How to Approach a Station Anytime, Anywhere in the World

From Michelin stars to bistros to ballparks, hot lines require the same principles. Each kitchen might be unique, but the approach is generally the same. This is a very concise method for cooks to use that can help them in any environment.

1) Prepare: Before You Start

• Study the menu and review the pick-up steps for your station.

• Learn what station picks up each dish.

• Study the prep list, or make one.

• Take pictures of the station setup, so you remember.

• Estimate the time of each prep item, and set the order of items.

2) Perform: Every Day After

A. Be Early and Focus on Time Marks

B. Set Up the Station First, Then Build the Prep Around Your Set Station

• Get all tools, pots, pans, trays, etc. at the same time

• Fold your towels and keep them folded. A big sign of a rookie (or mediocre cook) is someone who blows through towels that are thrown around carelessly.

• Keep your knives, peelers, towels, and tools on a quarter or half sheet tray, just like a dentist would do. Don’t leave your tools scattered around your station.

• Grab a sheet tray and containers, then get all pre-prepped food, quickly. Get everything at once. Make one trip, not ten.

• Taste everything as you go, make sure everything is fresh; if not, discard it.

• Organize and consolidate everything rapidly. Be ready for the first order. Put every item into service-ready space.

• Begin prep, cross items off your list as you go. Be fast. Be focused. Aim to be set up early.

• Clean as you go.

C. When Service Starts

• Don’t stop moving. Keep cooking or cleaning. How you use seconds determines your performance.

• Taste everything. Adjust what is needed.

• Say “yes chef” to everything. Don’t be defensive. Don’t “talk back”. Don’t complain.

• Ask for help before you fail. Don’t let the train fly off the rails because you’re too proud to ask. Everyone is relying on you.

• Maintain composure under pressure. The kitchen is a dynamic environment; learn to adapt quickly. You will be volatile from time to time. Think better and keep yourself together.

• Take all allergies seriously. Don't take the risk of killing someone by rationalizing preferences with real allergies based upon the logic of the guests order. Let the server do that. Your job is to use clean tools, pans, cutting boards, gloves and preventing cross contamination. You must know what you are serving too, if you're not sure, ask.

• Avoid refires. But, If food comes back and a guest wants it changed, don’t bitch about it, just remake it and find something you can learn from it. If it keeps coming back to you, get your shit together (ALWAYS replate the refire).

• Communicate with accurate plate times and callbacks. Don’t say 2 minutes when your steak is still cooking, knowing it takes 5 minutes to rest.

• Anticipate the bottlenecks and prepare. Be prepared to make multiples of each dish faster, and with more pan space. If you can make two, you can make 10, you just need a bigger pan and expanded focus. Don’t accept overwhelm. Just keep going.

• Be prepared to increase your speed and accuracy. You will need to kick yourself into a higher gear that is high adrenaline. This is a sport, not arts and crafts. You’ve got to move your ass.

• Time yourself with your team, and help them after your pick up is ready. Don’t be a bystander.

D. Notes for Faster, More Efficient Plating

• Don’t touch the rim. Nobody wants to see your fingerprint when they eat.

• Pull all plates at the same time - and have everything ready to plate at the same time. (You can start plating the first dishes before everything for others is ready, insofar as it’s ready exactly when you need it, don’t let your first plates get cold, dragging the second half of the fire).

• Pull pans and garnishes towards the plate – Don’t pick up the plate. Or take the plate to the pan. Leave it alone and bring everything to the plate. NOTE: DON’T bring splattering, greasy pans to the plate. They coat the plate in oil. Use a tray.

• Be clean and accurate - Use the proper spoon, or tool, to make sure extra liquids, butter emulsions and sauces don’t spill over the plate. Don’t create a mess to wipe away, or that leaves streaks.

• Plate in waves - If you’re a badass best-case scenario – Plate all dishes at the same time by choreographing the pickup by likeness of items and consolidating steps by similarity of motion. This means to pull your plates and line them up perfectly and build your pickup onto the plate in waves of items that you can merge together into what appears to be a single motion across multiples dishes seamlessly, working from the bottom up. Example:

  1. Plate all purees at the same time.

  2. Plate all vegetables at the same time.

  3. Plate all the proteins at the same time.

  4. Sauce and garnish each dish at the same time.

3) Breakdown: Leave the Station Set Up for the Following Day

• Write a perfect prep list with accurate amounts of items and a fully conceptualized list of items needed. Do you really have a quart of something? Or is it half full?

• Label and date everything.

• Leave everything in an organized way, fully stocked where possible, ready to use, and easy to find.

• Clean everything perfectly. Insides of coolers, shelves, stove tops, flat tops, whatever it is, take great care of it.

• Reset tools where possible. Don’t hoard the tools others might need.

• Refill oils, salt, pepper, and anything that reduces steps for the following day.

• Help the team clean thoroughly and ask the chef if there’s anything else you can do. Consider your dishwashers.

• Don’t leave until you’re told to. Wait for the cue and the word. Taking off your apron on “quittin’ time” while your team is still cleaning is the lamest thing you can do, and an easy way to lose respect.

• Think about tomorrows plan today. Don’t wait for the curveball. Control what you can and have a strategy.

• Think about what you can improve. Don’t wait until someone tells you. Find the opportunity to improve and work at it.