GGB Mise en place
Everything prepped, portioned and in place before service begins. The discipline that decides how the rush goes.
Mise en place is the kitchen's state of readiness: every ingredient prepped, portioned, labelled and positioned before the first order lands. It is planned from forecast covers, not habit, because prep is where labour hours and food waste are silently committed. A service is usually won or lost in the two hours before it starts.
Illustrative: the station list calls for 50 portions prepped against a forecast of 45 covers, a 5-portion buffer. Prepping only 35 leaves the station 10 short of forecast, which surfaces mid-rush as slow tickets and an 86. The list, not the cook's memory, is the control.
Standardise prep with SOPs