⏰ Service 1 — French Onion Soup
← Block 1–2: Knife Skills & Kitchen Setup Overview
Skill: Slicing 4–5 lbs of onions into uniform thin half-moons. This takes 20+ minutes and teaches you more than any drill — because caramelization depends entirely on uniform thickness. Thin, even slices cook at the same rate. Uneven ones create pockets of raw and burned.
Full Meal: French Onion Soup (Soupe à l'Oignon)
A largely self-contained dinner. If you want something green alongside, a simple arugula salad with lemon and olive oil takes 3 minutes and cuts through the richness nicely — but it's optional.
Skill targets: Uniform half-moon slices. Pinch grip maintained throughout. Knife honed before you start.
🎥 Compare Notes: The Mathematically Best Way to Cut an Onion — He breaks down the geometry of onion-cutting and why the angle of your cuts determines whether pieces stay together or fall apart. Perfect viewing before 4–5 lbs of half-moons.