Republic of the Philippines

MARIKINA POLYTECHNIC COLLEGE

Sta. Elena, Marikina City

M2- Food Preparation, Selection, and Handling

INFORMATION SHEET NO.3
KNIFE

Learning Objectives:
At the end of the lesson, the student should be able to:
1. describe the knife and each part;
2. differentiate kinds of knives and their uses; and
3. apply basic knife skills and handling.

In this lesson, you're going to learn the best ways to choose knives, take care of
them, and their part. Knife skills are one of the most important parts of the
culinary arts. This lesson will help you practice your knife skills.

A knife is a tool with a cutting edge or blade, hand-held or otherwise, with most
having a handle.

PARTS OF A KNIFE 2.2.1

Tip-The tip is the front part of the blade and does most of the cutting and
separating. Knives with a pointed tip are used to easily pierce food and cut very
small portions. Rounded tips produce better contact between the food and blade,
ideal when cutting or slicing into very thin servings.

Edge-The edge is the sharp part of the knife blade and extends from heel to tip.
Maintaining a sharp edge is crucial for both easy slicing and user safety.

Spine-The spine is the top of the blade, directly opposite the edge.

Heel-The heel is the rear portion of the blade and is used to cut thick or tough
products that require more force.

Bolster-The bolster is only found on forged knives. It is a thick band of steel

between the heel and handle. The bolster helps balance the knife and prevents
the user’s hand from slipping across the blade.

Tang-The tang is the part of the blade that extends into the handle and provides
balance. Most knives have ½, ¾ or full tang blades. Full tang blades are
considered superior because of added knife balance and longevity; the handle on
½ or ¾ tang knives can crack due to increased stress towards the heel.

Handle-The handle, also called the scales, provides the knife’s gripping surface.
Handles are constructed of wood, plastic or stainless steel.

Butt-The butt is the end of the knife handle.

 Republic of the Philippines
MARIKINA POLYTECHNIC COLLEGE
Sta. Elena, Marikina City

M2- Food Preparation, Selection, and Handling

Rivets-Rivets are the raised, cylindrical studs that keep the handle securely
attached to the tang portion of the knife.

KINDS OF KNIVES 2.2.2

Boning knife

Used to separate meat from bone with a blade specifically designed to pierce flesh
and closely follow the bone.

Bread Knife

Straight or slightly curved blade with a serrated edge. The serrated edge is
designed to slice through a product’s tough outer skin or crust while protecting
the soft interior. Can be used on hard rind fruit in addition to bread.

Butcher Knife

Can be used both in the kitchen to slice large slabs of raw meat or during serving
to slice thin portions.

Chef's Knife

Also called the cook's knife, it is the most versatile cutting tool found in a
commercial kitchen. Used to cut, slice, chop and mince a variety of different
products.
 Republic of the Philippines
MARIKINA POLYTECHNIC COLLEGE
Sta. Elena, Marikina City

M2- Food Preparation, Selection, and Handling

Cleaver

The largest piece of commercial cutlery, a cleaver has a long, wide blade and is
used to cut and chop through thick meat and bone. Can also be used to open
lobster.

Spear Point Paring Knife

Also called a chef's parer because of its versatility. Used for peeling, slicing small
produce, removing stems and other small precision cutting tasks.

Sheep's Foot Paring Knife

Also called a stylet, this knife has a blunt blade tip that maximizes contact
between the food and blade. Used to slice small foods like shallots and garlic.

Bird's Beak Paring Knife

Also called a tourné knife, it has an arching blade ideal for both peeling round
fruits and garnishing tasks.

Serrated Edge Paring Knife

Also called a wavy edge parer, this type of knife is used primarily to slice small
fruits and vegetables.

Clam Knife

Has a short blade with a slightly sharp edge and rounded tip. Used to pry open
clams.
 Republic of the Philippines
MARIKINA POLYTECHNIC COLLEGE
Sta. Elena, Marikina City

M2- Food Preparation, Selection, and Handling

Oyster Knife

Has a short, blunt blade and is used to pry open oyster shells.

Fillet Knife

Has a long, thin, flexible blade with a pointed tip. Designed to remove scales and
bones from fish.

Slicing Knife

The slicer is used to carve roasts, turkey or ham into serving portions. The long,
thin blade promotes maximum contact between the food and blade, for
producing very thin slices.

Utility Knife

Also called a sandwich knife, the utility knife has a serrated blade edge and is
used to slice small pieces of meat, produce and sandwiches.

Steak Knife

Used to cut steak, chicken, pork and other main course entrees. It can have
either a serrated or smooth edge and pointed or rounded tip. The serrated edge
can cut tougher items with greater ease, and a pointed tip steak knife can easily
cut meat into smaller bite sizes.

Cimeter
 Republic of the Philippines
MARIKINA POLYTECHNIC COLLEGE
Sta. Elena, Marikina City

M2- Food Preparation, Selection, and Handling

A cimeter (or scimitar) knife is a cousin of the classic butcher knife. Its upward
curving blade makes it well suited for cutting and trimming steaks.

KNIFE HANDLING & SAFETY

https://youtu.be/G-Fg7l7G1zw?si=U3WZBf5HmMMtSoSj
https://youtu.be/os8xnwxcHg0?si=P44N53rHXN3mQu10
https://youtu.be/YrHpeEwk_-U?si=_QkNkPZHvzGs8B-I

Sharp & honed - Keep a knife sharp and honed. Dull cutting edges require more
force and have a tendency to slip or bounce off objects.

Grip - Grip the spine of the blade, just above the heel nearest the bolster, between
the thumb and forefinger, wrapping the hand around the handle. This technique
is called the pinch.
Chopping, Slicing, Dicing - Guide the knife with the other hand, keeping fingers
curled in. The blade of the knife should rest and slide against the knuckles (take
care not to lift the cutting edge higher than the knuckles).
Mincing - When mincing, keep the other hand flat and place the tips of the fingers
on the spine at the tip of the knife. Use the tip as a pivot point for the blade.
Paring - Hold the bottom of the fruit with one hand. Wrap the other hand around
the handle of the paring knife, placing the thumb on the bottom of the fruit – at
the point closest to the handler. Guide the blade carefully and slowly toward the
handler's thumb, keeping the cutting edge just below the layer requiring removal.
Cutting Breads & Cakes -. It is best to place the hand flat on the top of the
product and move the knife through the product in a slow back-and-forth sawing
motion.

KNIFE CARE
Cutting Boards - Soft surfaces such as wood or plastic are ideal to use for cutting.
Never cut on tile, stone, glass, or cement. These harder surfaces will dull and
even damage a knife.
Straightening/Honing –This is a necessary task that should ideally be done
before each knife use.
The cutting edge of a knife – which is often thinner than a human’s hair – can
curl in on itself. Honing a knife will keep the edge straight, making cutting an
easier task.
Sharpening - Keep the blade at a 20° angle to the sharpening stone and move
the cutting edge from heel to tip over the stone. Repeat on the other side.
Washing - Knives should be washed by hand with mildly soapy water. Avoid
letting a knife sit in water and never wash a knife in the dishwasher. This can
dull and damage a blade.
Storing - Knives should be stored in a knife block or knife roll, somewhere where
the blades will be protected.
 Republic of the Philippines
MARIKINA POLYTECHNIC COLLEGE
Sta. Elena, Marikina City

M2- Food Preparation, Selection, and Handling

KNIFE SKILLS 2.2.3

Traditional Vegetable Cuts · Shivesh's Kitchen500 × 300 (shiveshskitchen.com)

1. Chiffonade https://youtu.be/yJEQFgfv7iw?si=pDVJyZK5lMraDq9M
Finely sliced or shredded green leafy vegetables, usually lettuce or spinach,
which is used as a base, garnish or in soups.

2. Brunoise https://youtu.be/PemR7OvwilM?si=Q_vi3N2lj9p8ZeQ2
This is a very small diced cube, sized between 1 – 3 mm square. It is often used
as a garnish for consommé. Typical vegetables used are carrot, onion, turnip and
celery.
3. Macedoine https://youtu.be/wcN55i-bKpA?si=ei3ospwEzVUqgNMK
This is diced cube, 0.5 cm (5 mm) square, which is larger than the brunoise cut.
Typical vegetables used are carrot, onion, turnip, beans and celery.

4. Dice https://youtu.be/lzOTXFp2mwM?si=VSlcgYVbFHcJjsbD
With the end goal of cutting an ingredient into cubes of the same size, there
are three dice cut sizes — large, medium, and small. A large dice, also called
carré, measures about 3/4 inch, a medium dice, or parmentier, is about 1/2
inch, and a small dice, or macédoine, is about 1/4 inch.

5.Batonnet https://youtu.be/BuUn37S-CRI?si=_RfAsFBY8YiEk1jW
It is a basic knife cut measuring ½ inch × ½ inch × 2½-3 inches.

6. Julienne https://youtu.be/gf_CQsogRQo?si=bYRknj0z_r645a0w
Long thin match-stick shaped pieces about 4 cm in length.

7. Jardinière https://youtu.be/r0A66Fz4KcA?si=IveZAOe6BWWalzB3
A long thin baton, about 2 cm long and approximately 3 mm wide and 3 mm
thick. In more recent times these are often slightly larger, but this depends on
end use.

Julienne - A thickness of 1/8"

 Republic of the Philippines
MARIKINA POLYTECHNIC COLLEGE
Sta. Elena, Marikina City

M2- Food Preparation, Selection, and Handling

Batonnet - A thickness of 1/4"
Baton - A thickness of 1/2"

8. Mirepoix https://youtu.be/BiUqVJwnl_E?si=vtMjVSFfQIn1CrnJ
A mixture of roughly chopped vegetables which are used as the base of sauces
or to enhance the flavor of meat, fish and shellfish dishes. Normally onion, celery
and carrot are used and these are slowly cooked in butter until they are very
tender. Thyme and bay leaves are often added.

9. Paysanne https://youtu.be/uTg6BCDyKKo?si=T9PBaXFzz0JCtZR4
This cut may be either squares, triangles, circles or half rounds. In order to cut
economically, the shape of the vegetable will decide which shape to choose. All
are cut thinly, about 1 – 2 mm thick.

10. Mince https://youtu.be/9M2NgV4Z4tk?si=KNX6fEOfJLcSpjFR

To cut into very small pieces. This term means the smallest possible
pieces; smaller than dice or chop, but not pureed.

GARNISHING AND CARVING 2.2.4

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Preparing an elegant plate can take precise planning. Design your plate
on paper beforehand, and discuss the look you are aiming to achieve. Draw
pictures, make notes and work by trial and error to blueprint your idea into
perfection.

PLATING FOR EFFECT

➢ Serving Ware
-Let the food be the focal point.
-Serving pieces should complement the food.
-Match the plate to the size, appearance, color and flavor of the food.
-Keep the design simple.
-Odd numbers of small items looks best.
 Republic of the Philippines
MARIKINA POLYTECHNIC COLLEGE
Sta. Elena, Marikina City

M2- Food Preparation, Selection, and Handling

➢ Layering

➢ Sauces
- Sauces are placed either under the food to highlight it, or on top to
garnish it.
- Don’t hide the food.
- Remember, sauces are used to enhance the food – they are not the
focus.

➢ Fruits & Vegetables

- Produce can be arranged into garnishes or as part of the main meal.
- Choose ripe, bright colored, uniformly shaped and unblemished
produce.
- Use the greens of the produce for added effect.
- Use lettuce to display food.

➢ Herbs and Flowers

- Herbs add beauty, fragrance and a sense of freshness.
- Edible flower petals can be used to garnish small plates.
- Flower blossoms can be used for larger platters.
- Correlate the garnish with the flavors of the dish.
 Republic of the Philippines
MARIKINA POLYTECHNIC COLLEGE
Sta. Elena, Marikina City

M2- Food Preparation, Selection, and Handling

➢ Desserts
- Any effect comes into play.
- Sauces can be used to highlight the food.
- Chocolate decorations can be created with a pastry bag.
- Fruit can be used as the focus or garnish.
- Simplicity is the key!

➢ Beverages
- Sugar or Salt rims
- Kebabs
- Peel Spirals
- Fruit Slices
- Ice techniques

➢ Centerpieces
- Watermelons and other large fruits and vegetables can be created into
incredible center pieces and displays.

Garnishing Tips
1. Don’t rush making garnishes – take your time.
2. Use sharp knives and proper equipment
3. Ice water preserves some garnishes for a few days.
4. Some garnishes require you to bend or curl vegetables – soak slices in a salt
water solution first.
5. Lemon juice can remove the odor from onions and stop an apple from going
brown.
6. Use toothpicks and wooden skewers to hold objects together.
 Republic of the Philippines
MARIKINA POLYTECHNIC COLLEGE
Sta. Elena, Marikina City

M2- Food Preparation, Selection, and Handling

7. Use vegetables at room temperature because cold vegetables tend to split
and break apart.
8. Remember "BUFF" when plating: Balance, Unity, Focus and Flow

GARNISHING AND PLATING 2.2.5

Garnishing
Can be anything that adds visual appeal and complementary colors, flavors, or
textures to the food you’re serving. To embellish a dish as way of finishing it and
making it looks appealing and pretty.

Plating
Refers to placing food on a plate in as appealing manner as possible. Many cooks
give short shrift to this concept, but let me assure you, presentation is a very
important part of the dining experience because we eat with our eyes first.

Classic Food Garnishes:

• Herbs
Spring Onions, Lavender Springs, Rosemary, Fresh Cilantro or Flat Leaf
Parsley
• Fresh Fruits
Lemon Wedges, Pineapple, Orange
• Vegetables
Lettuce, Blanched Broccoli, Few Rings or Sliced Green Onions
• Sauce

Techniques in Plating:
1. Plate
• Bigger is better: Crowding food is a no no. Large plates allow for
separation between items, which lets the inherent beauty of each one
shine. When plating up don’t leave too much space between items, but
don’t over crowd.
• Color (Neutral): When plating food, use classic white or earth tones;
these will complement any color of food.
 Republic of the Philippines
MARIKINA POLYTECHNIC COLLEGE
Sta. Elena, Marikina City

M2- Food Preparation, Selection, and Handling

2. The Food
• What grows together goes together: Preparing fresh ingredients that are
in season doesn’t just taste better, it looks better. Seasonal produce
tends to fall into both culinary and visual harmony.
3. The Set Up
• Clock it: The conventional “smiley face” (starch at ten o’clock, meat at
two o’clock, and vegetables at six o’clock) is always a safe bet.
• Focus, focus: For more drama, “find the focal point” of the meal (usually
the protein) and elevate it by placing it on or leaning it up against the
starch.
• Get saucy: Spoon sauce under the meat rather than on top. This allows
the meat’s crust to stay crisp while also offering a contrasting circular
shape beneath. You can also use squirt bottles to create “painting”.

References:

- Reyes, Ruth Estrada J. Ed. D-H.E.M. (2017) Culinary Arts and Science.
Unlimited Books Library Services and Publishing Inc., Intramuros, Manila.
Pp.17
- Tria-Natad, Ma. Felisa H. et. Al. (2018) Cookery. Mindshapers.co., Inc.,
Intramuros, Manila. Pp. 37