UNIT 152 MAINTAIN AND HANDLE KNIVES NLN Introduction to knives. NLN Knife database.

UNIT 152 MAINTAIN AND HANDLE KNIVES There are 9 golden rules when handling knives: You will all need to know, and obey these simple rules. As you develop your own personal skills as a chef, these rules and skills will become second nature.

Knife skills k_cg_knives/0,3100,FOOD_27636,00.htmlhttp:// k_cg_knives/0,3100,FOOD_27636,00.html

1.Always use the knife best suited to the job. 2.Maintain your knives in a clean and sharp condition. 3.Handle all knives safely and in a methodical manner. 4.Place knives flat on work surfaces with blade facing inwards. 5.Never try and catch a knife if it is falling to the floor.

6.Never leave knives in a sink. 7.Only have one knife on a chopping board at any one time. 8. Never leave knives on the edge of the table or board. 9. Never allow knives to become hidden under food items.

Some of these rules will have struck you as common sense, but all of them are commonly broken during your training as a chef. 1. Choose the correct knife. If the knife is too large you will not have adequate control over it and increase your chances of an accident. If you choose a rigid blade for a cutting job that require as a flexible blade you will not work efficiently.

2. Keep knives clean and sharp. You have less control over a wet, greasy or dirty knife. A blunt knife requires more pressure to cut and can cause loss of control and an accident. 3. Handle knives safely and methodically. Carry knives, holding handle, pointing towards the floor and sharp edge behind you. Never carry knives around the kitchen on a chopping board.

NEVER THREATEN SOMEONE WITH A KNIFE. 4. Place knives on work surfaces carefully. You may cause accidents if you leave a blade sharp side up, when someone could lean on it or wipe a table and cut themselves.

5. Never try to catch a falling knife. Allow the knife to fall to the ground, moving your body away from the fall. 6. Never leave knives in the sink. Leaving a knife in the sink is often considered one of the worst crimes you can commit when handling knives. You can not always see a knife in sink full of washing up. _knives/0,3100,FOOD_27636,00.htmlhttp:// _knives/0,3100,FOOD_27636,00.html

7. Never have more than one knife on a board at once. You may be chopping and catch the other knife causing an accident or damage the knives. 8. Place knives on tables with care. Never leave knives at the edge of work surfaces, as they can be knocked off and cut someone. 9. Never allow knives to become hidden. Keep knives obvious and not hidden. This could cause an accident.

Useful websites. How to use a knife