Like, so many different tables, they can’t do each table at a time, so confusing
In: 327
Lots of prep so it’s just cook time.
The IT system automatically delays orders appropriately (eg a well done steak will pop up 15 minutes before a salad).
Communication. If you know saute is behind, you lag your dishes slightly as a result.
Heat lamps give you a window of a good 5 minutes before any noticable issues for most things. Stuff like fries are turned over so fat, you can plate that last minute. Stuff like burgers will keep.
Expo – this is someone on the outside of the kitchen managing the food window. When a ticket is nearly done, they will be chasing the missing items to let people know to prioritise them. For bigger tables, they know they can start sending it whilst the last couple are being played up. They also help reorder things on the fly (eg “I’m missing a cheeseburger so use the party for that normal burger instead, as I won’t need the normal burger for 4 minutes).
Pretty much everything is either cooked or prepped the service before. So the chef is getting dinner ready during lunch. Some things are simple, like your side veggies being put in containers with butter, salt, and a dash of water, and then microwaved to become “steamed”. A ragu (eg bolengese) will just be left cooking and just spooned over the dish. Pasta is cooked in a colander that is placed in a giant pot of water that never comes off the burner. Other dishes like lasagne might be cooked days in advanced and what you’re getting is a microwaved dish, sometimes it might be put in the oven. Other things like steak and fish will be cooked to order.
Simple explanation, most food is just reheated, with the cooking and prepping done hours before
Worked 12 years in the restaurant as a chef ,
It’s a matter of staggering and good communication
The person who needs most time kicks off the order first then you know when to start with your section , in meant time dressing plates and some small bits depending on the order it all comes out at the same time when your team is good. Odd times when the customer changes order mid cooking throws a spanner in works but you learn to utilise resources , looking to send that dish with other order and pinching something from next order if it’s the same making necessary changes .. it’s actually pretty fun when you have a good time and you all are vibing doing it all
Miss some of the best times , hate everything else about hospitality and customers
So, Grace Hopper was right ;))
” “Women are ‘naturals’ at computer programming.” So said the pioneering programmer Grace Hopper in a 1967 Cosmopolitan article. Programming, she explained, is “just like planning a dinner”: It requires advance preparation, patience, and attention to detail.”
q:https://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2016/09/what-programmings-past-reveals-about-todays-gender-pay-gap/498797/
Just to add to some of the other good points in this thread already..
In some kitchens the menu is fairly limited or uses common ingredients.
So for example grilled chicken breasts might be in several dishes, so you might have 3 or 4 chicken breasts on the grille at any given time and that way you can pretty much serve one up at any point.
You can also have sauces in a baines marie (sp?) which is basically a heater that keeps it hot constantly and ready to mix with pasta etc at a moments notice.
A lot of its about being smart with what is ready to go at any point.
You may not understand but the people working the line do. 3 minutes for a pasta, 12 for a steak? Start the pasta when the steaks at 8 minutes. Boom. Done. That’s it, that’s all there is too it.
You start with the ones that take longer and while those are cooking you make the quick ones. A lot of times they end up getting ready at the same time.
The dishes are cooked in advance (on the same day) and when the order is called, the different parts are brought to the “pass” where the plates are assembled.
Not sure which restaurants you go to but if I don’t order the same/similar thing as other people our food can be as much as 10-15 minutes apart which is pretty substantial as far as cooking time goes so this is by no means a standard.
As an at home chef, timing things is usually the hardest thing to 6 to get everything on the plate at the same time takes some skill, but with planning and organization, it’s possible
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