Cutting surface: How high do you have it/like it?

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tk59

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This is going to be a big shock BUT I've been thinking a lot about knives and how I'm using them, etc. I'm curious to know what the distance is between your elbows and the top of the cutting surface you like to use the most.
 
between belly button and hip for me.

I have noticed tho that if I do a lot of prep work (which rarely happens as I'm usually just cooking for two) I go closer to hip height. When its just the two of us I usually have a board on the lower island which is about in between the belly and the hip
 
Interesting. I just talked to the sushi guy at one of the local restaurants here about how high his set-up was and he said he likes it high because his back bothers him otherwise. I noticed he gets his face maybe a foot or so off the cutting surface sometimes. Anybody else lean over like that?
 
i like a bit higher than hip level. i pride myself on posture in a kitchen and find that a little below belly button gives me the ability to stand up straight and work comfortably. its odd to watch people on tv that are all hunched over when plating and have their face 5 inches from a plate.
 
My arm more or less drops naturally by my side and then I adjust my cutting board height to suit. I am 6 feet so I like a board that is 1 3/4 inches thick with no feet, and the surface top falls below my waist. My elbow is about 3 inches above the cutting plane and hits just above my waist.

k.
 
Interesting. I just talked to the sushi guy at one of the local restaurants here about how high his set-up was and he said he likes it high because his back bothers him otherwise. I noticed he gets his face maybe a foot or so off the cutting surface sometimes. Anybody else lean over like that?

I use Tiger balm or Icy-Hot during the day and heating pad at night. I use two True coolers and my board is on top of them, I have caught myself leaning over like that when I get in a zone and just cutting away, then my back says :nono:
 
Interesting. I just talked to the sushi guy at one of the local restaurants here about how high his set-up was and he said he likes it high because his back bothers him otherwise. I noticed he gets his face maybe a foot or so off the cutting surface sometimes. Anybody else lean over like that?

a bit of leaning over is just part of proper technique/stance for japanese chefs
 
a bit of leaning over is just part of proper technique/stance for japanese chefs

That may be true, but I disagree. A higher work surface lets you stand straight instead of hunching over. It saves the back.
 
i don't hunch over much with a work surface at hip height.
 
I washed dishes for about 5 years when I was at University so my back never ever gets sore when I work in the kitchen now, I rarely ever stand still anyway for my back to get stiff/sore
 
I do 20 minutes of yoga every night. It helps keep me spry and I sleep like a baby.

Kitchen work is hell on your back, regardless of counter height. Not to say that high counters aren't better--I worked at a place once that had counters exactly testicle-high...I crushed the goods on a regular basis.
 
I like my counters kinda high.. slight above the belly button for me... and I'm 5"6'
 
I like my surfaces a belly button and sharpening I set up on a 6 inch hotel pan to give extra height. If I sharpen on a lower surface my back hates me. Plus I seem to be able to keep a more straight bevel on a higher surface.
 
I prefer anything about 36-37" high. I am about 5'9", so a 37" cutting surface is about 4" below my belly button, and with my arm hanging at my side my elbow is about 7" from the top of the board.

I would say most prep tables and coolers in a pro kitchen aren't quite this tall. Probably around 35" tall plus a thin poly board. So those of you who prefer the board near your bellybutton need to be short or sol.

Sharpening I also like a few inches higher. I usually flip over a half deep third pan and put my stones on that to sharpen, so maybe another 3-4" on top of my counters.
 
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