You don’t need a culinary degree to handle a knife properly. A few basic techniques will make your prep faster, safer, and a lot less frustrating. Here are the five cuts I use almost every time I cook.
1. The Dice
Square, uniform pieces. Start by cutting your ingredient into planks, then strips, then crosswise into cubes. The key is keeping your fingers curled under (the “claw grip”) so the knife rides against your knuckles, not your fingertips.
2. The Mince
This is your go-to for garlic, shallots, and fresh herbs. Rock the blade back and forth, keeping the tip on the board. Gather, rotate, repeat until everything is finely chopped.
3. The Julienne
Thin matchstick strips. Great for stir-fries, salads, and garnishes. Cut your vegetable into 2-3 inch sections, slice into thin planks, then stack and slice into strips.
4. The Chiffonade
For leafy herbs like basil and mint. Stack the leaves, roll them into a tight cigar shape, and slice crosswise into thin ribbons. Makes a beautiful garnish.
5. The Bias Cut
Cutting at an angle. Use this on green onions, carrots, and celery when you want more surface area for sauces to cling to. Tilt the knife about 45 degrees and slice through.
Watch It In Action
This video from Tasty breaks down each basic knife cut with clear, up-close demonstrations:
Practice these five cuts and you’ll move through prep work twice as fast. Your future self will thank you.