Before technique, before recipes, before equipment — knife skills are the foundation of efficient, enjoyable cooking. A cook who can break down and prep ingredients quickly and precisely gains a massive advantage in the kitchen. Every restaurant cook spends hours during culinary training on nothing but knife work, for good reason.
Choosing a Knife
You need one good all-purpose knife more than you need a collection of mediocre ones. The most versatile knife is an 8-10 inch chef's knife (also called a cook's knife). For most tasks — chopping, slicing, dicing, mincing — this knife does everything. A secondary knife worth having: a paring knife for small, precise work.
Brands to consider: Wüsthof and Henckels (German, heavier), Shun and Global (Japanese, lighter with harder steel). The best knife is the one that feels comfortable in your hand. Handle width, balance, and weight are personal preferences.
The Most Important Thing: Sharpness
A sharp knife is safer than a dull one. Dull knives require more pressure and are more likely to slip. A properly sharp knife cuts with minimal force and goes exactly where you direct it.
How to maintain sharpness:
- Honing: Run the blade along a honing steel at a 15-20° angle, 5-6 passes per side, before each use. This realigns the edge without removing metal.
- Sharpening: When honing is no longer sufficient, use a whetstone or take knives to a professional sharpener. German knives: every 6-12 months. Japanese knives: less frequently but more carefully.
- Never put knives in the dishwasher — heat and movement damage edges. Hand wash only.
How to Hold a Knife
The pinch grip — not the handle grip — is what professionals use: grip the blade (not the handle) between the thumb and the side of the curled index finger, right where blade meets handle. Wrap remaining fingers around the handle. This gives far more control and reduces fatigue.
The Claw (Your Guide Hand)
The guide hand — the one holding the food — should form a "claw" shape: fingertips curled under, knuckles forward. The blade rides against the knuckles as a guide. This geometry makes it physically impossible to cut your fingertips. Practice this until it's automatic.
Essential Cuts
- Slice: Smooth, continuous motion, using the full length of the blade
- Chop: Repeated rough cuts for irregular pieces — onions for soup, herbs
- Dice: Uniform cubes — small dice (¼ inch), medium dice (½ inch), large dice (¾ inch). Always square the vegetable first by cutting a flat side, then cut into planks, sticks, and finally cubes.
- Julienne: Very thin matchsticks — cut planks very thin, then stack and cut into thin strips
- Chiffonade: Very thin shreds of leafy herbs or leaves — roll tightly and slice across
- Mince: Very fine cut, rocking motion with the tip of the knife anchored to the board
- Brunoise: Very small dice (⅛ inch) — from julienned strips, cut crosswise
💡 Knife Skills Tips
- A damp towel or a non-slip mat under your cutting board prevents dangerous sliding
- Cut off a flat side of round vegetables before cutting — a stable base is essential
- Uniform cuts cook evenly — practice sizing as much as speed
- When mincing garlic, the flat side of the knife and the heel of your palm first — crushing before mincing is faster
- Never leave knives in the sink — unseen, they're dangerous. Wash immediately and store on a magnet strip or in a block.