presentation. A 30mm board does not flex under heavy knife work, does not warp with temperature or moisture changes, and has enough depth to resurface repeatedly before it needs replacing. The black surface serves a functional purpose in a busy kitchen: it provides contrast against pale proteins — white fish, raw meat — making precision cuts easier to see and control. Japanese professional boards are designed around these requirements rather than around the home kitchen market, which is why they look different from the wooden and thin plastic boards most consumers encounter.

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