24 May 2010
Selecting and Caring for Commercial Cutlery
Posted by Crystal under: Equipment Maintenance & Tips; Restaurant Business .
Having the right cutlery is an important element of any commercial kitchen. No kitchen can function properly without efficient knives and cutting boards. Here are several tips on the best ways to select the right type of knives and cutting boards, as well as the tips on how to properly care for your cutlery:
Knives. Commercial knives are generally categorized into the following types: chef knives, paring and specialty knives, and butcher steels. Chef knives are typically suitable for the large variety of cutting jobs and usually have a blade between 8 and 10 inches long. These knives are forged and are made from stain-free steel, with non-slip handles and textured finger points, such as the knives featured here: non-slip knives. Paring and specialty knives are used for slicing, trimming, coring, and peeling of small food items, such as produce. These knives typically are made from high-carbon steel; they have non-slip hands and no stain blades, such as paring knives found here: paring knives . Butcher steels are used to hone the blade right after it has been sharpened on a sharpening stone. Butcher steels are not used to actually sharpen the knife. Typically, steels are designed with a guard between the handle and steel to protect you from any accident. Take a look at butcher steels offered here: specialty knives.
Cutting Boards provide a stable cutting surface and are an essential element of any restaurant’s kitchen. High quality cutting boards should be durable enough to withstand vigorous cutting, chopping and the impact of the heaviest knives. Cutting boards are typically made of wood, such as maple, acacia and Birchwood, or plastic, such as high-density polyethylene. Modern plastic and wooden cutting boards have attractive looks and can be used for cutting a vast variety of foods, as featured here: attractive, multi-use cutting boards.
Properly Utilizing Cutlery. Make sure to only use your knives on food products. Do not use your cutlery for cutting metal, plastic and any other non-food items. Do not use cutlery to open bottles. Use cutlery only for cutting the foods. Make sure you use the appropriate type of knife for the right job. Use a meat knife for cutting the meat, carving knife – for carving tasks, and bread knife – for bread. Make sure to use cutting boards while cutting foods. Do not cut on metal, ceramic, granite or any other surface as it will dull the knives and may lead to cross-contamination.
Cleaning Cutlery. Do not wash your cutlery in the dishwater. Hot water will loosen the handle from the blade. While in the dishwasher, knives will move around, hitting other objects, scraping and affecting the appearance of your other utensils. Do not water-soak your cutlery, especially knives with wooden handles, as wood tends to expand when exposed to water for prolonged periods of time. Once you have washed your knives, make sure to dry them right away to prevent rusting.
Storing Cutlery. It is critical to store your knives in a special knife rack. Make sure to keep the edges away from hard objects as they can dull the blades. Do not store knives in drawers with forks and spoons, which also dull the blades and create hazard for anybody reaching in that drawer.
Sharpening. Knives should be regularly sharpened to make them an efficient and lasting item in your kitchen. Chefs often sharpen their knives daily to keep them in the best condition. Dull knives are actually more dangerous than sharp ones, because they are more prone to slip as you have to apply more pressure to cut. Make sure to sharpen your kitchen’s knives regularly to maintain the safety of your employees.
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