A good knife course?

[mlutzmann]

As an amateur chef in my own kitchen I find that the skill I would benefit most from is handling knives.

I'll be taking a full cooking course once I retire but at the moment only have time for short, specific learning.

Does anyone know if a course specific to this skill? It can be anywhere in the world as I could take it as part of a vacation.

[djyee100]

You haven't said what level of class you're looking for, but I'll make this suggestion anyway: An intro class in knife skills at Kitchen on Fire in Berkeley. http://www.kitchenonfire.com/schedules.php?m=6&y=2009 and

https://www.kitchenonfire.com/course_class.php?class=767

The next knife skills class will be held on June 4. KOF has given more advanced knife skills classes from time to time, but I didn't notice any when I glanced at the schedule. Maybe email KOF to inquire?

I used to assist Chef Mike C in cooking classes, and I still take class at KOF occasionally. I can vouch for the quality of Chef Mike C's teaching, and he's a wonderful person, too.

KOF is located next to Chez Panisse and across the street from the Cheese Board in the heart of the Gourmet Ghetto. So when your class is over, you can spend your time eating through the East Bay. Besides the Gourmet Ghetto, there's also the Rockridge Market Hall http://rockridgemarkethall.com/index.php, the Oakland Chinatown http://www.oaklandchinatownchamber.org/, the San Pablo Avenue shopping corridor http://www.sfgate.com/neighborhoods/eb/sanpablo/ (great for hard to find spices and ingredients), the Berkeley farmers markets http://www.ecologycenter.org/bfm/, the Solano Avenue shopping area http://www.solanoavenueassn.org/, and the Fourth Street mall http://www.fourthstreetshop.com/. If you ever find yourself bored with the East Bay, you can cross the Bay over to San Francisco, which is known to have a few interesting restaurants and shops.

[gfron1]

if you're looking for a course more than a vacation, start right here with Chad's knife class. I did that, but once I had his book my skills really took off.

[paulraphael]

I'd strongly recommend seeking out instruction from someone who has Japanese training. I learned all the traditional Euro cutting methods (like the ones in the EGCI course and in Chad's book) and practiced them for years. Now I almost never cut like that.

Japanese and Hybrid techniques let me cut faster, more precisely, with less damage to the food, and with better edge retention for the knife.

Unfortunately there's a dearth of good instructional information. Most of it gets taught from cook to cook. There's a book coming out this summer (announced on Amazon), but I have no idea how good it will be or how relevent it will be to non-Japanese cooking.

I'd love to see an updated to the EGCI taught by someone who's a master of the more refined techniques.

[Marlene]

There are some very good knife skills classes at ICE in New York. Institute of Culinary Education.

[kitchensqueen]

Here in Chicago we have a recreational cooking school called The Chopping Block - I took a knife skills class there that taught me all of the basics. Most major cities have schools/groups like this, so it shouldn't be hard to find.

For self-learning, I really like Pepin's book "Complete Techniques" - the step by step photos are quite helpful.

[paulraphael]

Here are some links to informal videos that show excellent cutting technique:

Hung from Top Chef

(includes tip chopping, forward push cutting, and using usu-zukuri on a raw hanger steak)

A chef

while making lunch and worshiping his expensive knife. He does a lot of classical cuts (julienne, etc.) but with more efficient techniques than the classical ones.

Another chef's full suite of cutting demos. Pay attention to how lightly he holds the knife, and also to the chive cutting technique, which is vastly better than what typically gets taught in cooking school.

And a book that's coming out soon ... no idea how it will be.

For the basic classical techniques, this book is pretty good. The attached DVD is great for things like butchering chickens, although for a lot of other skills the author's technique is oddly lacking.

Edited May 11, 2009 by paulraphael (log)