Mastering Knife Skills: The Essential Guide to the Most Important Tools in Your Kitchen

by Norman Weinstein, Mark Thomas (Photographs)

As the number of gourmet home kitchens burgeons, so does the number of home cooks who want to become proficient users of the professional-caliber equipment they own. And of all kitchen skills, perhaps the most critical are those involving the proper use of knives.

Norman Weinstein has been teaching his knife skills workshop at New York City’s Institute of Culinary Education for more than a decade―and his classes always sell out. That’s because Weinstein focuses so squarely on the needs of the nonprofessional cook, providing basic instruction in knife techniques that maximize efficiency while placing the least possible stress on the user’s arm. Now, Mastering Knife Skills brings Weinstein’s well-honed knowledge to home cooks everywhere.

Whether you want to dice an onion with the speed and dexterity of a TV chef, carve a roast like an expert, bone a chicken quickly and neatly, or just learn how to hold a knife in the right way, Mastering Knife Skills will be your go-to manual. Each cutting, slicing, and chopping method is thoroughly explained―and illustrated with clear, step-by-step photographs. Extras include information on knife construction, knife makers and types, knife maintenance and safety, and cutting boards, as well as a 30-minute instructional DVD featuring Weinstein’s most important techniques.

Genres: Cooking, Cookbooks, Food, Reference, Nonfiction, Health

224 pages, Hardcover

First published May 1, 2008

Reviews

[Dan Appel · Rating 5 out of 5]

There are two basic and quintessential books on knife skills. This is one of the two, the other I will add as soon as I get it back from a friend who borrowed it and can remember the full exact title.

Knife skills are not something we probably learned in our mother's kitchen! In fact, about 90% of what most people understand about using a knife in a kitchen border on criminally abusive to knives and food.

Want to learn how to take care of knives in the kitchen and use them. Then get this book and read it! You won't go wrong.

[Andrew · Rating 4 out of 5]

Brilliant

I would recommend this book to any home or professional chef getting started in the kitchen. The techniques are easy to follow, well documented and photographed. I definitely belong to the old school of less gadgets more skill - and this book actually covers both.

I am currently writing a cook book for tired executives and was looking to transfer skills in the simplest possible manner - with what I have learned here Chapter one is well on its way.

Thank you!

[Lynn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Complete explanation of Knife Skills

The author did a good background of the western and Japanese knives and theirs advantages and disadvantages of each group and steel.
Did not cover the chinese knife, maybe because they do not have the experience and is something new.
The rest of the techniques are good explained and with excellent photos.

[zeke · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very good and thorough book on knives and knife skills in the kitchen. With the caveat being that the author is heavily biased towards western knives since that’s what he’s used to, while I’m more used to the Japanese-style knives I’m forced to do more research on some of the topics he discusses in the context of Japanese knives.

Still, very helpful.

[Mariko · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent! Best knife skills instructions I have come across and I've read books, articles, and watched videos.

[June · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved the first few chapters which explain all about knives and the different types. Once he got to the using of the knives, it was good since he is trying to explain something in words that you really need to see. Overall a very good book on knife skills.

[Lori Ann · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a good book, and there are some humorous passages. It will be a GREAT reference in my kitchen for when I'm trying to figure out the proper way to do something...like cut a bell pepper. (He has a great way of doing that, btw.) I've taken Weinstein's class, too, and it actually really made a huge difference in my ability to prep foods. It's amazing that 3-4 hours of a class can make cooking easier for the rest of your life! In any case, the book is no substitute for the class, but serves as a great reference tool. There is a DVD included, which was a great idea.

[Bruce Nordstrom · Rating 4 out of 5]

Many moons ago I was working in kitchens as a cook, and I got to be pretty good with a knife. Recently I started looking around for something to help me brush up on some skills I haven't used in a while.

This book is the bomb. Everything you need to know about using a knife in the kitchen. How to clean poultry and vegtables, choosing a cutting board. Lots of things I wish I'd known when I was cooking.

If you are looking for a book about how to use a kitchen knife, buy this one. Comes with a very handy DVD-about 30 minutes--which is nice, but sure does not replace the book.

[Chris "Stu" · Rating 3 out of 5]

A useful book, with pictures, but an expensive one, and many of the skills would be better taught via videos. Luckily, the book acknowledges that, and comes with a DVD. It's not quite as good as taking a class or getting hands on instruction, but I learned enough, and I have a reference ready if I ever forget it.

[Trishtator · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great review of knife skills. Time to get my chef's knife sharpened.

[Stephanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book on knives and how to use them.

[Shayne · Rating 3 out of 5]

Helpful collection of tips, along with some solid basic instruction in grips and technique.

[Sandeep]

Interesting book. Quick read too.

[Adam · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really solid book on knife skills. Planning on picking up veggies to practice on soon.