6 Cooking Prep Tips to Run Your Restaurant Kitchen 

When we talk about the restaurant industry, prep cooks are the real heroes behind the scenes. They have the difficult task of prepping, cutting, and cooking everything up to the standards to satisfy the customers. 

Besides ensuring fresh bread delivery and other ingredients to your kitchen, you also need to focus on the prep time which plays an important part in cooking meals on time. 

Here are some tips to make the meal-prepping task easier for the cooks. 

Read the Recipes Beforehand

When you read recipes before starting cooking, you will have time to gather everything that you need especially in the beginning stages. One of the worst situations occurs when you can’t find an ingredient when starting a recipe. 

Gather everything that you need before you start cooking. This way the whole process will go smoothly and prevent any surprises. Always work in stages like washing the vegetables first, peeling them, and then cutting them. 

Make a Prep List 

Since cooks have to do so many things in a day, they might forget an important task. So prep cooks often rely on a prep list that helps guide them through the day. 

Like you might have to defrost the chicken in the morning but if you forget then it will delay the cooking process. Make a simple to-do list to help you stay on track. 

Use Parchment Paper

Consider using parchment paper to cut your cleaning time in half. It is great for preventing things from sticking to the sheet pans. It makes the clean-up process easy.

As a prep chef, if you are required to roast several trays of food at once, line them up with parchment paper and have a spotless sheet tray at the end. 

Set up a Waste Bucket Near the Cutting Board

Cleaning up the workstation can be a hassle if you don’t do it after each task. Make sure to set up a waste basket near the station. It could also be a small bowl where you can throw all the scraps and waste during cooking. This way you won’t have to walk to the garage container every time.

It may seem like a small detail but it can save you time during the shift. 

Use Kitchen Appliances 

It takes time to chop a ton of garlic or other items with your hands. Use the appropriate kitchen appliances like food processors or blenders to make tasks easier. It also helps you save a lot of time. 

Many food processors come with different attachments so you need to take a look at them before you use them. 

Use a Good Pair or Kitchen Shears

Consider buying a good pair of kitchen shears to make your tasks easy. They are great for simple tasks like slicing bacon, cutting tomatoes, and chopping herbs. When you have a pair of shears, you won’t need to set up a cutting board and knife. 

You also need to hone the knives so that they work in a good shape and cut things faster. Having sharper knives will cut down the cooking time to half. 

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