Working a pop-up in Austin showed me why mise en place is non-negotiable

We got slammed with a 50-top walk-in at the same time our ticket printer jammed. My station was a mess because I'd been 'cooking from the hip' all night. Watching the head chef, Maria, calmly work through the chaos with every single component prepped and labeled in delis was a gut punch. How do you guys handle prep volume for unpredictable service?

3 comments

3 Comments

reese_hill2mo ago

So what's your prep plan now after that disaster?

michaelrodriguez1mo ago

Honestly, was it even that big of a deal? My power blinked twice and the wind knocked over my grill. Calling it a disaster feels like a stretch. I'm just restocking the water bottles I drank and maybe grabbing a few extra cans of soup. It's not some big new plan.

ruby_thomas432mo ago

Wait you're still trying to prep after that? My whole plan is in the trash, dude. I'm just gonna order pizza and watch old movies.