I used to swear by my old chef's knife until a line cook made me try a nakiri

For about 15 years I only used a standard 8 inch chef's knife for everything. Chopping onions, slicing meat, even breaking down chickens. Then last month a young line cook at our restaurant in Portland let me use his nakiri for vegetable prep. I finished my mise en place in about half the usual time because the flat blade lets you rock through veggies without any extra wrist motion. The straight edge also made it way easier to get clean cuts on carrots and celery. I still use my chef's knife for proteins and heavier work, but for vegetables I am a total convert now. Has anyone else had a tool like a nakiri or a usuba change up their daily prep routine?

2 comments

2 Comments

the_karen1mo ago

Oh man, I totally get this! I had the same thing happen with a mezzaluna - my dumb self thought it was just for fancy pizza cutting until a prep cook handed me one for chopping a case of parsley. I felt like a complete fool rocking back and forth like I was on a seesaw while everyone else was just zipping through. I mean, it's humbling when a 20-year-old shows you up with a specialty knife you've ignored for a decade. Now I'm that guy who's like 'yeah I still use my chef's knife for meat but vegetables? Nakiri or bust.' My old knife is basically just for show now, sitting there judging me.

adams.vera1mo ago

Wait, you mean mezzalunas aren't just for pizza? I bought one years ago because it looked cool and now it just sits in the drawer collecting dust. I never even thought to use it for herbs or veggies. Now I'm picturing myself rocking back and forth like a broken toy while everyone else chops circles around me. Guess I've been that guy the whole time, just with way less skill and more shame. At least my chef's knife still puts in work, but that mezzaluna is definitely judging me from the drawer right now.