Rant: That YouTube guy who said you just need a sharp knife to cook anything

I saw this video yesterday from some dude with 500k subs saying all you need is a decent chef's knife and you can cook any meal. He acted like garlic presses and mandolines are a waste of money. I spent my whole first year of cooking trying to slice potatoes evenly by hand and it always looked terrible. Got a $15 mandoline from Target 6 months ago and my casseroles actually cook through now. Has anyone else had to unlearn that whole 'just git gud' nonsense?

3 comments

3 Comments

davis.olivia3d ago

A sharp knife is non-negotiable (don't take mine away from me), but that guy is totally overselling it. A garlic press changed my life because I hate chopping garlic and always get it stuck under my nails. A mandoline for even slices is just smart cooking, not a crutch like he claims. I've been cooking for years and my knife skills are decent, but I still use a box grater for cheese because I'm not a sadist. Calling basic tools "wasteful" is just gatekeeping with extra steps.

stella223d ago

A microplane for ginger is my kitchen secret weapon. Nobody needs to mince ginger by hand and end up with fibrous stringy bits. Garlic press people are right, life is too short for that.

wilson.olivia3d ago

Cooking purists get so dramatic about tools, like using a garlic press means you've abandoned your soul or something. I use a microplane for ginger and a garlic press when I'm lazy and the food still turns out fine. Not every shortcut is a crime against culinary tradition, sometimes it's just Tuesday night dinner.