Ask a cook which knife they would keep if they could have only one. The answer is usually a chef's knife. It cuts, chops, slices and minces. With the flat of the blade it can even crush and grind.
Here are 11 ways to use one, each with a short video. New to chef's knives? Start with how to hold a chef's knife safely.
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1. The chef's cut
The basic cut. Put the tip of the blade on the board and push the knife forward through the food. Lift the handle on the way back, and repeat. It takes a little practice, but you will use it every day.
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2. Chop
Move the blade straight up and down, using the flat part of the edge near the handle. This gives a clean, straight cut. For a more classic chop, move the knife a little back and forth as it comes down, so you cut at an angle.
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3. Rock
Rest your free hand flat on the spine for extra control. The curve towards the tip lets you lift the handle while the tip stays on the board. Rock from heel to tip.
Good for chopping fresh herbs fine. It is also a safe way to break down hard veg like sweet potato.
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4. Julienne and dice
Julienne means thin, even strips. Dice means even cubes. Both take patience, and a sharp knife helps a lot.
Tip: use the side of the blade to push your pieces square. That gives you a straight line to cut from, so every piece ends up the same size.
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5. Peel
Yes, you can peel with a chef's knife. To be honest, a peeler often works better. But if you have no peeler at hand, move your hand from the handle up to the blade for more control.
It takes some skill. Done right, you get a nice straight cut, for example on a cucumber.
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6. Fillet
The pointed tip and curved edge let you fillet fish, or take meat and poultry off the bone. You can even remove the skin from fish by laying the knife flat.
Go easy on bones: cut around them, not through them. Twisting a blade in bone can chip the edge.
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7. Score
The sharp tip is good for piercing and scoring. Scoring salmon skin, for example, gives you crispier skin on the grill.
Hold the knife almost upright. Push down until the tip just goes through the skin. Then drag the tip towards you. Keep the cut shallow.
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8. Mince
Steak tartare, salmon tartare or minced meat: a chef's knife can do it. For a fine mince, keep rocking the knife until it is as fine or coarse as you like. For a classic tartare, slice it into small, even cubes instead.
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9. Crush
A chef's knife does more than cut. The flat of the blade crushes garlic and ginger. Lay the blade flat on a garlic clove and press down hard on the side with the heel of your hand.
It is quicker than a garlic press, and you have one less thing to wash up.
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10. Bruise
Many herbs and aromatics release more flavour when you bruise them. For this you use the spine, the back of the blade. Tap lemongrass a few times with the spine to soften it. The same works for rosemary, sage, ginger and garlic.
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11. Grind
You can even crush hard spices. Lay the knife flat over a few peppercorns. Press down hard on the side of the blade and rock the handle from side to side.
Tip: add a pinch of salt. It acts as a scrub and speeds things up.
Not the whole story: this list is not complete. A chef's knife does a lot, but some jobs are easier with a specialist knife. Our knife buying guide shows which knife suits which job.
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