I'm a big fan of Shun knives and own several other. You could get away slicing meat with a chef's knife, but the low profile and length on this make it much easier. The metal on these knives are brittle, so you need to take care to avoid hitting the fork. Also be sure to cut on wood or plastic only. If it's your first time with a high-quality knife -- these things are sharp, so be warned. Electric knives shred the meat and seem to make more juices fall out, not the case with a manual knife like this. Pick up a smooth honing steel if you don't already have one to keep the edge straight.