Class In Session: The Chopping Block (Knife Skills)

By Carrie Becker in Food on Jun 11, 2010 4:00PM

$A line-up of knives every homecook should have on hand, according to Chef Carrie Bradley (from left to right): Chef knife (8\" or 10\"), bread knife, boning knife and utility knife.$

Chef Carrie shows how to properly hold a knife. Your index finger should grip ahead of the handle and over the top of the blade.

This long steel rod helps hone your knife. It does not actually sharpen but optimizes an already sharp knife.

After about 6 months of new knife use either take your knives in for sharpening or use a sharpener like this one made from diamond. Ideally, knives should be sharpened every month, if you cook most days of the week.

$We don\'t recall what this fun diagram is called but culinary students get to know it very well when taking regular knife skills tests throughout culinary school.$

As you can see, we still need some work on our knife skills. This is a very common problem for righties like us. Its natural for your body to lean to the left causing more diagonal cuts versus straight cuts.

In the next series of photos we show you how to chop a pepper. Step 1: Cut the bottom of the pepper to create a sturdy base.

Step 2: Cut down the side of the pepper without cutting through the core. Repeat on all sides.

Step 4: To remove any remaining white or lighter portions of the core, lay the pepper flat then carefully move the knife across the inside of the pepper.

Clean pepper - a work of art! (In our eyes.)

To avoid chopping off your finger tips, create a loose fist then extend your middle finger knuckle closer to the blade to act as a guide as you chop.

This is a perfect cut for stews or roasting alongside other root vegetables and chicken.

For more than 12 years, The Chopping Block, with locations in Lincoln Square and downtown Merchandise Mart, has been one of the most highly praised recreational cooking schools in the city. Their schedule of classes are taught by a strong roster of culinary school graduates leading hands-on cooking classes and demonstrations from sushi making to grilling workshops to full fledged two-week long culinary boot camps. We visited one of their most popular Knife Skills classes last year and we were so impressed we had to go back for a visit...this time to steal a few good tips for our readers.

The experience lived up and more from our last trip, including a thorough 45-minute listening and learning session leading into some serious hands-on chopping. On this round Chef Carrie Bradley guided us not only with some great tips but also entertaining stories from culinary school (secretly we geek out when we learn what it takes to become a Chef).

Check out our pictures above with captions providing some "stolen cooking tips" to try before booking your class.

Recommended: Yes. From cooking novice to avid at-home cook, knife skills are a necessary element for cooking any good dish and the foundation for building your culinary skills. Take a lesson from the professionals at The Chopping Block to hone these skills.

Stolen Cooking Tips: Check the captions in the above photo gallery for a few good tips.

Class Format: Educational, Hands-on

Cost: $40 per person (plus you can take home your chopped veggies)

For a schedule of classes, check out: http://www.thechoppingblock.net/

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