Customer Reviews

Mastering Knife Skills: Cutting-Edge Tips, Tricks & Techniques Used by Professional Chefs

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I'm a guy and was never taught how to cook. I learned on my own. I used to make a mess when preparing food! This is the second copy of this DVD that I've purchased. I included it along with a fine cutlery set as a wedding gift for my niece. I bought the first copy for myself as an alternative to attending a cutlery skills class taught in Chicago, way too inconvenient for my location in the suburbs. It demonstrates so many useful, valuable tips ideas and techniques regarding cutlery and food preparation, that it has improved my life in my kitchen tremendously! The presentation is fun, and what is presented is highly valuable! The videography is also quite good, as its very easy to see the presented techiques. Unless you're already a trained chef or your mother/father was gifted with cutlery and passed those skills along to you, you can learn from this DVD!

I really wanted to give 5-stars to this wonderful DVD on Mastering Knife Skills by Chef Mike C. & Chef Olivier Said, except for one aspect that was disappointing for a kitchen amateur, like myself. After making only one passing reference to the traditional French Chef Knife, the remainder of the DVD focused on using the shorter, flat, Asian style, Chef Knife. I can understand this is because it's Mike C's preface, but for more complete instruction, I really wish there could have been equal time for the use of the French Chef Knife. Nevertheless, the excellent information in this DVD is delivered in a very entertaining manner by two very funny characters. I would definitely purchase any future presentations they produce. Their Website is www.KitchenOnFire.com

This DVD is definitely for beginners. I was hoping to learn some professional knife skills like turning vegetables, how to filet a fish, how to fabricate chickens, etc. This DVD didn't contain any of that. It's more for home cooks who don't know how to use a knife at all. It's definitely NOT "cutting edge" (although that's a clever pun for a knife instruction DVD), and these are not "tips, tricks & techniques used by professional chefs". The only real thing I learned was how to cut up bell peppers in a new way that was more efficient than other ways I'd learned.

That said, I did enjoy the video. My whole family watched it and we all found it very entertaining. The kids learned a lot, because they've never used knives before, and we all found the guys very funny. We ended up laughing a lot.

If you're a beginner, this is probably an excellent video for you. If you're looking for "cutting edge tips, tricks & techniques used by professional chefs" like I was based on the DVD's subtitle, look elsewhere.

After watching the first 3 or 4 segments of this DVD, I was prepared to give it two stars tops, because Chef Mike C. mispronounced many of the terms of art (it's santoku, not santuko!), and consistently used the first-day-of-education-class no-no first person plural ("this is our non-sharp edge of our knife") that's guaranteed to affect any teacher like fingernails on a blackboard. In addition, it had a number of hallmarks of amateur editing, such as leaving in shots where the talent is looking at the wrong camera. By halfway through, however, the quirky sense of humor ("chainsaw behind you!") and effective use of repetition ("THE CLAW!") had won me over.

These guys are pure Bay Area schlock, but it works. If you're seeking slick production values, keep looking -- this ain't Food Network. But if you want to learn and laugh at the same time, pick this DVD up.

This was a complete guide to using knives in the kitchen, which may sound dry, but was funny and entertaining. It is a great price and great value for anyone looking to sharpen their own cooking skills.

Plus these guys teach cooking classes in Berkeley at Kitchen on Fire, so I can check them out in person!

I was super happy with my purchase! I was very impressed with the wonderful condition of my DVD when it arrived. The seller provided me with a great experience! Five stars!!!

okay for a amatuer . typical over the top american acting wich is anoying but fundermentals okay