What Are You Holding A Knife
If you want to improve your knife skills and stay safer in the kitchen, it all starts with holding your blade properly. Adjusting your grip on a knife will let you make more controlled, efficient, and quicker cuts. The proper way to hold a knife is one of the first lessons taught in many culinary arts programs.
Pinch grip or blade grip is a technique where youre gripping the blade between your forefinger and thumb. To determine what others consider the gold standard, I spoke with 30 experts, including chefs, culinary instructors, food stylists, and cookbook authors, who wield their knives on a daily basis. I also asked them to send photos of themselves holding their knives.
It feels natural to put your forefinger on top of the blade of the knife, but in reality, it's not a safe way to hold a knife. It may feel like that finger on top is stabilizing the knife, but it's actually taking away from your overall grip control, making it easier to slip. In this article, well break down the core knife-holding technique, show you how to protect your guide hand, highlight mistakes to avoid, and reveal why the knife you choose makes all the difference.
In order to use your kitchen knives safely, you many need to change how you hold them! Learn two safe ways to hold a knife here. There are a few ways to hold a knife correctly. The first is, with the dominant hand, take the thumb and forefinger and pinch the blade (the back part of the blade), and the last three fingers curl around the handle.
Yes, there are several safety precautions you should take when holding a knife, including wearing protective gear, such as a cut-resistant glove, and keeping your fingers curled under and out of the way of the blade. We pulled together these simple step-by-step expert knife skills youll want to commit to memory. I promise youll have zero intimidation (plus 10 fingers) at the start and finish.
How you hold the knife informs not just how much control you have, but also the cutting motion; getting the right grip can completely transform how you chop and prep food. A lack of control over your knife is dangerous under any circumstances but especially if you're chopping fast.
