Knife skills: how to finely chop

  • 3 October 2014

About this technique

Skill level

Easy

Equipment

Sharp knife

Chopping board

When learning to chop like a chef, start off slowly and proceed with care, making sure all your fingers – and your thumb – are clear from the blade as you cut. A sharp knife is essential.

Try to anchor the tip of the blade to the chopping board, lifting only the heel of the blade as you go so that you chop with a repetitive rocking motion.

• Hold the end of the celery stalk (or other vegetable) between your little finger and thumb.

• Place your other fingers on top of the celery.

• Angle the fingernail of your middle (or longest) finger and use that fingernail to guide and buffer the blade as it slices the celery.

• Meanwhile, with the hand holding the knife, ease the blade further up the celery with each cut, inching the fingernails of your other hand back accordingly.

Recipes using this technique