So I sit down at the counter in a Chinese Restaurant and order a mess of Tomato Beef Chow Mein, and a beer. Chef Henry Chen is prepping veggies for the night rush. He grabs a plate, and then....
uses the bisque (unglazed rim) base as a steel to put and edge on his knife! Whiskey Tango Foxtrot!
So I ask what he is doing, and he shows me very closely... I ask if I can take a picture... no problem he says... he shows me the rim and how it is discolored from use...
He says it is common in Chinese kitchens, because you want as sharp as possible when jumping on veggies, especially mushrooms... Yes, he has a steel to sharpen the knives, but if you want a turn a buck in the restaurant biz, you have to keep moving.... can't waste time going to get the steel if you don't have to...
but he'll give me the time to show me a properly clean sliced forest mushroom...
Then one cut with a dull(er) knife... see the raggedy edge at the bottom...parts hanging off... I know it is hard to see, but the chef knows it is there, and it is unacceptable coming out of his kitchen...
And compared, raggedy on top, clean on bottom...
Below is my video on Chinese knives, plan B... or just go here...
2 comments:
Hah, Yah!
My Chinese wife uses that place on a plate all the time. We have a special sharpener (dunno where, or where the knives & forks went...). I did the same the other day, sharpening a knife to cut sushi while in a Kunming family house.
"Or where the knives and forks went..." Hilarious... I was watching a cooking show in which the Chinese chef carefully cut the meat into bite sized pieces and the show host asked if they did this because Chinese do not have knives... the chef looked perplexed and said it was because it is rude to make your guests cut their food... you cut it for them. O!
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