If you only use your kitchen scissors to open packages, cut twine, or occasionally pluck up the courage to try a spatchcock chicken recipe, you're not using them to their full potential. I used my regular scissors for non-food purposes like cutting paper and fabric, curling ribbons for gifts, and for a long time didn't fully appreciate their versatility. It wasn't until a visit to KBBQ as a teenager that I witnessed a friend use them to slice up marinated short ribs and kimchi into bite-sized pieces that I realized just how practical a dedicated, razor-sharp pair of scissors could be in the food realm.
Many Bon Appétit staff use scissors in the kitchen, both for prep and plating. June Kim, head of digital video, whose mother used scissors in the kitchen every day, uses them for many tasks that others might use a knife for. She chops raw vegetables, chops herbs, and shreds meat and kimchi directly on the skillet. “It's a lot easier than transferring the meat to a cutting board and cutting it there,” June says.
At the dinner table, she uses scissors (duly sterilized, of course) to cut pizza, Korean pancakes, and sandwiches. This is surprising: “I feel like scissors cut better than a knife, because with sandwiches, you have to make a back-and-forth sawing motion or the seasoning will shake and the sandwich will become soggy,” June says.
Commerce editor Karina Finn learned a few things about using scissors while cooking with her ex-partner's mother. She likes to shred cooked boneless chicken thighs to add to salads, and she'll use them to slice up any veggies when she can't be bothered to get out the knife and cutting board. “Reducing the amount of dishes I have to wash afterwards has always been a priority for me,” says Karina. “The kitchen scissors have really helped in that regard.”
There are a ton of kitchen shears out there, but we all have a few favorites. Our deputy cooking editor, Hannah Asbrink, recommends Good Shears by Material for their super sharp cutting edge, while Karina swears by Kline cookware kitchen shears. June swears by Messermeister shears, which disassemble easily to get to those nooks and crannies around the blade hinge. Either way, it's a good idea to have two pairs on hand, one for raw ingredients and one for cooked foods.
If you think about it, scissors are really just two knives connected by a hinge, so it makes sense that we use scissors regularly in the kitchen. If you're not sure, try making a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, taking out your scissors, and cutting it in half. I'm sure you'll agree.
