The three groups of line cooks

• A decent chef’s knife
• A flexible boning knife. Get one made by Global.
• Pairing knife
• Offset serrated knife
• Plastic Squeeze Bottle
• Toothpicks
• “A thin metal ring, or cut-down section of PVC pipe about an inch and a half tall and laying inches acr...

They are “lazy, undisciplined and, worst of all, high-maintenance lot, annoyingly opinionated, possessed of egos requiring constant stroking and tune-ups, and, as members of a privileged and wealthy population, unused to the kind of ‘disrespect’ a busy chief is inclined to dish out.”

That i...

Professional level cooking is not all about the best recipe or the most innovative presentation. Instead, it is “economy of movement, nice technique and, most important, speed.”

Line cooking is the real business of preparing food. It is more about consistency, mindless unvarying repetition....

• Your chances of seeing a return on your investment are about one in five. 
• Some people go into the restaurant business because of ego. Friends encourage you into it because you’re good at hosting dinner parties.
• The most dangerous is getting into the business for love. 

Runners dress like waiters and are paid out of the house payroll, but their loyalty lies with the chef and the kitchen. This person has dedication and speed, can quickly gauge what’s going on, can carry multiple plates and remember position numbers.

A night porter

• Be fully committed.
• Learn Spanish. The backbone of your staff will be speaking this language.
• Don’t steal.
• Always be on time.
• Never make excuses or blame others.
• Lazy, sloppy and slow are bad.
• Assume the worst. Be amused by what you see and sus...

A cook’s station and its condition is in a state of readiness. If you let your miss-emplace run down, get dirty and disorganised, you’ll quickly become overwhelmed.

A typical mise-en-place contains:

• Kosher or sea salt
• Crushed black peppercorns
• Gro...

Good food is most often, simple food. Some of the best cuisine in the world is a matter of three or four good, fresh ingredients.

Basic Kitchen Ingredients

• Shallots - Use for sauces, dressings, and sauté items.
• Butter - In a professional kitchen, it’s alm...