Chop Like A Pro With Thomas Keller's Chive Technique

You're not likely to find a list of the world's greatest guitarists without Jimmy Page, and you're not likely to find a list of the world's greatest chefs without Thomas Keller. Two of his restaurants, The French Laundry in California and Per Se in New York, each have three Michelin stars. His ultra-meticulous approach in the kitchen would doubtlessly frustrate home cooks trying to follow the recipes provided in one of his several cookbooks, but it's become hugely influential in the world of fine dining. 

Carmy Berzatto, the beleaguered protagonist of "The Bear," once worked for Keller. Keller even made a quick cameo in "The Bear" Season 3 (Keller also loosely inspired David Fields, the sadistic chef played by Joel McHale, but that was mostly due to his habit of whispering in chefs' ears as they worked rather than any abuse). If you want to cook more like this legend, you can start by following his instructions on how to chop chives, as demonstrated by Chef Will Murray of London's Fallow restaurant:

The annoying thing about chives, as anyone who's tried to chop them will know, is that they have a habit of moving around on you. That might make it tricky for an inexperienced cook to cut them evenly. Thomas Keller solves this problem by simply wrapping them up with a strip of paper towel. It doesn't have to be a particularly large one, either, so long as it keeps them still long enough for you to chop them evenly.

If you want to follow the Keller way, it's important to stick to cutting small bunches of chives at one time for maximum precision. You also need to use the right knife. Chef Murray uses a slicer knife in his demonstration, which allows for smaller, more precise cuts. You can also use your chef's knife for chives — just make sure you sharpen your knife frequently. Whatever you use, make sure to cut those chives as small and as uniform as you can — you may not have some tall guy from California whispering in your ear, but that doesn't mean you can't do your best.

As Chef Murray mentions in his video, chives are often used as a test of a cook's competency with a knife in professional kitchens. By following Keller's method, you can cut chives beautifully enough to be used as a garnish in a Michelin star restaurant.