Knife Skills

Question 1

Cutting food products into uniform shapes and sizes is important for two reasons:

Answer 1

1. It ensures even cooking.
2. It enhances the appearance of the product.

Question 2

Shred

Answer 2

to cut into thin strips

Question 3

Cut?

Answer 3

Lozenges

Question 4

Concasser

Answer 4

to chop coarsely

Question 5

Cut?

Answer 5

Tourner

Question 6

The Sharpening Stone

Answer 6

• Hold the blade at a constant 20-degree angle to the stone.
• Make light, even strokes, the same number on each side of the blade
• Sharpen in one direction only to get a regular, uniform edge.
• Do not oversharpen.
• Finish with a few strokes on the steel (see next slide), and then wipe the blade clean.

Question 7

Cut?

Answer 7

Oblique

Question 8

Mince

Answer 8

to chop into very fine pieces

Question 9

Cut?

Answer 9

Large Dice

Question 10

Cut?

Answer 10

Fermiére

Question 11

Chop

Answer 11

to cut into irregularly shaped pieces

Question 12

Cut?

Answer 12

Parisienne

Question 13

The Guiding Hand

Answer 13

•Proper positioning of the hand achieves three goals:

• Hold the item being cut.
• Guide the knife.
• Protect the hand from cuts.

Question 14

A proper grip

Answer 14

• Gives you maximum control over the knife.
• Increases your cutting accuracy and speed.
• Prevents slipping.
• Lessens the chance of an accident.

The type of grip you use depends, in part, on the job you are doing and the size of the knife.

• Many Chefs fell that grasping the blade with the thumb and forefinger gives the greatest control.

Question 15

Cut?

Answer 15

Julienne

Question 16

The Steel

Answer 16

• Hold the blade at a constant 20-degree angle to the steel, just as when using the stone.
• A smaller angle will be ineffective. A larger one will dull the edge.
• Make light strokes; do not grind the knife against the steel.
• Make even, regular strokes. Alternate each stroke, first on one side of the blade, then on the other.
• Use no more than five or six strokes on each side of the blade; too much steeling can actually dull the blade.
• Use the steel often; then, you will rarely have to sharpen the knife on the stone.

Question 17

Cut?

Answer 17

Medium Dice

Question 18

Cut?

Answer 18

Brunoise

Question 19

Cut?

Answer 19

Batonnet

Question 20

Cut?

Answer 20

Small Dice

Question 21

Cut?

Answer 21

Slicing aka Rondelle

• When food items are cut into round slices

Question 22

Cut?

Answer 22

Paysanne

Question 23

Emincer

Answer 23

to cut into very thin slices (does not mean “to mince”)