knife skills
Having great knife skills starts with understanding the parts of the knife!
The Parts of a Chef's Knife
1. The Point
The point at the very tip is used for piercing and scoring. It’s an important feature of a boning knife, where it’s used in a dagger fashion.
2. The Tip
The tip is the first third of the blade, used for fine slicing – for example, with garlic, onions and mushrooms.
3. The Blade
The blade is the main body of the knife and its size, shape and strength varies according to purpose. Edges can be straight, scalloped, serrated or granton. The oval depressions along the granton, often found on a carving or santoku knife, hold pockets of air, which stop thin slices of food from sticking to the blade.
4. The Belly or The Cutting Edge
The belly or cutting edge is the part that works hardest when you’re chopping and slicing. This area should be sharpened regularly.
5. The Spine
The spine is the top of the blade and can be held for better stability when finely chopping nuts or herbs, or for adding strength when slicing hard ingredients like butternut squash.
6. The Heel
The heel is the section of the blade closest to the handle. It’s the strongest part and the optimum area to use for shearing through tough ingredients.
7. The Tang
The tang is the part of the blade that extends into the handle. It isn’t always visible, but adds strength and balance to the knife. Look for ‘fully forged’, meaning that the blade and tang are made from one piece of steel.
8. The Bolster
The bolster is the thick piece of metal between the handle and blade, which adds weight and counter balance between the blade and handle.
9. The Handle
The handle is as vital as the blade and can be made from plastic, wood or metal. It should be comfortable to hold, so try it before buying.
how to chop like a pro
The Claw Method
Create a claw by curling your fingers together into a claw shape. Press the tips of your fingers (nails) against the food you are gripping and then lean your fingers slightly forward.
This way makes sure that your finger tips and thumb are tucked out of the way and won't get caught by the knife!
This way keeps food still so it can be cut safely. It is the best method to use when food needs to be cut into slices or diced.
If you are not ready to try this method, use a finger guard or cut resistant gloves to make chopping safer.
Always ask permission to use the knives, and ask for help from an adult if you need it.
Always be safe!
The Bridge Method
Create a bridge over the food with your hand. The fingers should be on one side and the thumb should be on the other.
Hold the food you are cutting between the fingers and thumb making a bridge.
The knife should go through the bridge to cut the food.
This method is great for rounded, more difficult foods to chops, like tomato and onion!
Always ask permission to use the knives, and ask for help from an adult if you need it.
Always be safe!
Warning!
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Always ask permission before using knives, and always get help from a responsible adult if you need it.
