Almost every home cook has faced this moment: the pan is hot, the recipe open, you reach for the onion — and it’s not there. Your hand finds the garlic still in its peel. Meanwhile, the oil is bubbling, and you scramble between the fridge and the pantry trying to salvage what should have been a calm cooking moment.
If this scenario sounds familiar, you may not have adopted the fundamental principle followed in kitchens worldwide: mise en place — a French term meaning "everything in its place." Simply put, it’s the practice of preparing all ingredients before cooking: chopping, peeling, measuring, weighing — and only then starting to cook. It also includes cleaning the workspace and putting away dishes before you begin.
By prepping in advance, you avoid last-minute surprises like forgetting to defrost chicken or running out of lemon or parsley. When everything is ready, cooking becomes a matter of combining ingredients. There’s no stress, no unexpected problems, and everything runs smoothly.
This method, standard in professional kitchens, is equally useful at home. It reduces stress, increases efficiency and shortens cooking time. With everything prepared and organized, you don’t run around the kitchen, fewer dishes pile up, and you can focus on flavor and technique instead of searching for paprika or the last surviving parsley leaves. Cooking becomes manageable, and the joy of the process returns.
How to do it properly:
- Read the recipe in advance and check which ingredients you have and which you need to buy.
- Weigh flour, prepare spices, measure liquids — everything required for the recipe.
- Chop onions, slice vegetables, peel garlic and place each ingredient in separate bowls on a tray or counter.
- Arrange utensils — pans, wooden spoons, sieves.
- Begin cooking.
