work the plan
I have come to the feeling that students and new cooks have this idea that everything will come out ok. No matter how you go about it. If you have the idea...then however it comes out will be fine.
But that is a load of crap.
Professionals, and this is what sets professional cooks apart from home cooks...who may actually be the better cooks, plan the work...and then work the plan.
If you look at the ideas from the previous post, you will see that yes there is the idea...and ultimately you end up eating said idea, but somewhere in between is the working the plan type stuff. You know...writing your prep list, writing your menu, preparation, production, plating, service. All those things don't just magically happen like creating green bean casserole by opening up a can and a bag and a box.
A professional cook will take the idea, whether it is his or her boss's, and create the plan that executes the dish. And it starts with the mise en place. And then the preperation...and if you had a good plan, then the picture of the outcome is already in your plan.
I have said before that recipes are like road maps. It is important to know where you are going...and you should know that ahead of time; but it is the journey and the way you go that ultimately gets you to that destination. So you could take the scenic route or the interstate...as long as you know that BEFORE YOU START!
That is called planning the work, and then working the plan.
A new cook, or student, or even a home cook will take off on the journey, without looking at the map to see if there are detours, or traffic, or scenic overlooks, or roadblocks. They just try to deal with those as they arise. A good home cook will generally have no problems with this...not having an instructor and a deadline breathing down their neck. But a student and young cook does and this throws all kinds of stress into the drive. And without that plan...they quickly become lost. And drive themselves into the weeds.
I just read a quote and it seems applicable...'If you don't have time to do it right the first time, when are you going to have time to do it over?"
But that is a load of crap.
Professionals, and this is what sets professional cooks apart from home cooks...who may actually be the better cooks, plan the work...and then work the plan.
If you look at the ideas from the previous post, you will see that yes there is the idea...and ultimately you end up eating said idea, but somewhere in between is the working the plan type stuff. You know...writing your prep list, writing your menu, preparation, production, plating, service. All those things don't just magically happen like creating green bean casserole by opening up a can and a bag and a box.
A professional cook will take the idea, whether it is his or her boss's, and create the plan that executes the dish. And it starts with the mise en place. And then the preperation...and if you had a good plan, then the picture of the outcome is already in your plan.
I have said before that recipes are like road maps. It is important to know where you are going...and you should know that ahead of time; but it is the journey and the way you go that ultimately gets you to that destination. So you could take the scenic route or the interstate...as long as you know that BEFORE YOU START!
That is called planning the work, and then working the plan.
A new cook, or student, or even a home cook will take off on the journey, without looking at the map to see if there are detours, or traffic, or scenic overlooks, or roadblocks. They just try to deal with those as they arise. A good home cook will generally have no problems with this...not having an instructor and a deadline breathing down their neck. But a student and young cook does and this throws all kinds of stress into the drive. And without that plan...they quickly become lost. And drive themselves into the weeds.
I just read a quote and it seems applicable...'If you don't have time to do it right the first time, when are you going to have time to do it over?"
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