A place for everything and everything in it’s place isn’t just a pithy aphorism; it’s advice steeped in tradition and research.
In cooking, chefs call this mise en place, and it’s the very first thing every good chef does—before anything ever gets mixed, sauteed, broiled, or fried. I used to think mise en place was a waste of time. I’m a busy mom, after all, and I need to get dinner on the table quick. Who has time to cook, let alone prep like a professional chef?
The reality, however, is quite the opposite. One of the principles of mise en place is slow down to speed up. By slowing down at the beginning of preparation, you’re able to speed up the actual process of cooking.
Can I just be real honest here?
Do you know how many times I’ve rushed to get something in the oven and ended up missing an important step, left out an ingredient altogether, or realized I don’t even have all the groceries I need to make the dish? While something is boiling away on the stove, I’m trying to figure out how to make my own buttermilk or self rising flour or find an adequate substitute for an egg. It’s exhausting—and totally unnecessary!
Mise en place is a thing because it works. When you take time to organize at the beginning of a task, you set yourself up for success. No more running back and forth to the pantry multiple times. No more texting the neighbors with your desperate pleas. Sure, you may dirty more bowls in the long run, but the results are worth it.
By now, it should be obvious that mise en place doesn’t just apply to cooking. Nearly everything you do can benefit from the mise en place philosophy. You don’t have to dive head-first into everything in your life!
If you don’t take time to work out the details and prepare for a project before you begin, you’ll spend a lot of time cleaning up preventable mistakes later. Plus, you might have to settle for a result in which you never planned.
I have a confession:
I get in trouble with this all the time when it comes to decorating my home. I save a few things I like on Pinterest, begin obsessing over what that furniture/lighting/rug would look like in my own house and begin placing orders online quicker than you can say “boo.“
Why do I do this?
Because I don’t want to pay for shipping on a bunch of 6x6 inch fabric swatches.
Because I don’t want to fight traffic on the way down to the lighting store to see the lighting in person.
Because I don’t want to wait 12 weeks on a custom piece to arrive.
Guess what? Furniture is expensive, and restocking fees are no joke. I don’t have an unlimited budget, and so any decisions I make I’m probably going to have to live with for a decade or so. Ten years is a long time to sit on a sofa that’s not even that comfortable!
Because I need the reminder as much as anyone, I’ve got a few questions that will help you decide if mise en place might work for you:
1) Do you have an upcoming decision that’s so important you feel like you need to make it right now?
Hint: Don’t do anything until you’ve done the legwork: Maybe you need to gather research, crunch some numbers, or talk to a trusted advisor. Take your time and you’ll be fine!
2) Is there anything you can do while you’re gathering the necessary information/research/tools you need to complete your core project?
Hint: Distractions are a major impediment. To prevent yourself from spiraling (i.e. scrolling absent-mindedly through social media, daydreaming, or saying yes to other people’s projects), make sure you have a few projects that are related, but that require less intense focus, fewer resources, or no hard deadline. You don’t need to change course, but you might need to shift gears for a little while.
3) Are you freaked out by the overwhelming number of tasks involved?
Hint: If you’re intimidated by your tasks, implementing the mise en place philosophy might be just the ticket. No one wants to lose credibility, not get paid, or miss important deadlines. Mise en place has been expertly designed to maximize efficiency and accuracy, but meticulous and purposeful inefficiency is what will ultimately get you there.
“Mise en place means far more than simply assembling all the ingredients, pots and pans, plates, and serving pieces needed for a particular period. Mise en place is also a state of mind. Someone who has truly grasped the concept is able to keep many tasks in mind simultaneously, weighing and assigning each its proper value and priority. This assures that the chef has anticipated and prepared for every situation that could logically occur during a service period.”
Your resources are precious.
Your time is precious.
You are precious.
Let’s make a pact together that we won’t waste anymore of the good stuff! It’s time to get crackin’! (And I’m not talking about eggs.)