Notes on Use Food Preparation Equipment

Resource Description

Knives
Parts of a knife

Knife-handling techniques
* Grip: Hold the handle of a chef’s knife tightly with fingers curled and up against the
heel of the knife. Having a firm but relaxed grip on the handle of the knife will allow for
a more efficient cutting motion and will reduce the chances of the knife slipping,
thereby preventing accidents.
* Fingers of the free hand: These should be curled and used to hold the food in position.
The curled fingers should be held at a right angle to the cutting surface, with the blade
resting against the food and close to the knuckles of the hand. Move the free hand
back as you cut, to ensure your fingers are free from the blade.
* The blade: To use a chef’s knife efficiently, the whole blade should be utilised. The tip
of the knife is best used for fine work or cutting small items, the centre of the blade
should be used for slicing, and the heel is for working on harder, larger items of food
that require greater force.
Types of knives and their characteristics and use
* Chef’s knife: This knife is used for the majority of work in the kitchen. It’s used for
slicing, chopping and dicing food and is approximately 20-25cm in length.
* Paring knife: Used for fine work and for cutting and peeling vegetables and
approximately 7cm in length.
* Turning knife: Has a curved blade and is commonly used for turning vegetables such
as carrots or potatoes and to create garnishes. Turning vegetables are approximately
5cm in length.
* Boning knife: Has a thin, flexible blade, making it suitable for removing bones from
meat and poultry. The blade of a boning knife is narrow and approximately 12cm in
length.
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Monday, 25 July 2016
* Filleting knife: Has a long, flexible blade and is predominantly used for filleting and
skinning fish or filleting chicken. The blade of a filleting knife is narrow and
approximately 25cm in length.
Knives can be sharpened on a stone that is lubricated with water or oil.
Suitable cutting surfaces
* Yielding surface: Such as wood or high-density polyurethane plastic is a suitable
surface. Most establishments use a colour-coded system or polyurethane chopping
boards to reduce the risk of cross-contamination.
* Unyielding surface: Such as glass, ceramic or marble will damage and dull the blade of
the knife and may be slippery, which could lead to injury.
Safe work practices when using knives
* Always ensure a knife is sharp.
* Always cut away from yourself and curl the fingers of your free hand under to avoid
cutting fingers.
* When cleaning knives, never leave them in a sink of water or areas where they may be
hidden from view.
* Always clean and dry the blade of a knife with the cutting edge away from the palm of
the hand.
* Knives should be stored in an appropriate receptacle such as a knife block, magnetic
knife rack, a knife roll or a drawer with slots to protect the blade.