⚡ Block 1–2 Quick Reference — Knife Skills & Kitchen Setup

Block 1 — Sessions 1–4

Session	Dish	Skill	Link
Session 1	Pasta with Butter and Parmesan + Wilted Spinach	Pinch grip	Recipe
Session 2	Ribollita	The claw / mirepoix (carrot, celery, onion)	Recipe
Session 3	Shrimp Scampi + Arugula, Fennel & Orange Salad	Rock chop vs. push cut	Scampi · Salad
Session 4	Stir-Fried Beef and Broccoli	Mise en place	Recipe
Service 1	French Onion Soup	Uniform half-moon slices	Recipe

Block 2 — Sessions 5–8

Session	Dish	Skill	Link
Session 5	The Best Pad Thai	Julienne cut	Recipe
Session 6	Home Fries + Crispy Braised Chicken Thighs with Cabbage and Bacon	Small/medium/large dice	Home Fries · Chicken
Session 7	Chicken Piccata + Burst Cherry Tomatoes	Break down whole chicken	Piccata · Breakdown · Tomatoes
Session 8	Shakshuka + Leftover Chicken Thighs + Crusty Bread	Speed benchmark — time your onion dice	Recipe
Service 2	Provençal Vegetable Tian + Simple Green Salad	Uniform round slices	Tian

Shopping Notes

Buy early in Block 1: A honing steel (if you don't own one)

Buy for Block 2: One whole chicken — you'll break it down yourself. Breasts go into Piccata; thighs/legs go in the fridge for Session 8 Shakshuka leftovers.

Freeze: The chicken carcass from Block 2 → this is your Block 7 stock.

Food Safety

📢 Food safety basics for this block (raw shrimp, pork, whole chicken) are covered in the Block 1–2 overview → Food Safety Fundamentals.

Key rule	Detail
Danger zone	40°F–140°F (4°C–60°C) — bacteria multiply here. Food should not sit in this range for more than 2 hours.
Cross-contamination	Raw protein never touches ready-to-eat food. Use separate cutting boards or wash and sanitize between tasks.
Cooling stocks	Transfer hot stock to a wide shallow container; ice-bath until below 70°F within 2 hours before refrigerating.
Internal temperatures	Poultry 165°F. Pork 145°F. Ground beef 160°F. Whole-muscle steak can be seared at lower internal temps because bacteria live on the outside.

📖 Full primer: See the Block 3–4: Heat & Cooking Methods — Food Safety Fundamentals section.