How to Master Basic Knife Skills - Knife Cuts 101

Summary

Chef Billy Parisi's video offers an in-depth tutorial on essential knife skills for cooking enthusiasts. He emphasizes the importance of selecting the right chef's knife, maintaining its sharpness, and proper knife handling to prevent injuries. The video demonstrates various cutting techniques, including brunoise, dice of different sizes, batonnet, julienne, rough chop, fine mince, and chiffonade, particularly for garnishes and specific dishes. Parisi encourages practice to master these skills, suggesting recipes like Chicken Detox Soup and Arroz con Pollo to apply these cuts.

Takeaways

• 🔪 The chef's knife, also known as a French knife, is the most commonly used knife in professional kitchens, suitable for a variety of tasks.
• ⚔️ A good chef's knife should be between 8 to 12 inches, with a sturdy handle and a thick blade, and is typically priced at $100 or more.
• 🚫 Japanese blades, like Shun knives, are very sharp but brittle, so they should not be used for cutting bones or hard items.
• 💧 Proper knife care includes hand washing with soap and water, avoiding the dishwasher, and regular sharpening with a steel or stone.
• 🤚 Correct knife handling involves pinching the blade with the thumb and pointer finger, which will eventually lead to the development of a protective callous.
• 🥕 For safety, always tuck in your fingertips when holding food while cutting, and let the blade run along the knuckles of your hand.
• 🔼 The brunoise cut is a small 1/8-inch cube, used for garnishes and in soups, requiring precise and even slicing.
• 🎲 Dicing comes in various sizes: small (1/4-inch), medium (1/2-inch), and large (3/4-inch) dice, each with specific uses in cooking.
• 🥔 Batonnet is a cut that is 1/4-inch by 1/4-inch by two inches long, often used as a garnish or in salads.
• 🥕 Julienne is a matchstick cut of 1/8-inch by 1/8-inch by two inches, used in dishes that require a consistent, thin, and long shape.
• 👨‍🍳 Practice is essential for mastering knife skills, with the culinary adage suggesting that one must perform a cut 1000 times to truly master it.

Q & A

What is the primary focus of Chef Billy Parisi's video?

The primary focus of Chef Billy Parisi's video is to demonstrate perfect knife skills that are essential for anyone who loves to cook.

Why does Chef Billy emphasize the importance of using the right knife?

Chef Billy emphasizes the importance of using the right knife because it is the most commonly used tool in cooking, especially in professional kitchens, and it's crucial for executing various knife skills effectively.

What is the chef's knife, also known as, and what are its typical dimensions?

The chef's knife is also known as a French knife, and it typically measures between eight and 12 inches in length.

Why does Chef Billy recommend against using a Japanese blade for certain tasks?

Chef Billy recommends against using a Japanese blade for tasks like hacking through bones because they are very sharp but brittle, which can cause the blade to chip.

How much does a good chef's knife usually cost, according to Chef Billy?

A good chef's knife will likely cost $100 or more, as mentioned by Chef Billy.

What are some ways to maintain a chef's knife as suggested by Chef Billy?

To maintain a chef's knife, Chef Billy suggests scrubbing it with soap and water by hand, not putting it in the dishwasher, and keeping it sharp by using a steel or sharpening stone.

How should one hold a knife properly according to the video?

One should hold a knife by pinching it by the blade using the thumb and pointer finger, allowing the top of the blade to push into the hand to develop a callous over time.

What is the brunoise knife cut and what is it typically used for?

The brunoise is a small 1/8-inch cube knife cut, often used for garnishes, consommes, soups, and other garnishing purposes.

What is the significance of tucking in fingertips when holding food while cutting?

Tucking in fingertips when holding food while cutting is significant for safety, as it prevents accidental cuts and provides better control over the food item.

What is the difference between a small dice and a medium dice cut?

A small dice cut is a 1/4-inch cube, while a medium dice cut is a 1/2-inch cube. Both are used in cooking for different textures and presentation.

What is a batonnet knife cut and what is it used for?

A batonnet is a knife cut that is 1/4 of an inch by 1/4 of an inch by two inches in length, typically used as garnishes or in salads and side dishes.

How does Chef Billy suggest practicing knife skills?

Chef Billy suggests practicing knife skills by starting with basic cuts and gradually moving onto more complex ones, emphasizing the importance of practice and using these skills in actual recipes.

Outlines

00:00

🔪 Introduction to Knife Skills

Chef Billy Parisi starts the video by addressing his viewers and expressing his intention to teach essential knife skills. He mentions that his subscribers overwhelmingly requested knife skills tutorials. Chef Billy emphasizes the importance of using the right knife, specifically the chef's or French knife, which is a versatile and essential tool in any kitchen. He shares his personal preference for a Shun knife, a Japanese blade, but cautions that it is brittle and not suitable for heavy-duty tasks like cutting bones. The chef also discusses the proper maintenance of knives, such as hand washing and sharpening, to ensure their longevity and sharpness. He introduces a tool used in culinary school for practicing knife cuts and shares a personal anecdote about his culinary school days, highlighting the importance of knife skills in a professional kitchen setting.

05:01

🥕 Knife Cut Techniques and Stories

Chef Billy Parisi continues the tutorial by demonstrating various knife cut techniques, starting with brunoise, a small 1/8-inch cube, often used for garnishes and soups. He shares a humorous story from his culinary school days about helping a shorter classmate with knife skills tests. The chef then moves on to teach how to make a small dice, a 1/4-inch cube, which is a common cut used frequently in cooking. He also covers medium dice, large dice, and batonnet cuts, each with specific measurements and uses. Chef Billy emphasizes safety while cutting, such as ensuring the food item does not rock during slicing, and he encourages practice to achieve mastery. He also briefly touches on the use of different cuts in various recipes, suggesting that practice should be integrated into cooking to avoid waste.

10:02

🥒 Advanced Knife Cuts and Culinary Tips

In the final part of the video, Chef Billy Parisi teaches more advanced knife cuts, including the julienne cut, which is an 1/8-inch by 1/8-inch by two-inch matchstick shape, ideal for garnishes. He also demonstrates a rough chop, which is a more casual cut used for stocks or purees where precision is not crucial. The chef then shows how to do a fine mince, a very small and even cut, perfect for garlic or garnishes like parsley. Lastly, he covers the chiffonade cut, specifically for herbs like basil, resulting in long, thin strips. Chef Billy concludes by encouraging viewers to practice these knife skills and apply them in recipes, recommending his Chicken Detox Soup and Arroz con Pollo recipes as practical applications. He ends the video on a motivational note, urging viewers to keep practicing to become proficient in knife skills.

Keywords

💡Knife skills

Knife skills refer to the techniques and proficiency required to use a knife effectively in food preparation. In the video, Chef Billy Parisi emphasizes the importance of these skills for anyone who loves to cook, highlighting that they are fundamental for various culinary tasks. He discusses different types of cuts, such as brunoise and dice, and demonstrates how to achieve them, showcasing the practical application of knife skills in cooking.

💡Chef's knife

A chef's knife, also known as a French knife, is a versatile and essential tool in a kitchen, typically between eight and 12 inches in length. It is characterized by a broad, sturdy blade that is ideal for a wide range of cutting tasks. In the script, Chef Billy mentions his preference for a chef's knife as the primary tool for any cooking event, indicating its central role in his demonstrations.

💡Brunoise

Brunoise is a specific knife cut that results in small, uniform 1/8-inch cubes. It is often used as a garnish or in dishes like consommés and soups for added texture and visual appeal. The video script describes how to achieve this cut by slicing and dicing a carrot into precise dimensions, illustrating the precision required in knife skills for culinary presentation.

💡Dicing

Dicing is the process of cutting food into small, uniform cubes. The video outlines different sizes of dice, from small (1/4-inch cubes) to large (3/4-inch cubes), each serving different culinary purposes. Dicing is showcased as a fundamental knife skill, with Chef Billy providing detailed instructions on how to properly hold the knife and food to ensure safety and accuracy.

💡Rock and roll technique

The rock and roll technique is a method of cutting where the knife is rocked back and forth while the blade is guided along the knuckles of the non-dominant hand. This technique is highlighted in the script as a key part of learning to dice and slice vegetables evenly. It is crucial for developing control and precision in knife skills.

💡Callous

A callous is a thickened area of skin that develops over time due to repeated pressure or friction. In the context of the video, Chef Billy mentions that a callous will naturally form on the hand that guides the knife, which is a normal part of developing knife skills and provides a protective layer.

💡Knife roll

A knife roll is a compact case designed to hold and organize a collection of knives. Chef Billy references his knife roll, indicating the variety of knives a chef might use and how they are carefully stored and transported. This reflects the professional aspect of knife skills and the investment in quality tools.

💡Sharpening

Sharpening refers to the process of maintaining the edge of a knife to keep it in optimal cutting condition. The script mentions the importance of keeping knives sharp, whether by using a honing steel or a sharpening stone. This is a critical aspect of knife care and is essential for both performance and safety in the kitchen.

💡Julienne

Julienne is a knife cut that results in long, thin strips, typically about 1/8-inch by 2 inches in size. It is used for vegetables like carrots and is a common preparation for salads and stir-fries. In the video, Chef Billy demonstrates how to achieve this cut, emphasizing the evenness and precision required for a professional presentation.

💡Mince

Mince refers to the process of finely chopping food into very small pieces. In the script, Chef Billy discusses the fine mince cut, which is used for ingredients like garlic and herbs to release their flavors. This technique is crucial for achieving a uniform texture in dishes and is an example of the detail-oriented nature of knife skills.

💡Chiffonade

Chiffonade is a specific knife technique used for leafy greens, such as basil, where the leaves are rolled and then thinly sliced into ribbons. This cut is used to create a decorative garnish and is highlighted in the video as a specialized skill that adds a finishing touch to dishes.

Highlights

Introduction to knife skills for cooking enthusiasts.

Chef Billy Parisi emphasizes the importance of the chef's knife in professional kitchens.

Discussion on the proper maintenance of a chef's knife, including cleaning and sharpening techniques.

The use of a knife roll and sheaths as a professional chef's tool.

Demonstration of the correct way to hold a knife for precision and safety.

Technique for tucking fingertips to prevent accidents while cutting.

Instruction on the rocking motion used for slicing vegetables.

Explanation of brunoise cut, a small 1/8-inch cube, used for garnishes and soups.

Culinary school experience and the importance of knife skills in professional training.

Transition to small dice cut, a 1/4-inch cube, commonly used in various recipes.

Medium dice cut, a 1/2-inch cube, and its versatility in cooking.

Large dice cut, a 3/4-inch cube, suitable for hearty soups and chunky dishes.

Advice on practicing knife cuts to achieve mastery.

Introduction to batonnet cut, a 1/4x1/4x2-inch piece, used for garnishes and salads.

Julienne cut, an 1/8x1/8x2-inch matchstick shape, used in salads and as a garnish.

Rough chop technique, suitable for stocks and dishes that will be pureed.

Fine mince cut, used for garlic and garnishes like parsley.

Chiffonade cut, specifically for herbs like basil, resulting in long, thin strips.

Encouragement to practice knife skills and incorporate them into recipes for practical improvement.

Transcripts

(upbeat music)

- What's up, commis?

Chef Billy Parisi here,

and today I'm gonna show you those perfect knife skills

that all people who love to cook should know how to do.

I posed out the question,

"What would you like to see me do in some of these videos

"that are for you, for the subscribers?"

And an overwhelming majority of y'all said, "Knife skills."

There are a few other ones in there that we'll get to

in some other videos,

but for now we're gonna focus in on knife skills.

And yes, I do not have a hat on today.

I actively try to cover up the gray hair,

which is coming in way too fast these days,

so no hat, I got hair, it's getting gray,

that's all it is to it.

Let's get into, first of all,

using the right knife to do this.

As you can probably guess, I've got a ton of knives.

I come in everyday, I unroll my knife roll,

and I pull out the knives

that I think I'm gonna use that day.

And of course, the number one knife that I always pull out

is my chef's knife, or French knife.

This is in between eight and 12 inches,

gotta nice handle, it's pretty thick in the blade,

and this is your absolute kitchen tool.

This is the thing you bring to any cooking event.

It's the first knife you pull out of your drawer to use.

It's the most commonly used knife out there,

and especially in professional kitchens.

There are, obviously, a bunch of different brands,

a couple different styles out there.

This is a Shun knife.

It is a Japanese blade.

The only issue, I would say, with these,

is they're so sharp they're brittle,

so you can't like hack through bones

if you're trying to carve up a chicken

or anything like that, because it could chip.

So any good chef's knife will probably run you $100 or more.

You take care of it by scrubbing it with soap and water

in your hands, not putting it in the dishwasher,

keeping it sharp, whether it's running it on a steel,

or sharpening it on a stone.

This is the knife you use, and if you've seen my knife,

which has kind of a funky handle,

and it's made of carbon steel, it's incredibly sharp,

that's the one, obviously, we are gonna use for today.

And yes, you may be laughing right now,

because I do have a knife roll

and knife sheaths that say Dexter.

I don't think it's affiliated with that show,

and no, I'm not a crazy psycho killer vigilante person.

I think it's just coincidence.

Or maybe they sold it, and I just like,

I don't know, anyways.

What we wanna do is get into some knife cuts,

and a really cool little tool here,

which sort of just shows all the different measurements,

whether that's the size, the width, the length,

this is a cool tool if you're really serious

about knife cuts.

We carry this thing around everyday in culinary school.

We were tested on knife cuts everyday,

so it's something that I pride myself on,

is having nice knife cuts, and hopefully,

over time, after tons and tons of practice yourselves,

you'll get it, too.

So to perfectly hold that knife, what you do wanna do

is grab it and pinch it by the blade

using your thumb and your pointer finger.

So that means the top of the blade

will be pushing into right here on your hand,

and over time you will develop a callous here,

because you will be pushing and rocking that knife

onto hard or difficult items.

It builds up over time, it's totally normal,

don't freak out, you're gonna have a callous.

Sorry.

So once you sort of pinch it, now let's practice cutting.

The most important piece, outside of even holding the knife,

is what you're gonna do with that other hand

that's holding that food.

You always want to tuck in your fingertips,

and then simply practice rocking that knife

back and forth.

You can do this on a carrot, on any other vegetable,

celery, does not matter.

Let that cold steel of the blade run on the knuckles

of your hand that's holding the food item.

Just rock it, just practice rocking.

Maybe you're gonna do 10 or 15 carrots

just to get comfortable doing this.

This is how you slice.

And now that you've had a ton of practice slicing,

let's get into the first one called brunoise,

which is a small 1/8 of an inch cube.

A smaller one, which is a 1/16 of an inch cube,

known as fine brunoise, or us, in the culinary world,

used to call it a brunoisette,

but you're never gonna use that.

You may use a brunoise.

It's a lot of times used for garnishes,

and like consommes, soups and other things,

or just, in general,

just a garnish you wanna sprinkle some stuff over.

Anyways, let's get into it.

I'm going to be using a carrot.

You can use a potato or something like that.

We're gonna sort of trim off the sides of the carrot

on every single side,

so that it sort of lays flat

and doesn't rock when we're trying to slice it.

That's how accidents happen.

Once you get to that point, go ahead and slice in

of what you think is an 1/8 of an inch.

You can use your trusty tool

if you're not sure what an 1/8 of an inch looks like,

and then once you slice all the way down,

simply stack up a few of those layers,

do the same thing, an 1/8 of an inch over,

and then turn it, and using that rocking slicing motion,

get you another 1/8 of inch,

until you get a perfect 1/8 of an inch cube,

which is known as the brunoise.

And a super funny story, when I was in culinary school,

especially the first part, called basics,

we all had partners.

Everyone had to sort of partner up with another person,

and mine was a guy named David.

And I'm like six two, six three with clogs on,

like six four or six five, I'm a pretty tall dude.

My partner was like, four ten, four eleven, max.

He was a pretty short guy.

And we had knife skill cut tests every single day,

and man, he was not too great at knife cuts,

so I would sort of cut it up little bit

and scrape it onto his cutting board,

making sure no one saw me,

so he could take it up to the chef and hopefully pass it,

but always kinda did that to help him out, man.

What are you gonna do?

I don't know.

So now that we've got this brunoise,

let's move onto a small dice,

because this is something we are gonna use all the time.

Just like with a carrot or potato,

cut off the ends to make sure it will lay flat again.

You need to do this, or else it's gonna move

and rock around, and you might get cut,

and I don't wanna be the one responsible for that.

So once you get it to that point,

slice in about a 1/4 of an inch.

Turn it, stack it up, do another 1/4 of an inch,

and then turn it again,

and then do that rocking motion

till you get a nice 1/4 inch cube.

These are beautiful.

This is perfect, exactly what we're looking for.

Onto the next one, my friends.

We are next gonna do a medium dice,

which is probably the first or second most dice

that I use in all of my cooking.

In the exact same way of cutting off the ends,

instead this time what we're gonna do

is go in a 1/2 inch.

So once you are to that consistency, again,

layer it up, do another 1/2 inch, turn it, 1/2 inch.

Beautiful medium diced cubes.

Practice it, know it, love it, use it.

Now onto a large dice, which is oftentimes used

in soups, very hearty, very chunky.

I actually don't use large dices too often,

but we're gonna upgrade to a potato,

because the carrots aren't wide enough to do this.

So same thing with the potato

that you did with the carrot,

knock off the ends to make sure that it sits flat

on your cutting board,

so that it does not rock back and forth.

Once you're there, we are going to measure

3/4 of an inch wide.

You can use your tool.

Place it over to best gauge where you think that is,

and then simply slice it, fold it over,

give another slice at the 3/4 inch, turn it,

then get beautiful 3/4 cubes.

And I do have to say that your first time doing this,

it's not going to be perfect.

This stuff takes practice.

I mean, they say in the culinary world

once you've done it 1000 times, you've mastered it,

so you've got a lot of practice to do, my friends,

before you start mastering and perfecting

a lot of these knife cuts, but you will get it.

Start somewhere, start practicing it,

start, you know, practice holding that knife,

rocking it back and forth.

You're going to get it.

Okay, a few more knife cuts.

And now onto the batonnet.

What we wanna do is make sure

it is a 1/4 of an inch by a 1/4 of an inch

by two inches in length,

so I'm gonna sort of cut off the ends of the potato here.

You can use a carrot again.

And then just in that same manner,

do a 1/4 of an inch down, turn it, 1/4 of an inch down.

Boom, you've got your batonnets.

These are great little garnishes,

or just fun ways to cut up vegetables to use.

These probably aren't used too often, it's pretty thick.

Maybe in a salad or on the side, serving of vegetables.

Let's move on to one of the more popular ones,

which is julienne, which is an 1/8 of an inch

by 1/8 of an inch by two inches, in the exact same manner.

I'm gonna use a carrot this time.

Obviously, once the ends are flattened out,

slice it in an 1/8 of an inch, turn it, 1/8 of inch.

Boom, you've got beautiful sort of matchstick carrots.

If you're way too lazy to do this,

you can get them from the grocery store,

but I will judge you.

Don't do it, do it yourself.

Get the practice, learn how to do it, my friends.

Okay, so now that you've got your basic knife cut skills,

I'm gonna give you a bonus of three more,

starting with the rough chop.

Here's what a rough chop is.

It's whatever you need it to be.

This is what goes into stocks or,

if you're gonna puree up something,

it doesn't quite matter what the size

or shape of it is.

So, for a potato, I just simply slice across

as best I can, turn it, slice it again.

I mean, it is not gonna be pretty,

it's not meant to be pretty.

Turn it, slice it again.

I got some odd shaped cubes here.

That, my friends, is basically what a rough chop is.

Let's move onto the next one, which is a fine mince,

which I do say often.

This can be used for garlic or garnish,

like, this is what parsley is usually used for,

the knife cut that it takes to get there, a fine mince.

So just folding up the parsley,

just rock that knife back and forth,

tucking in those fingers, and then once you're here,

really just mince away,

rocking that knife back and forth

from one side to the other,

and then from back to front.

It's gonna be a beautiful, beautiful little garnish.

You can see how finely minced in size they are, boom.

And then the last one, chiffonade.

This is really only applied to basil,

so pick some basil leaves off.

Next you want to stack them up.

Next simply roll it up, and then julienne.

That same motion of rocking the knife,

and you have nice long strips of basil.

This is really the only herb that you'll ever do this on.

But now that you have these knife cut skills,

you need to practice them,

and you need to practice putting them in recipes,

so you're not just throwing away vegetables all day

while trying to get the perfect knife cut.

The first one, check out my Chicken Detox Soup.

Lots of nice fine mince,

and medium and small dice cuts of vegetables in there,

and then the other one is the Arroz con Pollo.

I do a lot of small dicing in there.

Once you get it hooked up,

you are gonna be in great shape with knife cuts, my friends.

I'll see you guys on the next video.