A cutting system and method for cutting food items includes an in-feed conveyor having an in-feed conveyor surface and an out-feed conveyor having an out-feed conveyor surface. The in-feed and the out-feed conveyors are arranged in an end-to-end arrangement. The system has a cutting knife defining a cutting plane within which it moves as it performs a cut. The cutting plane is defined between the ends of the in-feed and the out-feed conveyors. The cutting system has an out-feed hold down device with a surface facing the out-feed conveyor surface and being arranged in relation to the out-feed conveyor surface such that it is able to apply a pressure onto a portion of a food item resting on the out-feed conveyor surface while it is being cut by the cutting knife.