Gordon Ramsay’s Basic Knife Skills: How to Use a Knife
Written by MasterClass
Last updated: Dec 10, 2021 • 2 min read
If you’ve watched Top Chef or Chopped and wondered how those professional chefs got so great at chopping vegetables, wonder no more: the only thing between you and professional knife skills is a cutting board, a sharp chef’s knife, and practice. Chef Gordon Ramsay demonstrates the essentials of kitchen knife skills via this easy tutorial.
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Gordon Ramsay’s 5 Tips for Developing Good Knife Skills
From chiffonade herbs to julienne carrots and mincing alliums, these knife skills apply across the board.
- 1. Pay attention to correct finger placement. No chef wants a dull knife. If you want a sharp knife, you’ll have to sharpen your blade. When sharpening a knife, make sure your thumb is behind the guard of the steel sharpener. Never expose your fingers to the blade. Pay attention to the knife blade, and where the edge of the blade is at all times. Don’t forget the three finger rule when slicing: one in front (your middle) and two behind (your index finger and ring finger). For more, check out Gordon Ramsay’s list of essential kitchen knives.
- 2. Start with ‘easy’ vegetables and work your way up. Using soft veggies like zucchini and working your way up to harder vegetables like carrots, practice your knife skills by mastering the classic French vegetable knife cuts. A butternut squash is one of the most difficult vegetables to dice, but with Gordon’s method, you’ll be a pro in no time. Slowly, familiarize yourself with other cuts, like large dice, small dice, julienne, and more. Learn more about how to julienne in this comprehensive guide.
- 3. Practice your dicing and cubing techniques. In the mood for a snack? Whip up some sauteed asparagus. Check out Gordon’s recipe here. Ready to step it up? Why not try Gordon’s Turkish-spice roasted eggplant recipe with fresh basil and feta cheese?
- 4. Share your progress. Share photos of your completed dishes! Get creative with your presentation, especially with the appetizer, and remember to plate intentionally!
Whether you’re a home chef or working on honing your professional culinary abilities, consider investing in a good set of knives, including a paring knife, sharp chef’s knife, and utility knife, before working on your techniques. From properly cubed root vegetables to perfect matchstick carrots, improve your plating presentation by working on your knife skills. Chef Gordon Ramsay’s MasterClass covers the fundamentals of restaurant-style cooking at home. As Gordon says, “Holding a knife is like driving in a car; you’ve got to feel so comfortable behind that wheel, but, more importantly, you’ve got to relax your hands.”
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