Cutting up food into uniform pieces is one of the most important skills to master in cooking. And once you learn to use an all-purpose chef's knife, it's easier than you think.
I like to tell that the knife is the original food processor. It can slice, mince, chop, crush, tenderize, and scoop up food - and you can even use the end of the handle to grind spices. Complement it with a smaller paring knife for finer cutting and making garnishes, and you'll be ready for just about anything.
Getting a Grip
Hold the knife in your writing hand. Move your hand all the way up the handle so that your thumb is on one side of the blade and your index finger on the other side. Curling your index finger slightly, grasp the blade firmly between your thumb and index finger. This may feel a bit strange at first, but once you get used to it, you'll find that grasping the blade in this way gives you much more control than simply wrapping all your fingers around the handle.
Use your free hand to hold the food in place, curling your fingertips under. Use the flat side of the blade alongside the first knuckles of your free hand, and as you slice or chop, slide your free hand along to guide the blade and keep it vertical. To avoid cutting yourself, never uncurl the fingers of your free hand, and never raise the blade higher than the first knuckle. Try not to wiggle the blade while cutting. Use a firm downward and slightly forward motion
Wok On!
