Knife Skills: The Five Cuts That Cover Almost Everything
You do not need a brunoise or a tournee to cook well at home. The cuts that show up in nine out of ten recipes are dice, slice, mince, julienne, and chiffonade. If you can reliably produce these five, the rest of the kitchen opens up to you.
Start with grip. Pinch the blade with thumb and forefinger and curl your knuckles on the guiding hand into a claw. The knife rocks. You move the food. Keep your knife sharp, your board stable, and your cuts a similar size for even cooking. Speed will arrive on its own once your hands trust the motion.
Practice on cheap, forgiving food. A bag of onions is the best teacher in the kitchen. By the third bag, your dice will be square, your slices uniform, and your knife work will feel like part of the cooking instead of a chore that interrupts it.
