En Place meaning in hospitality

Mise en place, often shortened to en place, is a French term meaning everything in its place. It's the practice of getting all your ingredients and equipment ready before you start cooking or serving. Chopping veg, measuring out spices, setting up tools, etc.

En place is the foundation of a well-oiled kitchen. It allows chefs and kitchen staff to work smoothly and quickly, reduces stress and minimizes errors during service. Having everything ready and to hand means you can cook and plate without interruptions. It's not just for the kitchen, it applies to bar setups and even front-of-house prep.

Imagine you're the head chef of a busy restaurant and it's almost service time. You've trained your team in en place. As you walk into the kitchen you see your sous chef has all her sauces prepared and in labelled containers. The grill chef has his meats portioned and his seasonings to hand. At the salad station all the veg is washed, chopped and in the cooler. Your pastry chef has the ingredients measured out for the night's desserts. As the first order comes in, the kitchen is a well-oiled machine, producing dishes without any scrambling for ingredients or tools. That's en place in action.