A knife cut is how a chef or cook slices food into a specific shape. The different types of basic knife cuts are batonnet, dice, allumette, mince, julienne, and brunoise. Different cuts are required depending upon the dish being prepared because foods cook at different speeds and the size or shape of the food affects how long a dish must cook to be prepared correctly.

Batonnet is a culinary term used to describe one of the basic knife cuts used in preparing vegetables. A batonnet cut is a long cube that should measure approximately one-half inch (1.27 cm) square and two to three inches (5 to 7.6 cm) long. A cook will use the batonnet cut on potatoes when cooking french fries or for celery and carrots when preparing a raw vegetable tray. When dicing food, the chef will start with the batonnet cut then slice the three inch (7.6 cm) long batonnet into smaller cubes which are called a dice. Cheese for appetizers or bread for fondue is often cut into a dice.

Basic knife cuts such as the allumette cut are also in vegetable preparation. Known as the matchstick cut due to its resemblance to a matchstick, the allummette cut is approximately the same length as the batonnet cut but much thinner. The allummette cut vegetable will measure only about one-quarter inch (.6 cm) square by two and one-half inches (6.35 cm) long. When chopping food, the chef will start with the allummette cut then slice the two and one-half inch (6.35 cm) long allummette into tiny cubes called a fine chop. Nuts are often cut into a fine chop for desserts.

One of the most familiar basic knife cuts is the julienne cut. It is thinner than the allummette or batonnet and is used to shred food. The food, such as a carrot, is cut into a two and one-half inch (6.35 cm) long strip then sliced to approximately one-eighth inch (.3 cm) square. The julienne cut is used to make hash browns and shredded cheese. This cut may also be used to dress up salads or cocktails with candied lemon peels.

The smallest basic knife cuts are known as brunoise cuts. A brunoise is the same thickness as a julienne cut at one-eighth inch (.3 cm) square. However, instead of leaving in two and one-half inch (6.35 cm) long strips, the brunoise cut slices the food into one-eighth inch (.3 cm) squares. When mincing food, the chef will start with the brunoise cut and continue to cut into the food is finely minced. Onions and garlic are often cut into a mince because the flavor would be too intense if left in larger pieces.