# 67 Kitchen Tips With Chef Curtis Stone | Bon Appétit Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7fYpWQq8Hb0 Recap page: https://rapidrecap.app/video/7fYpWQq8Hb0 Generated: 2025-12-29T17:33:13.867+00:00 --- ## Quick Overview Chef Curtis Stone provides 67 essential kitchen tips across various categories, including knife skills (like leaving the onion root on for clean chopping), food handling (tasting dressings with the greens), ingredient-specific advice (using a julienne peeler for carrots, properly storing truffles), cooking techniques (continually resting steak), and essential tools (using a wire for soft cheese, wearing comfortable shoes). **Key Points:** - Sharp knives help alleviate the crying when chopping onions, and leaving the onion root intact allows for cleaner chopping (00:24, 00:28). - To achieve a julienne cut, cut planks into thin strips, or use a julienne peeler as a shortcut for vegetables like carrots (01:24, 02:47). - When making a dressing, emulsify the fat (oil) slowly into the acid (vinegar) while whisking rapidly to force the two non-mixing components to combine (03:56, 04:14). - When shucking oysters, use a towel for better contact when holding the shell, and slice along the top of the shell to prevent tearing the oyster (06:42, 07:04). - When grilling steak, continually rest it during cooking (e.g., 60-90 seconds on each side, then 5 minutes rest) to allow muscle fibers to relax and reabsorb juices for a juicier, more flavorful result (10:37). - For soft cheeses like goat cheese, cut them into wedges by punching through with a knife, and for hard cheeses, slice them thinly across the entire wedge (19:08, 17:59). - Keep the fridge and pantry organized by labeling and dating everything, which makes cooking more efficient and less stressful (24:52). ![Screenshot at 00:24: Chef Curtis Stone advises that sharp knives help alleviate the crying when chopping onions, demonstrated by his general statement about knife use.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/7fYpWQq8Hb0/00-00-24.jpg) **Context:** Chef Curtis Stone, Executive Chef at Gwen, presents a series of 67 essential kitchen tips organized into chapters covering fundamental skills, ingredient preparation, cooking techniques, tools, and pantry organization. The video moves through various food items and cooking methods, offering practical advice for both home cooks and professional scenarios, emphasizing efficiency, flavor balancing, and proper technique. ## Detailed Analysis Chef Curtis Stone shares 67 kitchen tips categorized into chapters: Basics, Techniques, Meats, Veggies, Fungi, Dairy, Tools, and Acid/Fats. For knife skills, he stresses using sharp knives to avoid crying when chopping onions and emphasizes leaving the onion root intact for cleaner cuts (00:28). For vegetables, he shows how to create julienne cuts from zucchini planks (01:15) and notes that fennel fronds can be used as a fresh herb or garnish, while the stalks can form a flavorful bed for cooking fish (02:50, 11:40). He also advises cleaning artichokes quickly in lemon water to prevent oxidation (12:59). When preparing mushrooms, he cautions against washing them under water because they are porous, suggesting a wet towel or brush instead (16:52). In the section on dressing, he explains emulsification as combining fat and liquid rapidly, using a 1:3 ratio of acid to oil for olive oil-based dressings (03:52, 04:23). For cooking steak, he recommends tempering the meat to room temperature beforehand for an even cook, and continually resting the steak during cooking (e.g., 60 seconds per side, then resting for 5 minutes) to redistribute juices (10:13, 10:37). Regarding dairy, he suggests using cultured butter for serving bread due to its superior flavor and saving regular butter for general cooking, as cultured butter has a lower smoke point (21:35). For tools, he showcases his knife roll and recommends a Santoku as a versatile all-in-one knife (23:55). Finally, he stresses the importance of organizing the fridge and pantry by labeling and dating all stored items, which improves efficiency and reduces stress (24:52). ### Knife Skills & Prep - Sharp knives alleviate onion crying - Leave the onion root on for cleaner chopping (00:28) - Thinly slice fennel with a mandolin for salads (11:52) - Clean artichokes quickly in lemon water to prevent browning (12:59) ### Ingredients & Storage - Tarragon wilts quickly; roll it tightly in a damp paper towel to double its shelf life in the fridge (14:44) - Scallops should never have a funky odor (07:28) - Store truffles wrapped individually in paper towels inside a sealed container, changing the towel daily (17:26) ### Cooking Techniques - Emulsify dressings by slowly pouring fat into acid while whisking rapidly (03:56) - Continually rest steak during cooking (60 seconds per side, then 5 minutes rest) for juicier meat (10:37) - Cook eggs on low heat to avoid burned bottoms and uncooked tops (20:00) ### Dairy & Fats - Use high-quality cultured butter for serving bread; use regular butter for cooking due to its lower smoke point (21:35) - For soft cheeses like goat cheese, cut into wedges by punching through; for hard cheeses, slice thinly across the wedge (17:59, 18:24) ### Tools & Organization - Use a cheese wire for clean slicing through soft cheeses like goat cheese (19:32) - Use a dedicated knife case for organization and protection (23:25) - Label and date all fridge/pantry items (24:27) ### Produce Tips - Ripe tomatoes have a bright green stem and strong aroma (15:18) - Peel the string off snap peas (15:55) - Fennel stalks can be used as a flavorful bed for roasting fish (11:40) ### Other Tips - Cooking over live fire imparts unique aroma and flavor that varies by wood type (25:15) - Experiment with acids (vinegars, lemon juice) to balance fats in food (23:07) ![Screenshot at 00:00: A thick-cut steak cooking directly over glowing red coals in a hearth grill.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/7fYpWQq8Hb0/00-00-00.jpg) ![Screenshot at 00:03: Two rounds of goat cheese sprinkled with sugar are being caramelized using a handheld blowtorch.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/7fYpWQq8Hb0/00-00-03.jpg) ![Screenshot at 01:05: A black and white title card reads "Knife Skills" while zucchini is being sliced thinly on a mandoline.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/7fYpWQq8Hb0/00-01-05.jpg) ![Screenshot at 03:36: Chef Stone demonstrates folding a damp paper towel to clean the cutting board, emphasizing the 'Clean As You Go' principle.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/7fYpWQq8Hb0/00-03-36.jpg) ![Screenshot at 08:54: Chef Stone holds up a large, dry-aged primal cut of beef next to a vacuum-sealed ribeye steak, highlighting the visual differences.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/7fYpWQq8Hb0/00-08-54.jpg)