Equipment, Knife Skills and Cuts

Tools of the kitchen

A professional kitchen runs on the right equipment used well, and on knife skills that are quick, neat and above all safe. This module works through the toolkit: - Equipment: handheld tools, powered machines and cold storage.\n- Knives: naming the standard set and using them safely.\n- The cuts: the classic vegetable and fruit cuts and why they matter.\n- Safe practice: the holds and habits that protect your fingers. Sauces, pastry and baking, and the wider rules of food safety, are covered in other modules. Here the focus is equipment and knife skills.

Words for equipment and knives

Five terms you need before you use them. Learn what each one means.

Match each piece of equipment to its job

The bridge hold against the claw grip

Two safe holds cover almost all knife work. Knowing when to use each keeps your fingers well clear of the blade.

Which cut gives matchstick strips?

Which knife cut produces long, thin, matchstick-shaped strips of vegetable?

• Julienne
• Brunoise, which is a very small dice
• Chiffonade, which is thin ribbons of leaves
• Slicing into thick rounds

Tap the two safe knife habits

Tap the TWO habits that keep knife work safe.

• Keeping knives sharp and clean
• Using the claw grip to guide the blade
• Leaving a knife hidden in a sink of water
• Cutting towards your own hand

Using knives safely

A knife is the most used and most dangerous tool in the kitchen, so a few habits matter more than any other. Keep knives sharp: a sharp knife bites cleanly and is far less likely to slip than a blunt one. Work on a stable board, with a damp cloth underneath so it cannot slide, and use the bridge hold or the claw grip to keep your fingers clear. Carry a knife point down by your side, never wave it about, and never try to catch one that is falling: step back and let it drop. And keep a separate board for raw meat, so bacteria cannot spread to food that will not be cooked again.

Pick the true facts about kitchen skills

Select the TWO statements that are true.

• A sharp knife is safer than a blunt one
• The claw grip keeps the fingertips clear of the blade
• A blast chiller warms food up quickly
• Julienne means a very large, chunky cut

Order how to cut vegetables safely

Put the steps of cutting vegetables safely in a sensible order.

• Choose a sharp knife suited to the job
• Steady the board with a damp cloth underneath
• Hold the food with the bridge or claw grip
• Cut with steady, controlled strokes
• Clean the knife and board straight after

One board, done safely

Follow how a trainee cook prepared the vegetables for a dish neatly and safely.\n\nSetting up: she chose a sharp knife and steadied her board with a damp cloth so it could not slip. Holding safely: she tucked her fingertips under, with her knuckles guiding the blade, so the edge stayed well clear of her fingers. Even cuts: she sliced the carrot into thin matchstick strips, then turned some into a tiny, even cube, keeping every piece the same size so it would cook evenly. Finishing up: she wiped the knife and board clean straight away, and kept a separate board ready for raw meat. Neat, even cuts are not just for show: pieces of the same size cook at the same rate, which is why cooks practise them.

Complete the kitchen skills facts

The tools and machines used to prepare and cook food are called _____ equipment. A safe way to hold food with the fingers arched over it while the knife passes underneath is the _____ hold. A cut giving long, thin matchstick strips is a _____. A very small, even dice is a _____.

Build a kitchen skills point

Choose the words that complete this statement about safe knife work.

The kitchen skills run

Five questions on equipment and knife skills. Three lives.

Work safely in the kitchen

Read each situation and choose the safest action, then think about why.

• Your knife is blunt and keeps slipping off the vegetables. What is the safest fix?
• A knife slides off the counter as you reach for it. What should you do?
• You have just chopped raw chicken and now need to cut salad. What should you do?

Explain how to use kitchen equipment and knives safely

A new kitchen assistant is starting work. Explain how to use kitchen equipment and knives safely using what this module has covered.

• Explain what catering equipment includes, with examples
• Explain two rules for using knives safely
• Explain the bridge hold and the claw grip
• Explain two vegetable cuts and why even cuts matter
• Finish by explaining how to avoid spreading bacteria when cutting