• Store
  • Design Jobs
  • Firms
  • Awards
  • Conference
e

Core77

Sign In / Join Now;
e
  • Topics
    • Product Design
    • Process
    • Technology
    • Lifestyle
    • Business
    • News
    • Furniture
    • Tools
    • Transportation
    • Education
    • Footwear
    • Impact
    • Reference
    • Video
  • Features
    • Features
    • Yo! C77 Sketch
    • Photo Galleries
    • Bizarre Inventions
    • Design Calendar
    • Weekly Maker's Roundup
    • DiResta's Cut
    • Industrial Design Tips
    • Hand Tool School
    • Tools & Craft
    • Design Experience that Matters
  • Shopping Guide
  • Projects
    • Projects
    • Firm Projects
    • Reader Projects
  • Forums
    • Forums
    • General Discussion
    • Students & Schools
    • Design Employment
    • Sketching
    • Software & Technology
    • All Forums
  • About Us
    • About Us
    • About
    • Contact
    • Advertise

Mocubo Cutting Board Borrows an Idea from Industrial Kitchens

By Rain Noe - Apr 18, 2012

  • Join Core77 Today
  • Submit your projects for publication
  • }Favorite This
  • Y1
  • m1
  • U1
  • [1
  • X1
  • H1
  • 5 Comments
Core77 Designer Shopping Guide Core77 Designer Shopping Guide

Before entering design school I worked as a prep chef. I learned to sharpen knives and observe some industrial-speed kitchen designs. One of my jobs was to transform neverending containers of vegetables into bite-sized pieces--quickly. (I can still hear head chef Rich yelling at me to pick up the pace.) The design system in place for this--designed both for speed and for right-handed people—was as follows:

I worked at a stainless steel table that had a rectangular cutout on the right side of the top surface. Into this cutout was dropped a rectangular plastic bin with a lip around its perimeter that prevented it from falling through; the top of the bin was roughly level with the worksurface. To the left of this, in the center of the table, was a two-inch-thick cutting board. Its thickness brought its top surface slightly higher than the bin, an important detail. To the left of the cutting board was the target container of vegetables. I cannot stress how quickly these operations were performed; from behind I probably looked like I was playing the piano. My left hand grabbed the mushrooms or zucchini or whatever out of the box and placed them on the cutting board. My right hand, holding the knife, quickly whacked what was being cut into slices. You'd then flick the knife over, holding it backwards so the blade pointed up and the dull side was down, and use the dull side to quickly drag across the cutting board from left to right, sweeping all of your cuttings into the bin. Rinse and repeat. Bins and vegetable containers were swapped in and out as needed.

I haven't been in a restaurant kitchen in a while, but back then this was undoubtedly the most efficient way to get through huge piles of vegetables. I was reminded of this by seeing Quirky's Mocubo Cutting Board pictured up top, which has a similar system of a high cutting board and lower containers that the cuttings can be swept into.

When not being "swept" into, the containers nest on the underside of the cutting board for storage.

They only got one detail wrong, as seen in the photo below: The model is sweeping the cuttings with the blade side down.

That's an amateur move that guarantees you'll have to break your flow by stopping to sharpen the knife too often. Rich would not be pleased. And you didn't want to piss Rich off, because he made the staff meals and had a memory like a goddamn elephant.

The latest design news, jobs & events.
Straight to you every other week.

Join over 300,000 designers who stay up-to-date with the Core77 newsletter...

Subscribe

Test it out; it only takes a single click to unsubscribe

  • }Favorite This
  • Y1
  • m1
  • U1
  • [1
  • X1
  • H1
  • Homeware
  • Food

Rain Noe

Rain Noe is a writer and industrial designer based in New York City.

4 Comments

  • Leonard7
    6 years ago
    Z
    Z
    Reply
    Wonderful idea! BETTER IF THE BOARD IS BIGGER! BETTER IF THE CONTAINER IS DEEPER! EVEN BETTER IF MORE CONTAINER IS PROVIDED!
    !Report as spam
  • Jason
    6 years ago
    Z
    Z
    Reply
    The concept is there but the execution is off. I feel that board was designed to just look good in photos. First, the board is way too small. The containers are way too shallow. Here's my setup: My cutting board at home has .5" feet, so I'll slide a couple silicone cutting mats under the board, pulling them out as trays. As I prep, I sweep my veg onto one of the mats. It's really efficient. Also, you forgot to mention that the photo shows an improper knife grip. Something else Chef Rich would yell about. :)
    !Report as spam
  • jomy
    6 years ago
    Z
    Z
    Reply
    The bins look awfully small even for home cooking.
    !Report as spam
  • Steven
    6 years ago
    Z
    Z
    Reply
    This is something I always wanted. While it's very simple thing it really makes life easier. Finally something innovative created for kitchen
    !Report as spam

Core77's Design Directory

View all Design Firms »

Core77 Adlets

Advertise Here

Recent Posts

  • Announcing the A' Design Awards & Competition Winners

    By Core Jr - 15 hours ago

  • Tools & Craft #93: The Argument for a Traditional Tail Vise

    By Joel Moskowitz - 17 hours ago

  • Urban Design Observations: Bollard Problems

    By Rain Noe - 17 hours ago

  • Steven M. Johnson's Bizarre Invention #82: The Truncate Taxi

    By Steven Johnson - 18 hours ago

Continued Reading
  • Furniture Design

    By Carly Ayres - Apr 17, 2012

    Student Spotlight: Brett Newman, RISD

    Tri Bike RackA senior in the Industrial Design program at the Rhode Island School of Design, Brett Newman hails from Salt Lake City, Utah. Newman's passions for biking, skiing and making are evident throughout his work—whether it is designing a pair of sustainable skis with friend Patrick O'Sullivan, or creating...

  • International Home + Housewares Show

    By Core Jr - Mar 30, 2012

    International Home + Housewares 2012: Marna and OIGEN, Japanese Heritage Brands

    Coverage sponsored by the IHAMarna Collapsible Travel Cup, GOOD Design WinnerAt this year's Home and Housewares show, we were impressed with the number of brands that had over a 100 years of manufacturing experience—Eva Solo, Lodge and SodaStream to name a few. Design leads the way for each of these...

  • International Home + Housewares Show

    By Ray Hu - Mar 19, 2012

    International Home + Housewares Show 2012: Things That Look Like Other Things - DCI x ABWBD FTW

    Coverage sponsored by the IHALike Core faves Kikkerland, Fred & Friends and Suck UK, housewares purveyor DCI offers a whole range of clever products, from humorous housewares to stylish stationery and plenty of 'things-that-look-like-other-things.' Founder Roni Kabessa wasn't sure what to expect when he first relocated from New York City...

  • Homeware

    By Ray Hu - Feb 22, 2012

    Bottle Humidifier by cloudandco for elevenplus

    The design team at Seoul-based design studio cloudandco, led by Founder/Creative Director Yeongkyu Yoo, is pleased to present their latest product design, the Bottle Humidifier. The designers note that the ubiquitous household object is often an inelegant or outright ugly device hiding in plain sight: "When the context of the...

K

{

Welcome

  • YSign In with Facebook
  • mSign In with Twitter
  • USign In with Linkedin
OR
  • jSign In with Core77 Account
  1. Forgot password?
  • Cancel

Don't have an account? Join Now

K

{

Welcome

Create a Core77 Account

  • YJoin Now with Facebook
  • mJoin Now with Twitter
  • UJoin Now with Linkedin
OR
  • jJoin Now with Email
  • Cancel

Already have an account? Sign In

By creating a Core77 account you confirm that you accept the Terms of Use

K

Reset Password

Please enter your email and we will send an email to reset your password.

  • Cancel
Today On the Core77 Network...
  • ]Design Jobs

    • Prototyping Engineer

      Microsoft Corporation Redmond, Washington
    • Visual Designer

      Vector Media Group New York, New York
    • SENIOR LEAD

      10XBeta Brooklyn, New York
    • Packaging Designer with Structural Packaging Design Experience

      The Companion Group Berkeley, California
    • Post A Job
    • View All Jobs
  • ]Design Directory

    View other design services:

    • _Hand-Eye Supply

      • Trusco 2-Level Cantilever Tool Box

        $65
      • Kaweco Highlighter Color Leads 5.5x80mm 3 pack

        $7
      • Hand-Eye Supply 6 PC Screwdriver Set

        $50
    • *Coroflot Portfolios

      • TOON - vacuum

        Andrea Putaggio
      • Botran & Co | CGI Advertising visualisation & Promo Animation film.

        Marco Serena
    • © 2018 Core77, Inc. All rights reserved.
    • Terms
    • Privacy Policy
    • Contact
    • Advertise
    • About
    • Y
    • m
    • '
    • X
    • S
    • © 2018 Core77, Inc. All rights reserved.
    Advertise Here