Knife Skills and Kitchen Basics
A hands-on program built around real kitchen situations — not abstract theory. Each session gives you something you can use at your next meal.
Course Outline
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Session One: The Knife
Grip, posture, and basic cuts. We cover the dice, the julienne, and the chiffonade. Everyone leaves with their knife noticeably sharper than when they arrived.
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Session Two: Heat and the Pan
Dry heat versus wet heat, when to use each, and what a properly preheated pan looks like. We cook proteins and vegetables side by side to compare results.
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Session Three: Flavour Foundations
Building a base with aromatics, deglazing, and finishing with acid. We make two simple sauces and taste them at different stages so the changes are obvious.
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Session Four: Putting It Together
A full meal cooked start to finish using the skills from previous sessions. Everyone contributes a component and the group eats together at the end.
Full details
About this program
Most people who struggle in the kitchen are not missing talent. They are missing a few specific skills that nobody ever showed them properly. This course covers those gaps directly.
We start with knives because everything else depends on them. How you hold a blade, how you rock it through an onion, how you keep it sharp enough to actually work with — these details change how cooking feels day to day.
From there we move into heat. Understanding when a pan is ready, when to lower the flame, and when to leave something alone is more useful than any single recipe. These are the decisions that determine whether dinner turns out well.
The course runs in small groups. Everyone cooks at their own station, makes mistakes, and figures out what went wrong. That back-and-forth between trying and adjusting is where the learning actually happens.
- Safe knife grip and cutting board technique
- Sharpening and maintaining a basic knife set
- Reading heat and managing a stovetop
- Building a simple sauce from pan drippings
- Seasoning food at each stage, not just at the end
By the end you will have cooked several dishes from scratch and have a clearer sense of what to do when a recipe is not working.
Reserve your place
Ready to start cooking?
Fill in the form and we'll confirm your spot within one business day. Spots are limited to keep sessions focused and interactive.
Questions before signing up? Reach us at help@porterpick.info or call +27 73 936 2981.