Basic Knife Skills

HOLDING A CHEF'S (COOK'S) KNIFE

The bolster of the knife is its balance point. For maximum comfort, control and leverage, grip the Chef's knife around its bolster as shown in the diagram. Your last three fingers should wrap around the handle. Your thumb and index finger should be on opposite sides of the blade. When gripping the knife in this manner, it will work as an extension of your hand reducing fatigue while improving slicing and mincing efficiency. Most knives work best with a forward cutting motion, rather than a straight up and down motion. This allows the sharp edge and the weight of the knife to do the work. Initiate the cut with the tip of the knife and push forward across the food until you reach the heel of the knife. Follow all the way through the cut to achieve a fluid motion. If you reach the heel of the knife before completing the cut, pull straight back and repeat the forward motion. If you find yourself pushing down on the food or needing a lot of effort then chances are your knife is dull.

THE GUIDING HAND

Your other hand plays a key role when cutting foods. It stabilizes the food you are cutting, guides the knife and determines the size of your cut. Make certain that your fingers are curled inwards and your thumb is tucked un-derneath. The side of the blade should rest against your knuckles but the blade itself should NEVER touch them. Take it slowly at first. With time and practice, your speed will increase.

TECHNIQUE 1: CUTTING LARGE ITEMS - Eg: Potato or Onion

STEP 1

technique1_step1 Start with the tip of the blade on the object

STEP 2

technique1_step2 Push forward on the blade across the food

STEP 3

technique1_step3 Continue slicing until you reach the heel of the knife

TECHNIQUE 2: CUTTING SMALLER ITEMS - Eg: Parsley or Celery

STEP 1

technique2_step1 Start with the tip of the blade on the cutting board

STEP 2

technique2_step2 Push forward on the blade across the food

STEP 3

technique2_step3 Continue slicing until you reach the heel of the knife

TECHNIQUE 3: MINCING FOODS - Eg: Herbs or Garlic

STEP 1

technique3_step1 Place your guiding hand at the top of the blade and push down the knife

STEP 2

technique3_step2 Pivot the knife repeatedly along its curved edge. The knife should never lift off the cutting board

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