That one prep cook who changed my knife grip in 30 seconds

I had been slicing my way through onions for about 8 years with a standard pinch grip. One Tuesday a quiet kid named Marco walked into my kitchen for his first shift. He watched me chop a case of bell peppers and said "you're choking the blade too high, drop your thumb down." I adjusted my hand and instantly felt more control. Has anyone else had a quick tip like that totally change your prep speed?

2 comments

2 Comments

richard_dixon1mo ago

The thumb drop trick is solid, but Marco might have meant you were actually holding the blade too high up on the spine. That's a common thing people mix up. A proper pinch grip puts your thumb and index finger right where the blade meets the handle, not choking up toward the tip. I had a similar moment when a buddy showed me to rest my knuckles against the blade flat, keeps your fingers safe and speeds up your rock chop.

johnson.daniel29d ago

Isn't it funny how small grip adjustments pop up in almost every skill you try to learn?