A bit of a problem

[foleyisgood]

Well, as I have posted before, I am starting culinary school soon (with any luck).

Unfortunatley I was born with a birth defect on my hand. I am missing two fingers on my right hand and have limited use of the three full digits I have. I have limited strentgh and I cant bend any of them. I can grip things between my thumb and pointer however, and have always adapted.

When I did JROTC, I adapted my own style for rifle drill as well as throwing/catching/spinning.

Long story short, with current cutting techniques, will I be able to just use my left hand (I am left handed) to hold the knife, and use my right hand to hold and move food whole cutting/chopping?

I have also experimented with devices that help fasten the knife to my right hand, allowing me to chop with that, and move the food across the cutting surface with my left hand in the usual style.

I just dont want to get to culinary school and be told I cant do something. People have been telling me that my entire life, and I havent listened to them yet

[Suzanne]

So you're left-handed? Me too. Sounds like you know how to adapt in this right-handed world.

It might be a little difficult for you to use your right hand to hold down the food, since usually the fingers of the non-knife hand are curled under as the hand is placed on top of the food being cut, and the backs of the fingers act as a guide for the blade. But if you can find a way to hold the food and cut without losing any part of your R. hand, (difficult even for some folks with complete mobility and all their fingers, at least to start ), you should be fine. Again, it's just a matter of adapting what you DO have to do the job.

[DC Sunshine]

Dont' despair. There is a british Chef, Michael Caines, who has made a great name for himself after being right handed ,then losing his right arm in a motor accident, who has had a prosthetic made and become pretty much totaly left handed, and risen amongst the ranks, to run a 2 Michelin star restaurant, amongst other things.

You can do it...I would suggest you google his name and see what you can find.
Try this site:
Michael Caines


Best of luck to you

[AceBaker]

I distinctly remember a guy in culinary school that had only one hand.
He used all sorts of attachments to use knives and such. Of course I don't have any useful info on what he used or how... Just that he did it and I'm sure you can too.

[chrose]

I went to culinary school with a girl who had a claw type fake arm and she was as capable as anyone there with 2 full arms. Certainly you will be limited here and there so you just adapt to the situation. Those who tell you that you can't do something are not worth listening to. History is full of people adapting to their unique situations and coming out as whole as anyone else. You do what you want to do and do it the best you can, and when you have no doubt, neither will anyone else.
Go get 'em!

[Bazza]

Whilst there are some people who may have an issue with this, I as an employer would not. If you can get the job done by whatever means and safely, then I would have you in my kitchen. Do not be put of by people telling you that you can't do it, only you know what you can do and if you are determined enough you can do pretty much anything you want. DC Sunshine mentioned Michael Caines who is a great chef with only one arm and it hasn't stopped him, in fact he has probably gained more respect as a result. Good luck to you.

[boar_d_laze]

If there's any flex at all in the thumb and fingers of your right hand, you can learn the same basic technique everyone else does. Try this: Make a tripod out of your two finger tips and thumb of your right hand by turning your palm down, and putting your fingers and thumb on the work surface; fingers more or less straight, thumb closest to your body. Press down just a bit and rock your palm forward just a bit, so your finger tips are behind the knuckles just above them. Pinch the top of a stiff card between the thumb and finger of your left hand. Press the card against the middle finger bones of your right hand. Move it up and down so the card's edge bounces against the work surface.

With your right-hand's finger tips on the table, can you move your right-palm far enough forward so the card doesn't touch the right finger-nails? If you can, you're in like Flynn. You've not only mastered the hold-down, but pinch grip as well. If not, you'll find another way.

See, with "proper technique" the fingers on the non-knife hand act as a guide for the knife blade. Getting the knuckles a bit forward of the finger tips, combined with muscle memory provide an intuitive and safe basis for making very fine cuts.

There's nothing all that proper about "proper knife technique," as it's generally taught. It's just the easiest way for most people. It's not magic, it's not the law, it's merely the way most of us do it.

Lots of real knife artists use highly individualized technique, including for instance, "Iron Chef" Morimoto who abandons the "pinch grip" at the drop of a hat. What are you going to do? Tell him he's wrong? I don't think so. Don't let anyone tell you you're wrong either.

Just another southpaw,
BDL

PS Get that IB-8 and learn to sharpen!

[AndyG]

Your only limit is what you limit yourself to