Had a line cook tell me last night that mise en place is a crutch, not a discipline

He said it holds you back from thinking on your feet during a rush, but I've been doing it the same way for 12 years in Portland kitchens and I can't tell if he's got a point or if he's just lazy - what side are you guys on?

2 comments

2 Comments

leo_mason21d ago

Heard a chef on a food podcast say that mise en place is basically the difference between cooking and just reacting... it's what lets you actually focus on the heat and timing instead of running around for garlic. That line cook's argument only works if you're doing small batch stuff where you can keep everything in your head, but in a real rush you're gonna hit a wall without your prep done.

terry121d ago

Yeah no, I gotta push back on that one @leo_mason. I've been in kitchens for almost 20 years and I've seen both sides. Mise en place is a crutch if you let it become a way to avoid thinking ahead during service, sure. But the real skill is knowing when to break it and when to hold the line. If you're just following a prep list like a robot, then yeah, you're missing the point. But if you understand why your mise is set up that way and can adjust on the fly when something goes sideways, that's where the craft lives. That line cook might be talking about small menus where you can wing it, but in a real high volume spot with 30+ covers and changing specials, you need that foundation.