Slice and Dice Like a Pro

Ever wanted to have the knife skills of a top chef? Like anything else, it's just technique and practice. The most important thing is a good knife. If your knife can lightly cut thin slices of tomato without pulling, tearing, or mashing the skin or meat (or turning the whole thing into sauce), then it's probably sharp. A good knife is important because it will grip the food. It won't send a carrot rolling, and will make cutting onions a more tear-free experience. For me, this was the kitchen skill I had to have. I learned it from watching and talking to chefs at restaurants where I've worked, and practiced it a lot.

Knife grip is key. Nothing makes you look like more of an amateur in the kitchen than holding a knife like Sylvester Stallone. The blade of the knife itself should be pinched between your thumb and index finger, right at the point where the steel touches the handle. The rest of your fingers will fall naturally on the handle.

By far the biggest trick though, lies in how you grip the food with your other hand. Chefs build up the confidence for that blinding speed by keeping their fingers out of the way. If you watch a chef chop, you'll see that the hand gripping the food is curled, with the fingertips behind the knuckles. The food is pushed forward with the fingertips and the knuckles touch the side of the knife. The knife never needs to come above the level of the knuckles and therefore, you should never cut yourself!

The motion you're going for with the slice is a rolling action from point to heel. The knife doesn't even have to leave the cutting board. A knife with a healthy amount of curve will make this easy, and will ensure that your knuckles aren't the first things to hit the cutting board. Practice will also teach you secrets of working with different foods. When cutting round foods for example, it's always a good idea to give them a flat side for stability. 

The truth? Every chef cuts themselves. Always be careful and focus on what you're doing. And yes, a good end grain cutting board makes a difference!

GG