6. Knife Skills

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A chef’s knife is the single most important tool in your kitchen. It’s one of the few things you’ll use pretty much every time you cook, so it’s crucial to learn how to use it properly.

Good knife skills do two things— they help you cook more easily and efficiently, and they help you stay safe while doing so. Luckily, knife skills don’t have to be overly complicated, and most home cooks don’t need to worry about knowing all kinds of specific cuts or techniques.

Here we’re going to focus on the 80/20 of knife skills— how to hold the knife properly, how to keep your fingers safe, how to do some basic cuts, and how to care for your knives. Master these basics and you’ll see a big difference in your cooking process and results.

There are a ton of different knife brands, companies, manufacturers, and styles to consider. You can find a more detailed breakdown of my favorite knives in the knife section of the Essential Tools and Equipment lesson.

That said, it’s worth going to a knife store (Williams Sonoma and Sur La Table have good selections) to get hands-on with some different knives before you buy.

Broadly speaking, I categorize knives into two major types— German-style knives and Japanese-style knives. Japanese knives are lighter, more balanced, and arguably a bit more fragile. German knives are sturdier, heavier, and a bit more durable. I personally prefer Japanese knives, but I know many people who prefer German. My recommendation is to go to a knife store and feel them out. Even if you don’t actually make a purchase there, you’ll get a sense for the knife type, style, handle design, and blade shape that feels best for you.

1. Use A Sharp Knife

Not only is a sharp knife more effective than a dull one, it’s actually safer. The vast majority of knife injuries happen because of dull knives. Dull knives require more force, which increases the risk of slipping and cutting yourself.

Sharp knives, on the other hand, are a pleasure to work with. They’re extremely effective, and they’re easy to use safely if you know some basic techniques.

2. Stabilize Your Cutting Board

Before you even begin using your knife, you want to make sure that you have a steady, flat surface to cut on. It doesn’t matter how good your knife skills are— if your cutting board slips out from underneath you, you’re likely to get injured.

To prevent this, you always want to set up your cutting board on a flat surface, and you want to use a damp towel or paper towel underneath the board. This keeps the board in place so that it doesn’t move around as you’re cutting on it. It’s a simple step that can prevent the vast majority of knife injuries.

3. Use The Pinch Grip

One of the biggest mistakes I see beginner cooks make it holding their chef’s knife wrong. Most beginners grip the knife just on the handle, or they grip the handle and place their pointer finger along the top of the blade. Neither of these are ideal.

Next time you’re at a restaurant, look into the kitchen— you’ll see the chefs using something called the pinch grip or the blade grip.

You want to grip the knife on the blade itself, just above the handle. You can see how it looks in the photos below. This gives you far more control and dexterity while using the knife, so it’s both safer and more effective. It may feel a bit weird at first, but once you get used to it you’ll never go back. I promise.

4. Use The Claw

Now that you’ve got your knife with the pinch grip in one hand, the claw is how you protect your other hand while cutting.

You want to angle your fingers slightly in and away from the blade while you’re holding the food (this looks like you’re forming a claw with your hand) to protect them as the knife slices through. You can see how this looks in the photos below.

Because your knife is such an important kitchen tool, it’s worth learning how to care for it properly. That way you can not only feel good buying a high-quality knife, but you’ll also be able to get a lot more longevity out of it.

Cleaning

Knives should be washed by hand and dried immediately. Don’t put your knives in the dishwasher— it’s much too rough of a clean for them and can result in damage. You also shouldn’t let your knives sit wet for too long, as this can cause them to rust. And especially don’t let them sit in a sink— this can damage the blade and is super dangerous if anyone unknowingly reaches in and grabs it.

Knife cleaning is more about the don’ts than anything else. Wash it with warm soapy water, dry it immediately, and you’re good to go.

Storage

You want to store your knives in a way that protects the blade. The best options for this are a knife block, a magnetic strip, a blade guard, or a dedicated knife dock. Just don’t leave your knives loose in a drawer— you’re asking for trouble.

Honing

Honing is the process of using a honing steel to maintain your knife’s edge in between sharpenings. Contrary to popular belief, a honing steel doesn’t actually sharpen your knives— it just helps keep them sharper for longer.

Honing steels are easy to use, and a few passes before you use your knife will make a big difference in the longevity of its edge. Here’s a quick video showing how to use one from knifemaking legend Bob Kramer.

Sharpening

If you want to take your sharpening into your own hands, I recommend buying a pair of whetstones. Whetstones are more gentle on knife blades than other sharpening devices that are sold, and they give you much more control. Most sharpening devices are rough on your blades and will actually degrade the quality of your knives over time.

Whetstones are a sustainable, proper option, but they require a little investment of time into the learning process. If you do go this route, spend 30 minutes watching this video to get the knowledge and technique necessary to do it right.

The best option for most people is to simply take your knives to get professionally sharpened. I recommend doing this at least every six months or so. Even though I own whetstones and sharpen my knives at home, I sometimes get lazy and still take them to a professional sharpener who I know will do an incredible job.

Just Google knife sharpening services in your area— most cities have them. If you can’t find a service locally, KnifeAid does knife sharpening by mail, and some brands (like Shun) will also offer that option.

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