Anyone taken a short class that helps a prep cook move faster without cutting corners — i’m on veg station 5 a.m.–1 p.m. in Portland, cranking through 50 lb onions with a 10-inch chef’s knife, and I’m after practical training — knife maintenance/yield, batch labeling, and mise setup — ideally under 3 hours and maybe chef-reimbursable, so the line stays stocked and we cut waste.
Took PCC Cascade’s 2.5‑hour Knife Skills — chef reimbursed — and it sped up my “50 lb onions.” Switch to a straight push-cut and strop on folded newsprint every 30–40 minutes; set two 1/6 pans (root-on halves, trim) and weigh trim to show yield. If PCC doesn’t fit your 5 a.m.–1 p.m., @ethan6101, Sur La Table Bridgeport’s class works but leans salesy: https://www.surlatable.com/knife-skills-class/.
Carter Cutlery in Hillsboro has a sub‑3‑hour sharpening fundamentals that my chef reimbursed as “tool maintenance” — my push cuts got cleaner and onion trim dropped; dates are at https://www.cartercutlery.com/classes. If that’s a haul, @OP, ask your US Foods/Sysco rep about their quick BOH efficiency sessions; they’re a bit salesy but the mise/labeling tips are solid.
@OP I did a 2‑hour mise/labeling mini‑session at Sur La Table (Bridgeport); chef reimbursed it as “operations,” and the best takeaway was “prewrite 30 labels before you touch a knife” so batches fly and waste notes stay consistent. For your onion run, add a tiny micro‑bevel (15° per side with a quick 20° micro‑bevel) and wipe the edge on a damp towel every tray — push cuts stay clean and trim drops. It’s a bit consumer‑y, so for a pro angle ask your DayMark or Cambro rep for a free 60–90 min FIFO/label walk‑through on site — like a pit crew tune‑up without leaving the kitchen.
On my 5 a.m. veg block, the biggest speed gain wasn’t sharper steel, it was flow: I set a “10‑onion stack” pipeline — halve and root‑anchor 10, peel 10, then run a light draw‑cut — and it shaved about 12 minutes off a 50‑lb run with a 10‑inch. @OP if you want a super quick refresher on the motion, this clip nails the technique: https://www.seriouseats.com/how-to-cut-an-onion. Small caveat: if sticking is slowing you down (), a cheap granton‑edge slicer just for onions is faster, but it’s a single‑tasker.