Knife Safety

Keep knives sharp. If your knife is sharp, it will slide easily through what you are cutting, with little force involved. If the knife is blunt, you have to force it and if you slip there is real danger of cuts.

Point Away. When you are using a knife, don't cut toward you or your fingers. Pay a lot of attention to where the edge of your sharp blade is pointing, and make sure it can not get you if you slip a bit.

Don't leave sharp knives loose in a drawer. Banging around in a drawer ruin the good sharp edge on your knives, and can be dangerous if someone reaches into the drawer .

Do not try and catch dropped knives. If you are working with or handling a knife and you drop it, step back and let it fall, don't try to catch it. This sounds elementary, but the instinct is to try and catch it, and that can be dangerous.

Do not put knives in the sink. If you have a dirty knife, don't put it in the dishwater as it will not be visible and will cause cuts. Wash the knives separately.

Put knives down safely. When you are working with a knife, and you lay it down, don't lay it down with the blade pointing up an make sure it is away from the surface edge.

DO'S AND DON'T OF KNIVES

Do:

Keep knives sharpened and let other staff know when knives are newly sharpened.


Use a knife only for its intended purpose.


Use the appropriate knife for the job.


Carry knives with the cutting edge slightly away from your body.


Store knives properly in racks or knife sheaths.

Don't:

Touch knife blades.


Try and catch a falling knife, let it fall.


Hand a knife to someone. Put it down on the counter and let him or her pick it up.


Leave a knife soaking in a sink of water.


Talk to people while using a knife.

Cleaning your knife

­Although this might seem like a no-brainer, keeping your knives clean is an essential part of proper knife use -- it can be easy to get lazy and let thorough cleaning slip. Pro­per cleaning in between each use kills harmful bacteria that might contaminate food.

To clean your knives, use hot water and dishwashing soap, making sure the sharp edge is pointing away from your body and that you keep your fingers away from the knife edge. After you're done washing, it's best to dry knives off with paper towels instead of dish cloths to avoid tearing the fabric.

One part of a knife that a lot of people forget to clean is the knife's handle. In addition to cleanliness issues, washing a knife's handle keeps it from getting too slippery, something you wouldn't want to discover while you're cutting. You should also avoid leaving knives to soak in the sink for two reasons. First, the knives and their handles, especially wooden ones, will only get harder to clean thoroughly after soaking in dirty water. But most importantly, knives left in the sink, underwater, can remain hidden from view, creating the risk that you might reach for something and accidently cut yourself.

What I need to know about Knife Skills

­Few people handle cooking knives with the skill and precision of an experienced professional chef. In fact, many of us feel a little clumsy when using knives in the kitchen.However, if you play it safe and take the time to learn a few basic knife skills, it's possible to get the best out of a good set of knives and start chopping away with confidence.

­Before getting started, there are a few things to keep in mind wh­ile using knives. Never cu­t on an open table, whether it's glass, marble or metal. You'll damage or dull the blade of the knife and probably put some nasty nicks on your table, too. Instead, always use a cutting board when slicing and dicing. You should also always cut away from yourself, never toward, and when you're carrying a knife from one spot to the next it's best to carry it with the tip of the blade pointing down and the edge of the blade pointing back, to avoid cutting yourself or others walking by.

Food Safety

Thaw frozen foods in the refrigerator rather than at room temperature, where bacteria multiples more quickly. Cook food immediately after it is thawed and make sure to cook all food thoroughly. The heat used while cooking acts as a way of sanitizing the food by killing bacteria and germs. Use a clean thermometer to ensure that the food is cooked to the correct temperature.

When storing food, always make sure that the storage temperature never rises higher than 40 degrees Fahrenheit. Store food loosely in containers rather than packed in tightly, allowing cool air to circulate through the food. Make sure that every item in the refrigerator is stored securely and tightly to reduce the risk of bacteria spreading from raw foods to cooked foods.

Reheat food in the quickest method possible and to the highest temperature appropriate for the food. Never re-freeze food after it has been thawed.

While it may not be possible to completely prevent food poisoning and sickness, some of the sources of harmful bacteria can be eliminated. Practicing good hygiene in the kitchen and practicing food safety guidelines may take additional time or effort, but the health rewards are beneficial

Kitchen Sanitising

Wash all food preparation items thoroughly and immediately after use. Clean all surfaces and utensils with warm soapy water before using them to prepare another type of food. Remember that rinsing is not the same as cleaning, and only warm soapy water will kill germs and bacteria. Consider using a separate cutting board for raw meat to decrease the risk of food poisoning.

Use paper towels or disinfecting wipes whenever possible, and dispose of them afterward. Cloth towels used to wipe, clean or dry surfaces can simply spread bacteria around the kitchen when they are reused. When using cloth towels, make sure they are washed with soap and hot water between uses. After washing dishes, make sure any dish soap is completely rinsed away. The soap residue that is left behind can cause stomach sickness.

Clean out cupboards and appliances often. Bacteria can multiply in these areas quickly, especially in the refrigerator. Crumbs and food particles attract rodents and bugs, so clean all areas and frequently sweep and wash the kitchen

Kitchen and personal Hygiene

Food poisoning and other illnesses can occur quickly and easily when the proper kitchen hygiene practices are not executed. In order to reduce the amount of bacteria and germs in the kitchen and in food, determine how to make the kitchen a safer and cleaner place to prepare and eat meals.

Personal Hygiene
It is important to practice frequent hand washing while working in the kitchen. Germs and bacteria live on most surfaces that are touched throughout the day, and washing hands before working in the kitchen can help prevent these germs and bacteria from contaminating food, dishes or utensils. Hands should also be washed immediately after handling raw meat, poultry or eggs.
To wash hands thoroughly and effectively, use soap and warm water. Rub hands together vigorously for at least twenty seconds, making sure to clean lower arms and underneath fingernails as well
Keep any long hair pulled back tightly, and do not brush or comb hair in the kitchen. Dirt is attracted to hair, and if hair finds its way into the food it can transfer the dirt and cause sickness. Stay away from preparing food in the kitchen when sick. Even if proper hand washing techniques are followed and there is no direct coughing or sneezing into the food, breathing alone can transfer germs or illness.

5 Classical Vegetable Cut

Mirepoix
Selection of rough cut vegetables (eg carrots, celery and onions).
Most often used when making meat and vegetables stocks.
Since the vegetables are used as a flavoring element,
accurate size and shape are less important

Julienne
Thinly sliced vegetable sticks 2” to 3” long and often 1/8”
square or smaller. Begin with a julienne and create a fine cube
dice by slicing the lengths with a chef’s knife

Brunoise
An extract and fine dice to 1/8” square or smaller. Begin
with a julienne cut and create a fine cube dice by slicing the
lengths with a chef’s knife

Batons and Jardiérs
Matchstick lengths and thicker version of the julienne cut to
about ¼” square. The batons can be cut with a chef’s knife or
French mandolin equipped with the 7 mm cutting blade

Chiffonade
Thin strips often used for herbs or any leafy vegetables. Stack the leaves and roll tightly to create a cigar shape, and then slice across the roll to create fine ribbons. Makes a nice decorative garnish