/ck/ - Food & Cooking

[Anonymous No.3777447]

Hi /ck/, I recently got a job in a kitchen making salads and doing some prep work so there's a fair amount of veggie and fruit cutting, and I was wondering if somebody could give me advice on different techniques or ways to avoid injury(such as wrist pain)? Any references or links would be greatly appreciated. Mostly I cut basic things like peppers, cucumbers, carrots, tomatoes, various fruit etc, nothing too difficult, and I do have some previous experience so I'm not a complete novice. Any help would be great!

[Anonymous No.3777450]

>>3777447
tl;dr advice on veggie prepping techniques

[Anonymous No.3777485]

..no takers?

[CanadianCook No.3777516]

to not cut yourself, simply use the main grip all cooks should know. hold what you're cutting with the tips of your fingers making it so your knuckles are out a bit further than the tips, have your thumb behind your finger tips and use your knuckles to measure the cuts thus making it impossible to cut yourself if you have any intelligence at all.

[Anonymous No.3777561]

>>3777516
This. How do you not know this already?

[Anonymous No.3777564]

Make sure you got a sharp, good knife. It would be wise to learn how to sharpen your own knives too if you don't already. Learn proper knife grip and offhand positioning as Canadian Cook alluded too. Proper knife grip(pinching the blade) allows more control and power. Learn proper offhand technique or else your finger tips will pay. A sharp knife combined with good technique should make your job quicker, easier, and safer.

Cutting the fruits and veggies shouldn't be too bad except for maybe carrots. Carrots can be a bitch. If you got to julienne a ton of them, I like the technique where you cut them into coins, spread them in a line like cards, and mow through them. This site has a lot of videos on specific veg/fruit
http://www.stellaculinary.com/
If you're dressing the salads as well, make sure the salad leaves are dry(or else dressing won't stick as well) and don't fucking overdress them. Your customers will thank you.

[Anonymous No.3777573]

>>3777516
>>3777561
well yes I know that haha thanks.. I know all the basic safety measures and how not to injure myself with the blade, but is there a certain way to grip the handle or something to avoid wrist strain? faster ways to chop? stuff like that, or general protips

[Anonymous No.3777576]

>>3777564
thank you, that's very helpful :)

[CanadianCook No.3777601]

also to add on to what was said earlier, it would also depend on the shape of the knife, and the type of thing being cut. smaller objects are often cut with the tip of the knife where as bigger items are cut with the heel of the knife. to make cuts easier, it is good to use the follow through action with the heel of the knife

[Anonymous No.3777612]

>>3777564
everything that this guy said

LEARN TO SHARPEN YOUR KNIVES.
even a $20 knife thats super sharp for the day will be better to use then a $400 knife that has not been sharpened after a month of hard prep
there's a saying in butchery, if your hand starts hurting - your knife is blunt.

also, get yourself a japanese mandolin.
all the pros use them, and when you get used to them you can churn out prep at a ridiculous rate.

>pic related
with a sharp knife and a mandolin i would be able to do this in well under 5 mins.

[Anonymous No.3777625]

The knives we use are probably all pretty dull, there are about 10-15 people in the kitchen at any time using them, and they rarely get sharpened, which is too bad.. it's only for another few weeks, but yeh this is all useful, so thanks to everyone contributing

[Anonymous No.3777649]

>>3777625
then get your own chefs knife
you dont need to spend shitloads of cash. its just one knife.
don't rely on in-house knives, the paring knives and peelers are fine, but not the chefs knives. honestly the idea alone gives me a headache.

[Anonymous No.3777675]

>>3777649 cont
get something like a simple victorinox or messermeister chefs knife.
you'll be looking to spend about $50 to $70 for something like this
http://www.messermeister.com/Four-Seasons-10-Inch-Chef-s-Knife/
its not a lot to spend once you consider you're earning money from it.
for sharpening, all you need is sandpaper which is about a dollar a sheet and a soft mousepad

[Anonymous No.3777778]

>>3777675
Yah i got one of the smaller meister things and gaddamn, those fuckers are like a bushido jap blade if you take care of them and sharpen them.

[Anonymous No.3777788]

The 'C' grip.

[Anonymous No.3777795]

>>3777788
This is a good pic. Only thing it doesn't show is offhand thumb position. Keep that fucker back. It's really easy to forget about it and if it creeps too close to the front...

[Anonymous No.3777805]

>>3777795
You're right. Second pic to demonstrate.
Also, grip knife with pointer and thumb on top of the blade with the others curled around the handle. Your grip should be loose and comfortable, so that if someone tries to yank the knife out they can.

[Anonymous No.3777827]

>>3777805
Hey, some guy started up a wikia trying to get some basic info together for the people who come here and don't know how to cook. Mind if I use those for showing proper knife grip?

The link of the very early stages of this wikia

http://4chan-ck.wikia.com/wiki/The_/ck/_Wiki

[Anonymous No.3777829]

Pretty much what everyone else said.

Buy a decent knife, get it professionally sharpened.

Buy a fairly decent mandolin, learn to use it.

Keep your feet spread so the cutting board is closer to you (also helps to prevent back aches).

[Anonymous No.3777879]

>>3777827
I do mind. Don't use my pictures. Anyway, just link people to http://www.stellaculinary.com/
That guy is an actual professional chef and used to run a site called the free culinary school. He's redoing his podcast and video series and regularly posts charts, recipes, tutorials, and other info on his restaurant's page. Plus he's a fat geek like the rest of us.

[Anonymous No.3777898]

>>3777879
>>3777827
>asking permission
>assuming you own pictures posted to an imageboard

[Anonymous No.3777903]

>>3777898

read the rules, noob

[Anonymous No.3778005]

This is all great, thanks so much for the pictures and info everyone!

[Anonymous No.3778037]

My honest advice for a mandoline: get a cut glove. Really.

[Anonymous No.3778110]

>>3778037
Pussy.

OP, everyone's given pretty good advice to ya, so all I'll add is to reiterate that you gotta MAKE SURE YOUR KNIFE IS SHARP

srsly, makes it 100x easier and faster. If you know anyone who's pretty into cooking ask them if you can have a go cutting up an onion with their best knife (or ask the chefs at your work I suppose). A properly sharpened good-quality knife slips through things like they're not even there and you will absolutely feel the difference - then when you go back to your regular knife you'll be able to feel if it's blunt. Get it sharpened regularly, or better get a steel and learn to sharpen it yourself.

[Anonymous No.3778112]

>>3777788
>>3777805
You a lady? I appreciate a lady with knife skills

[Anonymous No.3778211]

>>3777795
>>3777795
>>3777795
>>3777795


so much this, i weep tears of joy

I am self taught and didn't know how to hold a knife. The left tip of my thumb is never going to be the same. I only got it one good time, but holy god damn.

now I know how that will never happen again.

[Anonymous No.3778594]

>>3778112

Gotta be a lady.
dem brooms.

[Anonymous No.3778599]

>>3777778

Holy fuck bro.

So close. So, so close.

[Anonymous No.3778605]

>>3778599

I can only imagine the butthurt that would have ensued

> BAWW BUT /ck/ IS NOT BEEE BECAUSE I CAME FROM THERE MYSELF AND FEEL THE NEED TO TURN THE REST OF 4CHAN INTO /notbeeeee/ EVEN THOUGH NO ONE ELSE CARES, GO BACK TO /beeeeeee/

every single trip, quad, quint, sext, or sept

[Sceak !!LciZj2frsW6 No.3778620]

I made this some time ago.

[Anonymous No.3778623]

Don't go too fast. If you cut yourself whilst using the claw, you went too fast. Any time you gain by going faster will be more than lost when you have to go and patch up your hand.


Get a Forschner if you need. Learn to sharpen it. Use sandpaper from 400-2000 grit. You don't need to use a mousepad, but you can if you want. Sharpening is easy, there are many guides on it. Use a sharpie to learn your angles.
If you're in the US, you can get far better knives than the Forschner for only a little more cash, ask if you are. If you mostly cut veg, you might want to get a knife specifically made for chopping veg.

You will cut yourself, most likely in the most stupid way you can think of. I've cut myself more times cleaning my section down than I have actually cutting shit. Don't worry about cutting yourself. It happens.

If your knife can't easily cut a tomato, its blunt.

Unfortunately, wrist pain is just one of those things. You can lessen it from having a sharp, light knife, but your hands will still hurt. Get some ibuprofen. Works wonders.

[Anonymous No.3778628]

>>3778623
> using sandpaper

Penny wise, pound foolish

[Anonymous No.3778633]

>>3778628
I'm not sure what you mean

[Anonymous No.3778638]

>>3778633

I mean that sandpaper wears out quickly and then you have to go out and buy more.

A stone costs more up front but unless you're sharpening 100 knives a week, you'll be passing it on to your kids.

[Anonymous No.3778640]

>>3778620

Y U NO take the bitter white ribs out of the pepper?

[Anonymous No.3778649]

>>3778628
I respectfully disagree anon.
I have many different sharpening stones, including a 10,000 grit (JIS) japanese waterstone, yet I always go back to the sandpaper.

sandpaper is worth it in the long run.
it's more re-usable then you'd expect - for example if you use only 800 and 1200 grit sandpapers, when the 800 grit wears down it can replace the 1200 grit as it gets smoother.

The most cost effective method for the best results is to buy a fucking expensive top of the line waterstone and use it only after doing 99% of the work on cheap sandpaper.

And if you're like me, you'll strop your knife after using the stone... but that's another story.

[noko No.3778656]

>>3778605

[Anonymous No.3778659]

>>3778649

jesus christ, tell me you didn't get that finish with sandpaper

[Anonymous No.3778664]

>>3778659
lol read the post
sandpaper > waterstone > strop

[Anonymous No.3778667]

>>3778664

oh I read the post alright. I'm just surprised that you managed to get a mirror finish on a curved surface like that, without using a powered buffing wheel.

is the strop leather or fabric? charged or clean?

[Anonymous No.3778669]

>>3778037
> My honest advice for a mandoline: get a cut glove. Really.

This is the best advice in the thread. Imagine you are getting paid by the hour. You use a mandolin, get the work done 10 times faster while risking a hideous injury to yourself, get your work done early and save the company $, so now you are rewarded by spending the extra time to clean the toilets or go out and pick up trash in the parking lot. Not worth it.

But if you must, get the glove. I prefer the all metal ones to those with cloth. You can send it through the dishwasher and its ready to use immediately. Even if you have to pay for it yourself. Or make the boss pay for it. Tell him/her "no glove, no love".

[Anonymous No.3778670]

>>3778649
>>3778664

why do your knives look like you pulled some scrap metal out of a junk yard and then spent like a thousand years polishing with a mildly abrasive soft cloth?

[Anonymous No.3778676]

>>3778669 using cut gloves

Are you one of those people who goes to finallyfast.com and then wonders why his computer is fucked up?

[Anonymous No.3778678]

>>3778670
This. Those look like the least functional knives ever.

[Anonymous No.3778680]

>>3778667
its a leather strop loaded with a wax metal polish

in my experience, clean strops are useless for polishing. maybe only good for getting rid of a burr or wire edge.

the convex surface just takes a little more time but you don't need much concentration. its kinda relaxing.

[Anonymous No.3778679]

>>3778676
Not that guy, but I spent a summer doing dishes and using a mandoline and I would have loved to have a cut glove.

You obviously haven't had to slice potatoes for hours on end.

[Anonymous No.3778683]

>>3778670
Because weeaboos are the objectively worst human beings on the face of planet Earth.

[Anonymous No.3778687]

>>3778670
>>3778678
if you had any idea about knives you would know that those are not used in kitchens...
<- this is my chefs knife

>>3778679
i have a chain mail glove and a kevlar glove. i found both of them to be pretty useless.

[Anonymous No.3778688]

>>3778680

ah ok, I figured some compounds must have been involved somewhere

stropping on an uncharged leather surface after crox makes the shave smoother, but I agree on the uselessness when it comes to knives

[Sceak !!LciZj2frsW6 No.3778697]

>>3778640

Where do you see white ribs?

[Anonymous No.3778714]

>>3778687
Then where do you "use" them.

Use being the keyword here.

[Anonymous No.3778716]

>>3778697
>>3778697

[Anonymous No.3778719]

>>3778697
Still posting the same goddamn infographic, eh Sceaky?

I'll be in Montreal this weekend, prepare your anus.

[Anonymous No.3778744]

>>3778714
the wharncliffe knife is my brothers, used for leather craft. the drop point is my EDC

why do you even want to know this stuff?

[Anonymous No.3778749]

>>3778744
a/s/l

[Anonymous No.3778753]

no one has mentioned ceramics!

[Anonymous No.3778758]

>>3778753

yeah no one has mentioned cutco either. we try to keep it classy but hey, it's 4chan. tell us about your "never needs sharpening" miracle knife.

[Sceak !!LciZj2frsW6 No.3778759]

>>3778719

For the Pride?

Wanna grab a bite with me? If you're presentable, that is.

[Anonymous No.3778770]

>>3778759

stop trying to homo other dudes for minute and explain yourself for this travesty >>3778716

[Sceak !!LciZj2frsW6 No.3778796]

>>3778770

k fine so there are ribs

Granted it's unacceptable for high-end dining but I'm not going for my third Michelin star here.

It's perfectly fine even for most good restaurants.

I'm all self conscious now. Damn you.

[Anonymous No.3778855]

>>3778640
>bitter

I eat all of those parts as I prep every time. Not bitter. Although, I've been doing this for many years and I think at first I just started doing it for convenience and to not waste. I don't remember what I initially thought of the taste when I started.

[Anonymous No.3778856]

>>3778796


It is never acceptable to have bitter, off color, unappealing ribs in a pepper....under any circumstances or level of culinary establishment. You should be embarrassed and ashamed of what you have done here, although your knife skills are commendable I'm going to have to ask you to redo this entire infographic because of this unforgivable error....ok thanks.

[Anonymous No.3778860]

>>3778796
Its okay and it only matters visualy if you are cooking them. If youre serving raw or using them for show, then yeah, be self concious.

And you can homo me anytime. I liek you.

Wannapizza?

[Anonymous No.3778870]

>>3778860
You want Patrick to homo you? You /have/ seen what he looks like, right?
Couple the fact that he has an inability to hide his crazy (such as his whole defecting from Canada thing) and is uneducated, and you don't really have much a winner there.

[Anonymous No.3778871]

>>3778860
>>3778870
Ew, Just... ew.

[Anonymous No.3778877]

>>3778870
Hadnt seen him. I cant say I find that repulsive but i would trim the long hair. Nobody that cooks for others should have that kind of hair, not even women.

And i like some crazy. Crazy is good.

[Anonymous No.3778878]

>>3778871
>>3778870

He'd look pretty average and non-scary if he just cut that damm hair, but he looks like a fucking creepy ass rapist in those pictures. And I do mean ass rapist.

[Anonymous No.3778884]

>>3778870
>>3778871

I don't know why all these other fags want you to cut your hair, I'd do a full body shave and make you all pretty and then put you in a dress.

[Anonymous No.3778911]

>>3778884
I like your hair too, when it is all wavy like that. It looks nice. you have nice features too, despite the nipple situation. I think you and the anon should have a nice meet up and cook something for /ck/ together.
And thank you for the infographic about the pepper.

NOW. OP. I was the salad chef at a gourmet grocery store. The knife techniques you have been given are excellent. My advice is on the cucumbers. I find my wrists were a lot less tired if I peeled the suckers first and then chopped them. I would chop so many daily that it made a HUGE difference.

[Anonymous No.3778915]

Sceak is a massive samefag shitposter. He's been caught replying to himself in threads.

He has a Multiple personality disorder, depression, is anti-social, has had eating disorders, and has a false sense of grandeur.

He can't cook, isn't funny, and posts off topic bullshit more than board related content.

He's worse than Angie.

[Anonymous No.3778925]

>>3778915
>Worse than Angie
No. Just... no.

[Anonymous No.3778954]

>>3778925
I have to agree with the other poster; Sceak /is/ worse than Angie. Angie stopped posting. Sceak is still here. What's worse to have: a broken arm that healed completely or a slightly nerve-damaged leg? Sceak is that nerve-damaged leg: you'll have to deal with it for as long as you walk or post on /ck/.

[Anonymous No.3778963]

Sceak is more obnoxious than any other tripfag on this board, and the food he makes is as disgusting looking as he.

[Anonymous No.3778975]

>>3778963
>>3778954

This.

[Anonymous No.3779209]

Wow, Sceak literally looks like a neanderthal.

Cool stuff, I never would have expected that. haha I'm impressed with that little butt-pirate.

[Anonymous No.3779285]

Hey there! I'm garde manger at a private club.

As far as tricks and tips go, my only advice is to build up tolerance and not be a pussy,

You're going to get a giant blister on your dominant-hand index finger (assuming you hold a knife correctly) if you don't already have one. That's normal. Eventually it'll turn into a callus and you get to brag about it to your friends.

And then with time it'll literally just fall off and you get to repeat the process.

[Anonymous No.3779619]

>>3778664
I'm guessing that you aren't still here, but what grit do you sharpen up to?

I only sharpen on sandpaper, mostly because in the UK stones are too fucking expensive.
I've currently being using 400 to 2000, but I'm going to drop the 400-800, and I'm thinking about getting 2500, 3000 and 5000. Will these give a significant increase in sharpness over just a 2000?

[Anonymous No.3779784]

>>3779619
yeah you can ditch the 400 grit, that's used for shit like repairs or heavy maintenance. 800 can come in handy if you use european style knives.

as for finishing grits: initially your knife will feel and behave a hell of a lot sharper, but realistically that extra added effect will disappear very quickly under normal use.
in the long run, using over 2k grit wont make a much difference. it would be wasted unless if you have the patience to reset your edge every so often
>read: replace your 'quick pass over the butchers steel' with a 'quick pass over fine sandpaper'.

it also depends on how often you use your knife, what it's used for and the steel involved.
i'd suggest you try buying the 3000 grit alone as a test (unless that shit is cheap where you are)

[Anonymous No.3779818]

>>3779784
oh yeah and i use
800 > 1200 > 10,000 (on jap knives) > 0.5 micron strop

[Anonymous No.3779842]

Tendonitisfag here. Worked as a prep cook for a year, but I had to stop. I have extra metacarpal bone growth from impact training in martial arts, which causes more stress on my tendons than a normal person.

Anyway, proper grip and technique go a long way, but before you even start having pain look up some hand/wrist/forearm stretches, do them before/after/during work for like 60 seconds at a time. If you get pain, get a brace from the drugstore. Tendons can be worked so hard they require surgery to go back to normal. /warning

[Anonymous No.3780451]

This is still alive! Awesome! Today at work the head chef told me I had some handy skills with a knife, so I'll attribute this to your advice, /ck/. I've said it before, but thanks bros :)

[Anonymous No.3780753]

>>3779842
If you or anybody else is still here, I have another question: today I was mincing bacon bits for a salad, and after only a couple minutes the shoulder of my cutting hand got terribly sore, is that just because I'm unused to the action or is it something else?

[Anonymous No.3780784]

>>3780753
table top at the wrong height