Worst Cooks Skill Drills: Knife Strife

Bobby and recruit

Chef Bobby Flay checks in with Chet Pourciau while he works to recreate Chef Bobby Flay's Crispy skin black sea bass with avacado, tomatillo and fennel relish , as seen on Food Network's Worst Cooks in America, Season 4

Photo by: David Lang ©2012, Television Food Network, G.P.

David Lang, 2012, Television Food Network, G.P.

On Worst Cooks in America, every recruit's goal is to be a cut above the rest, to make it all the way to the end. And one of the most-important skills that can help them get to that point is wielding a chef's knife properly. The first person to master that culinary fundamental has a better chance of turning out dishes that show precision. A knife can also be an accident waiting to happen, especially for those who don't use it properly — many recruits have shown it's easier to cut your finger than an onion.

The lessons learned here: First, don't be afraid of the knife. Hold it as an extension of your hand. Second, be careful. Keep the fingers of your free had way from the blade and curled under. And third, use a sharp knife. A dull knife can slip and cause injury.

Skill Drills: Knife Strife
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Watch the video above to relive some top moments, and learn a lesson or two on the best way to hold and use your chef's knife. The next time you're watching a recruit hold a knife badly, you'll notice exactly what he or she is doing wrong — and you won't do the same thing yourself.

Watch additional Skill Drills videos on the Worst Cooks in America page.