How to Cut Vegetables Like a Chef

Slicing and dicing vegetables like a chef is a lot easier than it looks. Use a sharp knife because dull knives are more apt to slip and cause injury. Also use a cutting board or a flat surface so the vegetable will be easier to cut. Curl your fingertips under and keep your thumb and little finger behind the other fingers. The knuckles on your other hand should rest on the side of the blade to keep it from slipping and cutting your fingers.

1. InstructionsSlice up peppers or celery quickly and artfully. Hold the vegetable vertically with your fingers. Cut longer celery or carrots in half before you slice in order to slice them lengthwise. Using a knife make cuts in a rocking motion, push the vegetable forward with your other hand for the next cut to keep the slices even. You should have long even slices perfect for dipping in sauce.

2. Chopping an onion, pepper or carrot can also be an easy feat. First peel back the skin if there is any, then cut off the root tops of the vegetable, and cut the vegetable in half so it is easier to cut. Place the vegetable on the cutting board so that the cut side is facing downward. Make parallel cuts, leaving 1/8 to 1/4 inch between the slices. Use your other hand to hold the cut slices together, then move the slices so you can chop them again horizontally. Use a knife to cut them into even smaller pieces. Make sure the knife is rocking instead of sawing the vegetable pieces.

3. Paring is another way to cut up vegetables. Paring, which is cutting vegetables at an angle, is used for making stir fry or vegetable platters. With a paring knife, cut a vegetable lengthwise and hold the pieces together. Place the knife on the vegetable so that it slants away from you at and angle and slice with a rocking motion. The pieces should have a slant shape to them.

4. Cubing and dicing are done similarly to chopping. Cut the vegetable lengthwise first, holding the slices together as you cut. Then cut the vegetables perpendicularly in uniform cubes. Try not to push the vegetables to the side as you cut so they will stay together. Dicing is making these cubes even smaller. Stack the slices and cut perpendicularly so that the slices will be smaller. Do so until you reached the desired size.

Source: eHow