Hi hi! Ellen Bennett here! I’m beyond excited to spill the beans with you all. I just started at ICE Los Angeles (yes, culinary school!), and I’ll be sharing my journey with you week by week. Think of this as a peek BTS of what I’m learning—lessons from my community, creativity pushed to the max, and lots of humbling moments in the kitchen.
Between kid drop-offs, H&B brand calls, and still nursing my little guy, one of the very first lessons I picked up? The importance of knife skills basics—and always being open to learning more.
Why Knife Skills Matter
If you’ve ever stressed over chopping vegetables evenly or found yourself slipping with a dull blade, you’re not alone. Week one reminded me why good knife skills are the foundation of cooking:
Even cuts = even cooking. When vegetables are the same size, they cook at the same speed. Goodbye, half-burnt, half-raw veggies.
Sharp knives = safer cooking. A dull blade makes you push harder and slip more. A sharp kitchen knife is actually safer.
Confidence = flow. Master the basics, and you stop second-guessing every move—so you can actually enjoy cooking.
And while culinary school teaches dozens of cuts, you don’t need every fancy French technique to cook a great meal at home. Master these three, and you’ll be golden:
3 Essential Knife Cuts
🟨 Julienne vs. Batonnet
Julienne = thin matchsticks (⅛″ × ⅛″ × 2″). Perfect for carrots, cucumbers, or peppers in salads and stir-fries.
Batonnet = chunkier sticks (¼″ × ¼″ × 2–3″). Great for veggie platters or homemade fries.
🔸 Medium Dice Knife Cut
About ½″ cubes—onions for soups, potatoes for stews, peppers for fajitas. Once you nail this, you’ll use it every day.
Together, these three cuts are the heart of everyday cooking.
The 4-Step Process to Cut Any Vegetable
Here’s the playbook my chef instructor drilled into us—and it works for almost any veggie:
1. Square Off – Trim the rounded edges so it sits flat.
2. Cut Planks – Slice into even sheets; thickness sets the cut size.
3. Cut Strips – Stack planks and slice into sticks.
4. Cut Cubes – Rotate strips and slice across into uniform cubes.
👉 Square off → planks → strips → cubes. That’s it! From here, you can julienne, batonnet, or medium dice—just adjust the thickness.
Pro tip: Use a bench scraper to transfer everything neatly off your cutting board. I’m using the H&B one daily, and it’s a total game-changer.
Knife Safety Tips I’m Bringing Home
Confidence in the kitchen isn’t just about technique—it’s about setup and safety. Here are my go-to reminders:
- Anchor your cutting board. Slip a damp towel underneath to keep it from sliding.
- Keep your chef knives sharp. A dull blade is a dangerous blade. Get into a sharpening routine so every cut feels smooth and safe.
- Practice one cut at a time. Start with medium dice, repeat until you’ve got it down, then move on to julienne or batonnet.
Cooking Confidence at Home
The biggest surprise? How much joy I’ve found in the basics. Knife skills are empowering: when you’re confident with a chef knife, everything else in the kitchen flows more easily.
Here’s the truth: be great at cutting, and you’ll be great at cooking. Nail the essentials—julienne, batonnet, and medium dice—and practice them often. I’ve been cooking for 15 years and I’m still learning new tricks every day.
So grab your sharpest kitchen knife, tie on your Hedley & Bennett apron, and permit yourself to practice. Once you master the foundations, you can cook anything.
See ya soon!
— Ellen Marie Bennett 🌿
Founder + Chief Brand Officer