Mise En Place Flashcards
Mise en Place
- A French term, meaning “everything put in place”.
- Good chefs take pride in the thoroughness or quality of advance preparation.
No matter the size of an operation, pre-preparation is necessary.
What steps must first be taken, even if preparing a simple recipe?
- Assemble your tools.
- Assemble your ingredients.
- Wash, trim, cut, prepare, and measure your raw materials.
- Prepare your equipment (preheat oven, line baking sheets, etc.).
The Problem in Planning and Organizing a Food-Service Operation
Every food-service operation faces a basic conflict between two unavoidable facts:
- There’s far too much work to do in a kitchen to leave until the last minute, so some work must be done ahead.
- Most foods are at their best quality after preparation and deteriorate as they are held.
The 5 Step Solution To Planning and Organizing a Food-Service Operation
- Break down each menu item into it’s stages of production.
- Determine which stages may be done in advance.
- Determine the best way to hold each item at it’s final stage of preparation.
- Determine how long it takes to prepare each stage of each recipe. Plan a production schedule beginning with the preparations that take the longest.
- Examine recipes to see if they might be revised for better efficiency and quality as served.
Step 1 in the Solution:
Breaking Down a Menu Item into it’s Stages of Production
If you were to look at any well-written recipe, you’ll see that the procedures are divided into a sequence of steps that must be done in a specific order to make a finished product.
Step 2 in the Solution:
Determine Which Stages must be Done in Advance
- Assemble and prepare the ingredients- This includes cleaning and cutting produce, cutting and trimming meats, and preparing breading and batters for frying.
- Succeeding steps may be done in advance only if the foods can be held without loss of quality.
- Final cooking should be done as close as possible to service for maximum freshness.
Which Foods can and can’t be Made in Advance?
(Can)
- Separate parts of a recipe, such as a sauce or a stuffing, are prepared in advance, and the dish is assembled at the last minute.
- Large roasts
- Items cooked by moist heat (braised beef, soups and stews)
(Can’t)
- Item’s cooked by dry-heat methods such as broiled steaks, sautéed fish, and french fried potatoes don’t hold well.
- Delicate foods should always be freshly cooked.
Step 3 in the Solution:
Holding Temperature
-Soups and Sauces are frequently kept hot, above 135°F, for service in steam tables or other holding equipment.
–Vegetables and such should only be kept hot, above 135°F, for short periods of time, because they quickly become overcooked.
- Below 41°F is the best refrigeration temperature for preserving the quality of most foods (especially perishable meats, fish and vegetables, before final cooking or reheating.)
- Holding temperatures for all potentially hazardous foods must be outside the food danger zone.
Holding Temperature
- Temperature at which a product is kept for service or for storage.
- Holding temperatures for all potentially hazardous foods must be outside the food danger zone.
Holding Temperature for Sauces and Soups
- Frequently kept hot, above 135°F, for service in steam tables or other holding equipment.
- Holding temperatures for all potentially hazardous foods must be outside the food danger zone.
Holding Temperatures for Vegetables
- Should only be kept hot, above 135°F, for short periods of time, because they quickly become overcooked.
- Holding temperatures for all potentially hazardous foods must be outside the food danger zone.
Best Refrigeration Temperatures for Preserving the Quality of most Foods Below 41°F
-Especially meats, fish and vegetables, before final cooking or reheating.
Step 4 in the Solution:
Determine how Long it Takes to Prepare each Stage of each Recipe.
Plan a Production Schedule, Beginning with the Preparations that take the Longest
Many operations can be carried on at once.
Set Meal Service
…
Extended Meal Service
…
Chop
…
Concasser
…
Mince
…
Emincer
…
Shred
…
