The Right Tool for the Job

Chefs are artists. Like a painter with a brush, a chef's knife is an extension of the arm. The swift sound of a knife being honed on a steel gives chefs chills as they contemplate their first cuts, with surgeon like precision.



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Knifes are like any artist's tool. You need the right tool for the job. You would look downright silly trying to cut a watermelon with a paring knife. (Not to mention risking cutting your fingers off as well.) Knives come in certain shapes, sizes and styles for both cutting accuracy and safety. The following is a few basic knife types that you most likely have in your home, and ways to use them to their maximum efficiency.

Chef's Knife:

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A Chef's Knife, sometimes called A French Knife is the main knife used by chefs in the kitchen. This knife can be anywhere from 8 to 14 inches long and is used for slicing, mincing and chopping.

A Paring Knife:

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A paring knife is known as "The Baby Knife" to some people. It measures 3 - 4 inches and is perfect for smaller tasks such as garnishes and slicing smaller foods like strawberries. As mentioned before, do not use paring knifes for large jobs. It will take you all day as well as put you at risk to be cut.

Serrated Slicer:

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Believe it or not, working in gardemanger (cold food presentation), I use my serrated slicer more than any other knife. A lot of people think serrated slicers are for bread only, but this is not the case. Because of the scalloped edge, the rivets of this knife help to slice foods that may otherwise be bruised from a Chef's Knife. I use my serrated knife to peel large fruits such as honeydew and watermelon, slice tomatoes and Julienne bell peppers. It may take a minute to get used to using this knife for fruits and vegetables, but I promise it works!

Kitchen Steel:

A kitchen steel is for honing a knife, not sharpening it. When knives are sharpened on a wet stone, it brings metal imperfections to the surface. After sharpening, use a kitchen steel to hone the knife and smooth the imperfections. This will prolong the sharpness of the knife until the next sharpening. After honing, wipe blade clean on a damp towel, so that microscopic metal particles do not end up in your food.

These tools are required in all  kitchens. Keep your knives sharp and clean to keep both your fingers and your food safe. There will be articles following on knife cuts and knife safety. For now, just practice using the right knife for the right task and make your prep time much more simple!