Every home chef needs a knife skills book. Cooks who know how to choose a knife, how to maintain it and how to use it properly work more safely, more quickly and more efficiently. Good knife skills also allow a cook to cut ingredients uniformly, allowing everything to cook at the same rate and creating the best presentation in the final dish.

The authors' unique approach in this book stems from their experience in the culinary classroom, where they observed how people learn. Elliot and DeWan refined their teaching process based on this vast experience.

Some of the features in the book are:

• More than 1,200 color step-by-step photos that clearly instruct and provide information on each technique
  
• Instructions on proper knife sharpening techniques
  
• Arrows and other graphic devices that direct the reader to the exact photo on the page and the precise skill illustrated
  
• A concealed wiro binding that lies flat, keeping a cook's fingers on the knife, where they safely belong
  
• Concise, detailed and easy-to-understand instructions on how to hold a knife, the basic cuts and the proper techniques for cutting poultry, fish and specific vegetables and fruits, and creative garnishes
  
• Coverage of Japanese-style knives and cutting techniques
• Concise history of knives and knife-making

The Complete Book of Knife Skills was created in collaboration with Zwilling J.A. Henckels, one of the world's leading manufacturers of high-quality knives. This indispensable reference will allow home cooks to teach themselves knife skills based on professional instructors' years of experience.