Mise en Place
Mise en Place is an essential part of kitchen management and production. But how do we balance convenience and speed with safety?
Keeping high risk Mise en Place items out in the kitchen during service is a risky business. During preparation and service, the temperature in your kitchen rises and so does any food stored on your counter tops. High risk foods need to be stored at less than 8°C but salad and garnish prep will also fare better when stored at a cooler temperature – who wants to be served room temperature coleslaw or a dried out piece of lettuce or a slimy piece of tomato as a garnish?
You will be surprised how warm food gets when left out in your kitchen during service. Near the end of service, temperature probe some items that you have had out in the kitchen during service to find out. We won’t be surprised to see temperatures of 15°C – 25°C!
Investing in a counter top chiller unit is an ideal way of balancing speed with safety.
Alert
Keep Mise en Place under temperature control either less than 5°C or above 63°C.
Food Fact
Did you know that one of the most hydrating foods to eat is cucumber? It is made up of 96% water. It also contains electrolytes – minerals that include calcium, chloride, magnesium, phosphate, potassium, and sodium – which help your body restore what it may have lost through dehydration. It really is the best hangover cure ever!