How was Katto born?

The idea for Katto actually came out of a pretty miserable period in my life. In 2016 I had a breakdown of sorts and was eventually diagnosed with an acute anxiety disorder.

It was a pretty bleak time. And as most folks do, I tried everything I could think of to get better. But it wasn’t until a friend started cooking that I noticed a discernible change in my mood and thoughts.

I very quickly became hooked and wanted to get all the kit; but I wanted (beautiful and sustainable cookware which oozed character and personality) didn’t really exist. Or at least not for less than a million pounds. So along with my best friend Thomas we set out to change that.

How do you divide your time between the London Studio and Sheffield Workshop?

I probably spend a week a month in Sheffield with our workshop team. We have an amazing team of craftspeople with a huge variety of skills and talents. The depth of craft and knowledge in the city is incredible and it’s undergoing a really exciting renaissance. We are playing our part in that which is something I’m hugely proud of.

Running a business is no walk in the park. What daily rituals do you abide by to keep your well being in check?

It’s not a daily ritual, per se. But hiring brilliant, dedicated and skilled people is about the best thing a founder can do to preserve their mental health. It’s daunting building a team at the beginning because people can seem expensive and often the traits that make great founders don’t make great managers. However every time we hire someone excellent I feel another little weight lifting.

What makes a good knife and why Japanese?

A good knife is one which you feel confident using and sharpening. We see so many customers who have spent hundreds of pounds on ultra high grade knives which they’re terrified to use and accordingly stay locked in a drawer.

We love (and use) a Japanese steel called AUS-10 which offers the perfect balance between hardness and durability. It gets sharp, stays sharp and is easy to look after.

For sharpening, how frequently should we be running the blade over a whetstone or similar?

The real answer is that “it depends”. It depends on how much you’re using, what you’re using it for and what material your chopping board is made of. That said, most domestic cooks will need to hone the knife every couple of weeks and give it proper sharpen every few months.

Where does your food inspo come from and any recent cookbook purchases you can recommend?

I’m very lucky to live in a part of London (East Dulwich) where we have fantastic food shops brimming with delicious and exciting produce. Walking home every evening from the studio you can’t help but get excited about the fish at Moxons, the cheese at Mons or the vegetables at Bora & Sons.

I’m one of those weirdos who reads cookbooks in bed (and on repeat). Recently I’ve been re-reading Fuscia Dunlop’s book on Sichuan cooking. And I always have at least one of Ed Smith’s books (Crave, On the Side etc) on the go.

I was chatting recently with Diana Henry for something which was a real thrill and gave me an excuse to revisit both Roast Figs, Sugar Snow and Crazy Water Pickled Lemons. To my mind, Diana is the greatest cookbook writer ever and she should be much, much more widely read.

With 2025 around the corner, are there any exciting new plans that you can share with us?

We’ve got all sorts of things planned for the New Year including more pop-ups and supper clubs; as well as a host of new pieces which we’ll be adding to the collection.