2. Parts of a knife
Knives are divided
into 2 sections –
1. The blade
2. The handle
3. Tip:
Used for slicing and handling small items such as
shallots, mushrooms, and onions.
Edge:
This is where all of the work takes place, the part you
cut with.
Spine:
Smooth top part of the knife. It allows you to grip the
knife between the thumb and forefinger for good
control during cutting and chopping.
4. Heel:
Last few inches of the cutting edge. This part of the
blade is used when maximum leverage is needed or
for heavy cutting tasks.
Bolster:
Part between the blade and the handle that assists in
the balance of the knife.
Tang:
Metal that extends into the handle. On a good knife,
the tang will extend all the way to the butt of the
handle, and the rivets will go through the tang
(known as a full tang). This helps create a well
balanced knife.
6. Chef's Knife
The most versatile knife in the kitchen.
Makes slicing, dicing, mincing and chopping
fun. Chef's knives are usually 6” - 12” long
with 8” being the average.
7. Boning Knife
A thin bladed knife used for removing the
bones of poultry, meat, and fish. The blade
is generally 6 inches long and may be rigid
or flexible.
8. Slicer
Has a very thin, sharp edge that quickly and
easily cuts meats and fish without tearing. It
comes especially handy during the holiday
season to carve the perfect turkey.
9. Serrated Bread Knife
Commonly known as a bread knife. It is
purposely designed with a long serrated blade
and a blunt end. The teeth (serrations) allow it
to cut bread using less vertical force, which
keeps the bread from being compressed or
crushed. It is the best knife available for angel
food cake.
10. Paring Knife
Perhaps the most versatile of knives. It is a short knife
with a 2 to 4- inch long blade. Because it is designed
for peeling and trimming fruits and vegetables, the
paring knife's edge must be kept sharp. These knives
are also used for carving specialty shapes and
garnishes.
11. Steel
A steel is used to hone, not sharpen,
knives. It is made of hard, high-carbon
steel or ceramic. It comes as a long, tapered, round
rod, but some people prefer the flat model.
Use a steel on a knife before each use and
throughout food preparation to keep the blade razor
sharp.
To use a steel, hold the knife at a 20° angle and pull
across in a swift motion from the heel to the tip of
the knife 6 to 8 times, alternating sides.
12. Knife sharpening
Honing using a steel
Hold the steel at an angle of 45 degrees with your
thumb facing upwards on the handle.
Maintain an angle of 10 degrees against the steel.
Using a slicing motion, move the knife against the
steel along its full length. Work from the heel of the
knife to the tip.
Stroke the other side of the knife against the steel the
same way. Two or three strokes each side should be
enough.
Wash and dry the knife carefully.
13. Knife sharpening continued...
Sharpening using a stone
Put the stone securely lengthwise on a bench. A folded
damp cloth under it will stop it from slipping.
Smear the stone with water, oil or detergent – depending
on the type.
Hold the knife at 10 – 15 degree angle to the stone.
Use long even strokes to move the knife along the whole
length of the stone. Work the knife from heel to tip and
alternate between sides.
Clean the knife under cold running water to wash off
grindings.
Dry knife carefully.
14. Knife safety
Always use the correct knife for the job
Knives should always be kept sharp, blunt knives can cause
injury due to excessive pressure applied to the knife
The tip of the knife should ALWAYS point down when
carrying a knife
A knife should be placed flat on a chopping board when
not in use
Knives should be washed and wiped from the back of the
knife
Knives should be put away immediately after use
Knives should never be left in a sink of water
15. Precision cutting
This is the cutting of food, usually vegetables, into specific
sizes and shapes in order to garnish/enhance the
presentation of food.
Julienne – long thin matchstick strips (3mm x 3mm x
40mm)
Brunoise – very fine dice (3mm) [cut julienne first then
dice]
Jardinière – batons (4mm x 4mm x 20mm)
Macedoine – large dice (8mm dice)
Paysanne – thin slices (shapes vary)
Chiffonnade – very fine shredding (lettuce, herbs etc)
16. Rough cutting
This is the coarse cutting of food, usually
vegetables that are not directly used for
service i.e. Vegetables for stock, stew,
soups.
•Mirepoix is an
example of a rough
cut/dice and usually
consists of onions,
carrot, celery and leek.
