Peeling knife

A maitre cuisinier's point of view The peeling - knife is the smallest type of knife used by professional chefs. After all, it is the most important tool for small individual carvings. Tournament, a French technical term for the fine processing and carving of vegetables and fruits. An almost forgotten craft skill, which is experiencing a renaissance in the star kitchen.

What is the definition of a peeling knife?

Touring knives have a slim, fixed, non-bendable blade that is modeled on a beak shape. This can be used, for example, to carve the finest boats when turning potatoes. The blade length is usually between 6-7 cm long. The tip is sharp like a needle and the blade is ground very thin. The weight is very low, so that the hand holding the knife does not tire when it is being played.

What are peeling knives used for?

This type of knife is used to carve classic shapes. Boats, crescents, all shapes that show a curved line. For the entremetier, tournament techniques are an important part of star cuisine. In the fruit area – Gardemanger is often used for carving melons or other fruits that are suitable for artistic processing due to their nature.

Which peeling knife should I choose?

Since the shape of the blade always resembles a beak, the shape of the handle is decisive for every professional for his personal handling. The weight plays an important role, since the tournament knife should be able to be carried very easily and flexibly in the ball of the hand. The handle materials used are to be decided according to personal preference, size of the hand and intended use.  

Read more