We reached out to professional chefs to cut through the controversy and get to the heart of what makes a great prep surface. Here are the five things they always look for, and 10 boards that fit the bill: But is one better than the other? Well, all the chefs we polled prefer working with wood or bamboo boards. There are a few points in these boards’ favor: For one, they have a softer and more supple surface than plastic, which makes them gentler on knives. Wood and bamboo are naturally antimicrobial materials, and they tend to be more resistant to scratches that can trap harmful germs1. But while these boards tend to get less dirty, they’re more laborious to clean. Since you can’t put them in the dishwasher, this means you need to be more diligent about cleaning them right away—especially if you’re working with raw meat or pungent flavors like garlic and onion. (Wood boards also retain more water and hold on to smells longer than synthetics.) You also need to treat your wood board with oil every so often to make sure it’s well-sealed. They definitely require more maintenance, which celebrity chef and nutritionist Serena Poon, C.N., CHC, CHN, says isn’t necessarily a bad thing. “Though somewhat time-consuming, I look at these activities as ways to cultivate a certain type of energy in my kitchen,” Poon tells mbg. “Taking time to care for your kitchen can make your food feel more nourishing and full of love.” Finally, while wood boards tend to be heavier and more cumbersome; they’re also more aesthetically pleasing than most plastic or rubber surfaces. Most people who spend a lot of time cooking will use wood as their everyday standby cutting board but also keep a synthetic, lightweight board nearby for quick cleanup after handling smelly or bacteria-prone ingredients. Both of them have a time and a place in the kitchen. “One cutting board trick of the trade is to mark one side for onion and garlic and the other for everything else. This keeps your tomatoes and strawberries from picking up any off-flavors by virtue of the surface,” she tells mbg. “You can have that side branded with a fancy label; I just write “Onion/Garlic Only” on one side with a permanent marker.” She recommends boards that are at least 18 by 24 inches—large enough to hold multiple piles of ingredients at once. On top of that, Adjepong adds that it’s important to look for a wood board that’s well-sealed. “Number one in a good cutting board: It shouldn’t be porous at all,” he tells mbg. You need to regularly seal your board at home using oil, but it should have a tight seal to begin with, too. John Boos Reversible Maple Board ($145.95) Totally Bamboo Big Easy Chopping Block ($79.99) OXO Good Grips Prep Cutting Board ($12.95) Food 52 Five Two Bamboo Cutting Board ($59) Public Goods Small Eco-Friendly Cutting Board ($29.95) Pattern Recycled Small Cutting Board ($100) JK Adams Pro Edge Maple Carving and Prep Board ($100) Crate & Barrel Teak Root Wedge Reclaimed Wood Serving Board ($34.95) Greener Chef Extra Large Bamboo Cutting Board ($16.99) Catskill Craftsmen Hardwood Reversible Cutting Board ($86.99) Emma received her B.A. in Environmental Science & Policy with a specialty in environmental communications from Duke University. In addition to penning over 1,000 mbg articles on topics from the water crisis in California to the rise of urban beekeeping, her work has appeared on Grist, Bloomberg News, Bustle, and Forbes. She’s spoken about the intersection of self-care and sustainability on podcasts and live events alongside environmental thought leaders like Marci Zaroff, Gay Browne, and Summer Rayne Oakes.
