Grip Your Knife Like Julia Child To Instantly Sharpen Your Cutting Board Skills

The three most common thoughts people have while watching cooking shows are surely "that looks great", "that looks awful", and "how I wish I could chop like that". The ability to slice an onion in less time than it takes to win an Olympic 100-meter gold is a true superpower, separating even the most incredible home cooks from hardened professionals. The good news is that you can, in fact, sharpen your cutting board skills to that level. All it needs, according to Julia Child, is the right technique and some practice.

From the Cleaver Grip to the Pointer Grip, there are a few different ways chefs wield their knives. The one Julia Child demonstrates in a video published on the Julia Child on PBS YouTube channel is what is now called the Pinch Grip. Instead of wrapping all your fingers and thumb around the handle, pinch the heavy part of the blade at the top by the handle with your pointer and thumb, almost like you were holding a pen, and grip the handle with the pinky, ring, and middle fingers. "This may seem a little awkward at first but you want your knife to act just as though it were part of your hand," Child says. 

The clip is taken from the third episode of Julia Child's seminal cooking show "The French Chef", which aired in the early 1960s. Over six decades after she taught America how to chop onions and make a French onion soup, the Pinch Grip is what is being taught in culinary schools. This is because the grip offers the best control and balance, while also preventing cramping from too much chopping.

In the same clip, Child also demonstrates how to use the non-chopping hand as a guide for the knife blade, including two key tips: Make sure the flat side of the blade knocks against the knuckles on every stroke. And more importantly, keep the fingernails pointing inwards, away from the sharp end of the blade to avoid injuries. "It's easy to do if you just take a little practice," she says. Child's comfort is evident as she slices through half an onion in the first four seconds of the video clip.

It's not just practice you'll need though — you will also need the right knife. "You want a good sharp knife," Child says in the video. "I always use knives of ordinary steel that rust, but which will sharpen." In fact, this was the reason Child never used stainless steel knives, preferring carbon steel instead.

After getting the right knife and mastering the pinch grip, the next step towards complete cutting board mastery is learning the difference between different types of cuts, and when they should be applied. Developing basic knife skills and techniques involves moving beyond chopping and slicing, and understanding how julienned vegetables enhance both flavor and presentation, or how the chiffonade cut helps maintain the full benefit of herbs. And once you're chopping at the speed of light, you can take the time you save to pick up more tips from Julia Child.