Discover the Best Knife Skills Classes Near Me
Have you ever wondered how chefs and bakers get so good at cooking? Or marveled at the cooks on TV that seem to be able to meal prep in the blink of an eye? Learning knife skills can take you one step closer to being able to cook like a pro.
The first knife dates back to the prehistoric age when humans were still hunters and gatherers. These tools were created from bone and made it simple for humans to remove meat from animals, as well as crush grains and other foods.
Metal knives came along fairly early in history as well, during the Romano-British period between 43 AD and the fifth century when Rome fell. Eating knives were available, but only for the wealthy. Even then, there wasn’t usually enough cutlery for guests to use.
People during this time, men and women, carried work knives around to use them for everyday tasks. When utensils became more readily available, many stopped carrying knives. Pocket knives remain a staple, as well as hunting knives in communities where hunting is popular.
Knives fall into the cutlery category along with scissors and razors. They’re objects used to cut things, particularly meats and other types of consumable goods. To safely handle knives, there are some basic skills you’ll need to understand, including:
- How to properly hold and use a knife
- The best way to grip food to avoid cutting your fingers (called a “bear claw” or “claw grip”)
- Ways to take care of your knives (sharpening, honing, storing, and washing)
- Stabilizing a cutting board, ensuring it doesn’t slide around on the countertop while you’re cutting
It may also be helpful to know that there are many different types of cutting. Some of the most common terms you’ll hear are:
- Chopping— Creating evenly sized pieces, but less precise than other cuts
- Dicing— Creating cubes; can be small, medium, or large cubes
- Slicing— Creating even slices, for instance with tomatoes on a sandwich
- Chiffonade — Creating long, uniform strands with leafy foods, especially herbs and garnish
- Julienne — Creating long uniform strands with foods such as carrots
- Mincing — Smallest, finest level of chopping that brings out the flavor in a food for example with minced garlic
Why You Should Learn Knife Skills
You may not have considered knife skills as a hobby you’d enjoy, but when you spend time learning, it can have benefits you didn’t expect. For one, you’ll be able to elevate the flavors in your home cooked food. You’ll be a tremendous host for get-togethers (or yourself, if you prefer to dine solo), plus you’ll know how to keep everyone in the kitchen safe.
Learning knife skills can act as a conduit to your best cooking experiences. You’ll come away feeling accomplished and knowledgeable. Not to mention, when you share your food with others, they’ll know you appreciate them.
If you’re looking to change jobs, knowing how to properly use and care for knives could be a great asset for a career in food. Whether you want to be a chef at a Michelen starred restaurant or own a food truck, you’ll need to know how to use the tools of the trade.
5 Ways to Learn Knife Skills
Everyone learns differently, which means it’s helpful to have choices about how to learn new skills. For knife skills, there are a number of ways to get started, although taking classes with a trained instructor is the most reliable way to ensure you get the most from your class.
Here are five ways to begin learning knife skills:
- Take an in-person class. Check out your local community centers, community colleges, and restaurants to see your options for learning in-person. Because knife skills are hands-on, seeing someone show you the skills and being able to ask questions as you’re learning is a great way to get started.
- Take a course online, live or self-paced. If you’re in an area that doesn’t have many options for in-person learning, or you simply prefer to be in your own space, there are plenty of courses online for learning knife skills. Live courses offer real-time instruction and have many of the same benefits as in-person learning. Self-paced classes offer more flexibility in terms of completing the course, but you won’t have an instructor or peers to help you if you get stuck or have a question.
- Research local organizations that might host classes or be willing to let you shadow them and learn on-the-job. Local organizations and small businesses are often friendly and may be willing to let you shadow them or even teach you more formally.
- Watch online videos to see where you’d like to start learning. You can learn parts of almost everything online for free. If you’re getting started, watching videos may help you figure out what skills excite you most. Then you can figure out how to go about learning and practicing them.
- Visit your local library. Libraries are great free resources for the community, and almost every town has one. There are sure to be plenty of books, if you learn through reading. Many libraries also have a “library of things” with different tools donated by the community. There may be knives or other cutlery tools you could borrow and test out before you decide to purchase your own.
In-Person Knife Skills Classes
You can learn knife skills in many places throughout the United States. Because knives are only one part of the culinary experience, once you learn how to use them, there’s a whole new world of cooking available.
Do you dream of dazzling your friends and family with a delicious home cooked meal? Try a course with Miette in Little Italy in Manhattan. Knife Skills: The Fundamentals is at the restaurant Tartine in the West Village. During class, knife skills will be at the forefront of learning to create a hearty meal. Learn how to slice, dice, and chop your way to a delightful appetizer and meal, plus dessert. Chef Paul will teach you knife basics such as how to choose the best cooking knives and how to take care of the tools you have in your kitchen.
Home Cooking NY offers Knife Skills 101 at their location in SoHo Manhattan. As this 101 class suggests, you’ll start with basics like how to properly hold and sharpen your knives, which are a key kitchen tool. Eight-inch chef’s knives will be provided during class, although you can bring your own knife if you prefer. You’ll get to keep the knife sharpening stone you learn how to use in class. Celebrate a successful class with the group by making a meal to share using your new skills.
If you’re looking for a class in Brooklyn, consider Knife Skills by The Brooklyn Kitchen in Sunset Park. This course will teach you how to safely handle, sharpen, and hone your knives. Unlike some of the other classes, The Brooklyn Kitchen will also teach you about ingredients. From shopping to storing, you’ll walk away knowing how to choose and use the best ingredients in your meals. The kitchen is allergy friendly, and provides a place without common food allergens. All you have to do is let them know about allergies ahead of time and they’ll work with you to ensure you’re safe in their learning environment.
If you’re looking for knife skills courses on the West Coast, Chef Eric’s Culinary Classroom on the West Side of Los Angeles is a great place to start. Chef Eric hosts single classes like Knife Skills that will show you how professionals use their knives. You’ll start with the basics of how to hold and care for your knives before moving on to learning basic cuts. Class ends with more elevated and complicated cuts like Paysanne and Batonnet.
Looking for a more in-depth course? Chef Eric’s Culinary Classroom has a 4 Week Culinary Basics Series that might be exactly what you’re looking for. You don’t need any prior skills to make the most of classes because they were designed with a beginner in mind. The first class is about knife techniques and sauteing, followed by foundational cooking skills like grilling and baking. You’ll learn about all kinds of foods and preparation techniques and get a well-rounded experience throughout the sessions. Plus, you’ll make meals as a group each week and taste the fruits of your labor.
In Chicago, The Chopping Block Lincoln Square on the north side of the city hosts interesting culinary classes. Hands-On Knife Skills is their most popular class. In addition to teaching you techniques like mincing, dicing, and slicing, you’ll also learn the basics of caring for your kitchen tools. Plus, the chef will talk through how to select a good knife, including information about the manufacturing process.
Virtual Knife Skills Classes
Knife skills are tactile, but there are plenty of classes you can take online to begin learning. Taking online knife skills classes has a few key benefits:
- Attending from anywhere, whether you’re on vacation or at home in your comfy clothes
- Avoiding a hectic commute
- Choosing from a wider variety of topics/specialty skills
- Using tools you’re already familiar with
Although learning online generally means you have to supply your own materials and equipment, that’s not always a bad thing. There are many classes that provide ingredients and materials as part of the course fee, too.
During Knife Skills 101 by Home Cooking New York, you’ll learn the proper way to buy, care for, and store knives with a special focus on the chef’s knife. As you learn the skills, you’ll prepare a vegetable minestrone soup. To fully participate, you’ll need to stock up on veggies and purchase a chef’s knife and a knife sharpener or sharpening stone. When you register for class, you’ll receive a list of what to buy and how to participate in class.
If you’ve learned the basics and want to practice through a cooking class, Virtual Cook Along: Just Peachy: Sweet and Savory Peach by The Chopping Block Lincoln Square might be a great choice. The focus of this course is to prepare peach-based recipes (including desserts), and one of the first things you’ll learn is how to choose and cut the fruit appropriately for each recipe.
When you register, you’ll get a list of everything you need for class, plus a schedule for what you’ll be doing. Because the chef will be cooking alongside you, you’ll be able to ask questions in real-time and chat with peers.
Private Group Knife Skills Classes
Do you want to schedule a knife skills class as a fun team-building event for your business or organization? Or perhaps a cooking class where everyone can learn a new recipe? CourseHorse has live online knife skills classes for private groups.
Enjoy learning a new skill with your peers during a Virtual Knife Skills Workshop. Whether you’re a beginner in the kitchen or a seasoned pro looking for ways to be more efficient, you’ll enjoy this hour-long workshop.
To prepare, you’ll need to make sure you have a few basic items in stock:
- Chef’s knife
- Cutting board
- Vegetable peeler
- Onions
- Large carrots
- Bell peppers
- Potatoes
- Two cloves of garlic
These veggies are recommended, but most will work fine. Walk away feeling great about basic cuts, prepping for everyday meals, and knife safety.
There are several perks to signing up for a private group through CourseHorse. For one, there aren’t any booking fees and you’ll get a confirmation of your group within 24 hours. This is great for documentation and reimbursement purposes.
You can also pay a fee ($150) to customize your group’s experience. Examples that work well for groups include adding games and additional expert support. With the capacity for up to 500 participants, this could come in handy.
Don’t know how many people are in your group yet? That’s fine! You can book with the minimum of ten people and finalize your roster when it’s complete. Keep in mind that CourseHorse recommends the Zoom video platform; although, if your company has a preference, they can also support other platforms like Microsoft Teams.
If you want to know more or have specific questions, reach out to CourseHorse via the contact form on their website. You could potentially schedule a demo if you’re interested.
What Will I Need to Learn Knife Skills?
To learn knife skills, you’ll need a few materials. Sometimes the school provides them, but as you figure out your own preferences, it’s nice to pick up your own supplies and get comfortable with them.
Chef’s Knife
A chef’s knife has a broad blade that usually starts wider in the back and tapers down toward the front. The tip is sharp, and it has a good sized handle for gripping. This is one of the most useful knives in the kitchen.
The standard size for chef’s knives is between 6-10 inches, with an 8-inch blade being ideal for beginners. Ultimately, as you learn, a 10-inch knife is the most efficient option, but it’s a good idea to start with a shorter blade first.
Serrated Knife
Serrated knives are usually about 10 inches long. Sometimes called a “bread knife,” the serrated edge is perfect for cutting through fruit rinds and making clean slices in softer ingredients.
Of course, this type of knife does make great slices of bread, because it slices cleanly through the foods rather than having to try to carve through them. Heads up, you can’t sharpen a serrated knife like you can others because it will ruin the blade.
Utility Knife
Utility knives are handy tools that play many roles in the kitchen. The medium-length blade, from 4-7 inches is thin and great for all kinds of chopping, dicing, and slicing. Like the chef’s knife, it’s a catch-all that can do many jobs.
Because the blade is shorter and thinner, most people have a difficult time sharpening it. They’re usually fairly inexpensive, which means purchasing a brand you like with a comfortable handle and replacing it when it’s no longer sharp is often a practical choice.
Paring Knife
Paring knives are the utility knife’s smaller sibling. With a short 3-4-inch blade, it’s usually the best choice for tasks like peeling veggies and segmenting fruit. If you like shrimp, these short knives can be used for deveining, too.
Paring knives also fall into the category where it’s practical to find a knife you like and replace it when it gets dull. If you cook on a regular basis, your paring knife might become your favorite tool.
Cutting Boards
What’s your cutting board made out of? Do you remember? Chances are, it’s wood, plastic, or glass. In terms of your knives, there are better (and worse) choices for cutting board materials.
Hardwood cutting boards are the best materials for your knives. The wood is soft enough for the knives to cut well, and even kills dangerous bacteria (contrary to concern about wood not being sanitary). Depending on the type of wood and the thickness, these cutting boards are also reliable and durable, lasting for the long-haul.
Plastic cutting boards are usually the cheap option, and that’s not a bad thing. They tend to be durable and easy to keep clean. They’re also more lightweight, which means cleanup could be as easy as putting the cutting board in the dishwasher. Plastic is harder on knives than wood, but it’s still better than ultra-hard materials. Plus, they’re not as bulky, so you can keep a variety of sizes. In this instance, cheaper does mean you’ll have to replace your plastic cutting boards every now and then, but with the lower prices, that’s probably not too big of a hassle.
Glass cutting boards may look nice on the counter, or seem good in theory, but they’re actually bad for your knives. The surface is too hard, which causes knives to go dull more quickly. No matter which expert you ask, they’re all likely to tell you the same thing: get a different cutting board.
By the way, as you’re learning knife skills, your cutting board should never slide around on the counter — that’s dangerous. To make sure it stays put and remains stable throughout food prep, you can wet a paper towel and put it underneath the cutting board. This should prevent a majority of sliding.
Raw Ingredients
As you’re learning knife skills, you’ll need ingredients to practice with. Some of the best raw ingredients are surprisingly affordable. Think about picking up potatoes, carrots, and onions at the store. You can also practice different types of cuts with leafy ingredients like basil and oregano.
As you get more advanced, or adventurous, there are other ingredients like whole chickens and fresh fish that could give you a challenge with your new knife skills.
Is it Difficult to Learn Knife Skills?
When you try new things, they all feel somewhat difficult when you first start out. As you take classes, practice, and spend time using the skills to uplevel your cooking, you may find it gets easier. Even if it feels hard, if you like it, you probably won’t mind the challenge. The joys of being able to use the skills through food may outweigh the fact that you can only learn one or two recipes at a time, for example. Anything is possible when you’re willing to keep learning and practicing.
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