Classic cuts have standard sizes so that everything in a pan finishes cooking together, and so that the plate looks deliberate. Kitchens around the world use the same names.
Key idea
Sticks: julienne ⅛ × ⅛ × 1 to 2 inches; batonnet ¼ × ¼ × 2 to 2½ inches. Cubes: brunoise ⅛ inch (fine brunoise ¹⁄₁₆); small dice ¼ inch; medium dice ½ inch; large dice ¾ inch. Each cube comes from the stick of the same width: julienne makes brunoise, batonnet makes small dice.
| Cut | Size (inches) | Made from |
|---|---|---|
| Fine julienne | ¹⁄₁₆ × ¹⁄₁₆ × 1 to 2 | thin planks |
| Julienne (allumette for potatoes) | ⅛ × ⅛ × 1 to 2 | ⅛ inch planks |
| Batonnet | ¼ × ¼ × 2 to 2½ | ¼ inch planks |
| Fine brunoise | ¹⁄₁₆ cube | fine julienne |
| Brunoise | ⅛ cube | julienne |
| Small dice | ¼ cube | batonnet |
| Medium dice | ½ cube | ½ inch sticks |
| Large dice | ¾ cube | ¾ inch sticks |
Why it works
Pieces of the same size cook in the same time. A pan of mixed large and small pieces ends with some mushy and some raw. Squaring off a vegetable first (cutting it into a neat block) wastes some, but the trim goes into stock or soup.
Worked example: Count the cubes
A batonnet is ¼ × ¼ × 2 inches. How many small dice can you cut from it?
- Small dice is ¼ inch, the same width.
- $2 \div \tfrac14 = 8$.
Answer: 8 small dice.
Common mistake
Calling any chopped vegetable "diced". A dice is a cube; if the pieces aren't square on all sides, it is a rough chop (which is fine for stock, where shape doesn't matter).
Practice at home
- Square off a carrot, cut ¼ inch planks, then batonnets, then small dice. Measure ten pieces against the picture above.
- Cut a potato into julienne, then brunoise. Keep the trim in water for soup.
In Meal Prep
- Knife cuts: the home version of these sizes