【Staff Favorites】Cutipol's GOA Series: What Makes Ergonomic Cutlery Special?

At ZUTTO, we receive orders for all kinds of gifts every day, and Cutipol cutlery is a long-selling favorite among them. It's chosen as a gift for someone starting a new life, or as a wedding present. Cutipol is not only highly regarded for its design, but it's also cutlery we'd recommend for its functionality.

In this article, we'll introduce staff reviews from those who know firsthand how easy the GOA series is to use, along with the story of how the GOA series came to be and what exactly "based on ergonomics" means in practice. As we take this opportunity to reintroduce the brand, we've also prepared the GRAY without its box—an item we haven't carried before.

GRAY

Table of Contents:

・BRAND STORY: How GOA Came to Be

　- Cutipol's GOA Series Through the Lens of Ergonomics

・Life with Cutipol, as Told by the Staff Who Use It

　- Dinner Size & Dessert Size User: Staff H

　- How Do You Choose Between Dessert and Dinner Sizes?

　- GOA Chopsticks (Set of 2 Pairs) User: Staff M

・The Dinner Size Comes in Two Options: With Box and Without Box

BRAND STORY: How GOA Came to Be

The GOA series, which represents Cutipol, was born in 2004, and it's a series that emerged after passing through the evolution of many different lines.

Until the 1990s, Cutipol was valued for the "precision of its finishing (polishing and the like)" and "technical skill." Since the Guimarães region in northwestern Portugal, where the company is based, had been a center of cutlery production since the 17th century, Cutipol drew on this manufacturing heritage and the craftsmanship of local artisans, which meant many of its pieces followed classic European cutlery traditions. A turning point for the brand came in 1994, when José Ribeiro joined the company. He had originally been helping out with the family-run factory, but once he joined the brand in earnest after studying architecture, he began to show a distinctly individual sense of design. Gradually, the European-style ornamentation disappeared, and cutlery with smooth, seamless curves became the brand's main focus.

And as a new endeavor, the GOA series perfected the combination of stainless steel and resin. That was in 2004.

Since then, it has been adopted by top restaurants and hotels and has won design awards in various countries, making it one of the world's most renowned cutlery series today.

Cutipol's GOA Series Through the Lens of Ergonomics

"Ergonomics" is a word you often hear in connection with products regarded as masterpieces—it refers to the discipline of designing things so people can use them with natural movements and postures, and applying that knowledge to actual design work. Tracing its history back, it's said that the field emerged as a way to address the problems that arose in real-world use as a result of the rapid mechanization brought on by Europe's Industrial Revolution. Put very simply, it means "a design that's easy to use in a way that feels natural to the human body." Cutipol's cutlery is also made based on ergonomic principles. Let's take a closer look at what that means specifically.

Because the GOA series combines resin and stainless steel, its center of gravity differs from cutlery made entirely of stainless steel. Take a look at this image.

*Image: From the website of Nichiyosha, Cutipol's official distributor

You can see that the GOA series' center of gravity sits toward the left. By combining resin and stainless steel—materials of different weights—the balance point shifts to the left. Of course, this varies somewhat depending on the type of cutlery and personal preference, but the point at which Cutipol's GOA series feels most comfortable to hold is right around this center of gravity. Because the balance between left and right is even at the point where you grip it, you don't end up gripping it too tightly, and since the part that actually carries food to your mouth sits close to your hand, the cutlery has a pleasantly unobtrusive presence, letting you eat naturally.

Life with Cutipol, as Told by the Staff Who Use It

Now let's hear from the staff members who actually use Cutipol every day. It seems they've come to love it for both its functionality and its design. They also shared some menu recommendations to pair with it.

Dinner Size & Dessert Size User: Staff H

"At first I bought the dessert size, and more recently I added the dinner size to my collection. I already had a separate fork and spoon and didn't use a knife much, so what I had was mostly enough. But recently I got a new hot plate and started making hotcakes often, so thinking of my husband using them too, I decided to add the dinner size. One of the great things about a long-selling product is that you can add to your set whenever the idea strikes you."

Easy to Use for Both Japanese and Western-Style Meals

Dinner Spoon

"With the dinner spoon, my first thought was that the bowl of the spoon seemed pretty big, but I'd recommend the dinner size if you're eating dishes packed with ingredients, like curry or stew. I love dishes with big, chunky ingredients, so at our dinner table, the dinner spoon gets used more often. I think it's cutlery that suits both Japanese-style and Western-style dishes.

Also, since it's designed based on ergonomics, I found myself paying more attention than usual to the center of gravity when using Cutipol. And when I did, When holding it at the point where it felt most natural to hold, there was no wasted movement, and I could bring food to my mouth in the most natural way。

Staff member H says she always holds it around the marked area.

Since it's made of stainless steel and resin, the stainless steel part is heavier. So if you hold near the end of the handle, it's hard to keep your balance, and you naturally end up holding around the boundary between the stainless steel and resin, where balance is easier to maintain. This brings your hand closer to the food, which made it feel far easier to use than the cutlery I had before. I think anyone who uses it regularly will understand what I mean.

Even a plain white plate gains atmosphere the moment you pair it with Cutipol

Dinner Fork

"The refinement that only Cutipol has makes even a very simple dish look a little more elaborate, and I feel like I get to enjoy it visually.

For example, when I don't feel like cooking something with many steps or following a recipe, I often just make pasta using leftover vegetables from the fridge or canned tuna I keep on hand. Even if the result isn't exactly praiseworthy in appearance (laughs), simply changing the cutlery changes the mood."

＜Who and what dishes the dinner size is recommended for＞

・Those considering replacing their main cutlery

・Those planning to use it with multiple people, such as family

・Recommended for dishes with larger ingredients

Compact yet highly capable: the dessert size

"The dessert size is the one I originally used. What I felt was that it's small but performs its function well—truly capable—and because it's so light, it's easy to use casually."

A small pancake about 10cm in diameter, with a dessert fork and dessert knife.

"The lightweight knife is easy to handle and use casually. Even so, it cuts properly.I sometimes use it like a butter knife, and it's handy to have around when you want to cut something small. For those who want compactness without sacrificing functionality, or who often eat cake or fruit, I'd recommend the dessert size.

Also, personally, I love pairing it with cup ice cream. Even if it's not a fancy brand of ice cream, it lets you feel a little bit of luxury.It's wider than a typical dessert spoon, so it's easy to scoop up ice cream, which is another functional point I like."

Dessert Spoon

＜Who and what dishes the dessert size is recommended for＞

・Those who already own a different cutlery set

・Those who want to enrich their dessert time, or who are looking for small yet functional cutlery

・Recommended for fruit, ice cream, and pancakes

How should you distinguish between using dessert and dinner sizes?

Here they are side by side: the dessert size and the dinner size. Some people use dessert cutlery as their main cutlery.

Large plate: Hasu, 9-sun rim plate

Regular user of dessert and dinner sizes: Staff member H

"I think it's good to choose based on how you want to use the spoon and knife. The dinner spoon's bowl isn't oval-shaped—it's very close to round. For Japanese people, especially women, filling your mouth completely with it might feel a bit large. This is purely a personal impression, but if you're eating something with lots of ingredients, like curry or stew, the dinner size is easier to eat with, as I mentioned earlier. I think as long as you don't try to put the whole spoon in your mouth, it's fine.

The dessert spoon is a size you can comfortably fit in your mouth without straining, and it works for pudding and ice cream too, so I think it's quite versatile! It also has a longer handle than a typical dessert spoon, making it easy to hold, which is another nice point.

As for the knife, if you want to use it for meals like hamburger steak or steak, I think the dinner size is easier to use. When I used the dessert size for that kind of main dish, the knife felt too compact and hard to cut with. But for cutting something soft and small, like pancakes or French toast, I think the dessert size is more than enough."

Regular user of the GOA chopsticks, set of 2 pairs: Staff member M

"From Japanese dishes like sashimi and simmered dishes to Western dishes like hamburger steak, omurice, and fried shrimp, these chopsticks are so easy to use as dinner cutlery that I really appreciate how handy they are. In particular, whenever I invite people over, or when I cook a birthday or Christmas dinner at home and host a party, I always bring out these chopsticks.

Don't you sometimes hesitate to offer wooden chopsticks to other people? Maybe it's because Japanese people traditionally live with the custom of everyone having their own individual bowl and chopsticks, but with urushi (Japanese lacquer) bowls or wooden chopsticks that aren't meant for guests, I feel like the person being served might feel a little uneasy too. In that respect, Cutipol's chopsticks are made of stainless steel, so even after years of use they don't feel out of place, and I think both host and guest can enjoy the meal comfortably. I also like that their calm color looks lovely paired with any kind of plate."

Not bound by any particular genre, they're something you'll want to use for "everyday dinner"

"Because these chopsticks look so beautiful, like something you'd find used at a fine hotel or restaurant, you might feel tempted to save them for special occasions. But as someone who uses them regularly, I'd really recommend using them for 'dinner at home,' regardless of genre.

When eating out, the genre is usually fixed—"Italian," "French," "Japanese food," and so on. For Italian you get a fork and knife; for French, a fork, knife, and spoon among a wide variety of utensils; and in Japan, chopsticks. Each cuisine comes with cutlery suited to it. In everyday home dining, though, the genre isn't so clearly defined—chopsticks alone can be hard to use, a spoon alone can make eating difficult—so chopsticks and spoons often end up on the table together, don't they?

At times like that, I think stainless steel, Western-style chopsticks fit in better than wooden ones, andCutipol's chopsticks look wonderful even set alongside Western tableware and cutlery, so I thought it would be nice for people to use them whenever the mood strikes, regardless of the cuisine's genre. That said, I avoid using them for piping-hot soup dishes like ramen or udon (since stainless steel conducts heat better than wood, making it hard to slurp).」

Easy to use because the balance of the center of gravity is just right

「Compared to wooden chopsticks, they feel heavier, but because the balance of the center of gravity is well set, I found them easy to use regardless of the weight. During meals, they make it easier to pick up, pull apart, and cut food than lighter chopsticks do, and they're also good for grasping small pieces of food. That said, using them for every meal—breakfast, lunch, and dinner—might be a little tiring. I overwhelmingly use them at dinner.」

The dinner size comes in two types: with a box and without a box

The current lineup includes three boxed colors (BLACK, WHITE, BROWN), and in addition to these three original colors, GRAY is availableas a 6-piece set without a box.

Since there's no box, the price is a little lower, too, making it a good choice for home use. If you're selecting one as a gift, the boxed version can also be wrapped with noshi (Japanese gift wrapping paper), so please feel free to take advantage of that.

▼GOA Dinner Cutlery 6-Piece Set (No Box) Product page here