Please note: This is a companion version & not the original book. Book Preview: #1 Mise-en-place translates to put in place in French. It's the system that allows chefs to get out of the way and let their staff do their jobs, with one important caveat: everything must be in its proper place. Basically, mise-en-place is a set of procedures that allow chefs to get out of the way and let their staff do their jobs. To make this work, they need to be organized and communicate well. The process is systematic and repeatable, following a set of steps that makes it easy for everyone to know where they stand. But getting organized and communicating well is the easy part! It's getting the stuff where it needs to be that's hard. This is especially true for beginning chefs, who are often overwhelmed by the idea of having to make sure everything has its place. It's easy to let things pile up, creating a mess and confusion. This mess can slow down your prep time, leading to less food on the plate and higher food costs. It can also lead to mistakes that you can't easily undo.