Mise En Place
Preparation is a simple concept. If you can get things ready in advance, it takes the pressure off when you have to pull the meal together. The beauty of preparation is that it increases your chances of success and reduces stress. Having the work done in advance allows you to enjoy your guests and the event.
When it comes to food, the French really know their stuff. My work took me to France many times. With all the time I spent there, it is hard for me to remember a bad meal. I have had good meals in French airports. I even had a great meal in a factory cafeteria (I had these wax beans with shallots that were so good I spent years trying to replicate the flavor). One of the keys to French cuisine goes back to the culinary school lesson about Mise en Place.
Loosely translated, mise en place means “putting into place.” My definition of mise en place includes all the key steps to get ready for a dinner: menu development, event planning and meal preparation. The goal is to get as much done in advance as possible.
I break the process down into four stages:
- Theme Creation
- Menu Development
- Shopping List/Work Plan
- Preparation