A beautifully presented dish isn’t just reserved for restaurant dining. With a few simple knife skills and the right tools, home cooks can elevate everyday meals into something that looks as impressive as it tastes. One of the easiest ways to add a professional touch to your cooking is learning how to cut a spring onion using the bias cut.

The bias cut offers a refined option for garnishing ramen, finishing a stir fry or adding freshness to a salad. The way you cut spring onions can transform the final presentation of your dish.

Michelin-trained chef Chris Mapp, who worked under Gordon Ramsay and Marcus Wareing and now runs the double AA Rosette-winning Tickled Trout pub, demonstrates the bias cut. He shows how to create elegant slices of green onion that bring a professional finish to everything from noodle dishes to salads. By focusing on knife angle, control and precision, home cooks can achieve the same polished presentation found in professional kitchens.

Why Presentation Matters at Home?

We often say we eat with our eyes first. Professional chefs understand that visual appeal enhances the dining experience, creating anticipation before the first bite. While home cooking is often focused on flavour and convenience, taking an extra minute to consider presentation and make even simple meals feel special. A bias cut spring onion, for example, creates elegant, elongated slices that instantly look more refined than standard chopped rounds.

The Importance of a Sharp, High-Quality Knife

Great knife skills start with a great knife. Using a sharp, well-balanced knife allows for cleaner cuts, greater precision and improved safety in the kitchen. Dull blades require more force, increasing the risk of slipping and tearing or bruising delicate ingredients.

A high-quality knife helps preserve the texture of vegetables such as spring onions, resulting in crisp, clean slices rather than crushed or torn pieces. This not only improves appearance but can also help maintain freshness and texture.

When preparing garnishes and fine cuts, precision matters. A sharp knife, such as a chef’s knife or a paring knife, glides effortlessly through ingredients, giving you greater control and consistency with every slice.

Why Choose a Fluted Blade?

Many GLOBAL knives feature a fluted blade design, with small indentations along the side of the blade. These flutes create tiny air pockets between the blade and the food as you cut. This reduces friction and helps prevent ingredients form sticking to the knife. When preparing spring onions, cucumbers or other delicate vegetables, a fluted blade can make cutting smoother and more efficient, while helping maintain uniform slices.

The result is cleaner preparation, faster cutting and improved presentation on the plate. Our most popular fluted knives include the G-77 20cm Chef’s Knife (the fluted version of the iconic G-2), the GS-57 11cm Santoku Knife and the GN-001 GLOBAL NI 16cm Oriental Cook’s Knife.

How To Cut Spring Onions Using the Bias Cut

The bias cut is a simple technique where the ingredient is sliced at an angle rather than straight across. This creates a larger surface area and elegant oval shaped pieces that look more professional.

Step 1: Wash and Prepare the Spring Onion

Rinse the green onions thoroughly under cold water to remove any dirt. Pat dry with a clean kitchen towel. Trim off the root end and remove any damaged outer layers if necessary.

Step 2: Position the Spring Onion

Place the spring onion horizontally on a chopping board. Hold it securely with your guiding hand, keeping your fingertips curled away from the blade.

Step 3: Angle Your Knife

Instead of cutting straight down at a 90 degree angle, tilt your knife to approximately 45 degrees so it’s diagonal to the salad onion. Watch Chris Mapp using his fluted chef’s knife on an angle for help. This angled position is what creates the distinctive elongated shape associated with bias cut vegetables.

Step 4: Slice with Smooth Motions

Using a sharp knife, make smooth, controlled slices along the length of the spring onion. Aim for consistent thickness throughout the cut. Thin slices work well as garnishes, while slightly thicker slices are ideal for stir fries and salads.

Chris Mapp’s top tip: If you’re using the green end of the spring onion, called the scallion, cut this more finely as it’s more fibrous.

Small Skills, Big Impact

Professional presentation doesn’t require complicated techniques or expensive ingredients. Mastering simple knife skills such as the bias cut can instantly improve the appearance of your cooking.

Combines with a sharp, high-quality knife and thoughtful attention to detail, even everyday ingredients like spring onions can become an elegant finishing detail on the plate.

The next time you’re preparing a meal, take a moment to practise your bias cut. It’s a small technique that delivers a surprisingly professional result – and one that every home cook can master.

For more knife skills, see Chris Mapp’s demonstrations of the Brunoise Cut and the Baton Cut.