Mise en Place: How Kitchen Prep is Like Lean Manufacturing

Several of us here at Interrobang have a background in food service and hospitality. Restaurant and manufacturing may seem like two different worlds but they are similar in many ways. In both environments we are always looking to increase efficiency, improve organization and minimize waste.

Ever wonder why professional kitchens and factories seem to run so smoothly despite the chaos? It turns out, there’s a secret behind their efficiency, and it boils down to a few key principles. For chefs, it’s all about “mise en place,” a French term meaning “everything in its place.” For manufacturers, it’s the principles of lean manufacturing.

What’s Mise en Place All About?

In the kitchen, mise en place is the practice of getting everything ready before you start cooking. Think of it as setting up your stage before the performance. It means chopping vegetables, measuring spices, and laying out your tools so that when it’s time to cook, you’re not scrambling around looking for things.

Here’s why it’s so crucial:

1. Speed: With everything prepped and organized, cooking happens faster and more smoothly.
2. Consistency: Recipes come out the same way every time because all your ingredients are measured and ready.
3. Less Stress: A clear workspace and a plan in place make the cooking process less hectic.

Lean Manufacturing: The Kitchen’s Cousin

Now, let’s talk about lean manufacturing. This approach, inspired by Toyota, is all about making things run more efficiently by cutting out waste and looking for improvement. It’s like the industrial version of mise en place.

Here’s how lean manufacturing and mise en place are similar:

1. Cutting Out Waste: Just like mise en place helps avoid wasting time hunting for ingredients, lean manufacturing aims to minimize waste in factories—whether that’s excess materials or unnecessary steps in a process.
2. Streamlined Processes: Lean manufacturing focuses on organizing and optimizing workflows. This is pretty much what mise en place does for cooking. When everything is set up in advance, processes flow more smoothly and efficiently.
3. Constant Improvement: Lean manufacturing thrives on continuous improvement. This is like how chefs tweak their mise en place to get better results over time. Both fields are always looking for ways to get a little better, a little faster.

What Can We Learn from This?

The similarities between mise en place and lean manufacturing offer some valuable lessons, whether you’re cooking up a storm or managing a production line:

1. Get Prepared: Preparation is everything. In both cooking and manufacturing, having a plan and organizing ahead of time sets you up for success.
2. Standardize for Success: Whether you’re following a recipe or a production process, having a standard way of doing things ensures consistency and quality.
3. Look for Waste: Identifying and eliminating waste—be it time, resources, or steps—can significantly boost efficiency.
4. Embrace Improvement: Always be on the lookout for ways to refine and improve your process. Whether it’s adjusting your mise en place or tweaking a production line, continuous improvement is key.

Wrapping It Up

Whether you’re in the kitchen or on the factory floor, checking your “mise” or getting everything in its place is a surefire way to set yourself up for success.

P.S.  

We were having some fun and asked ChatGPT to take this post and make it rhyme.  The results are too fun not to share. Here's a couple verses:

Efficiency and Speed, Oh So Sweet

When everything’s prepped and in its place,
Cooking flows with a steady grace.
No need to scramble, no need to rush,
With mise en place, you avoid the fuss.

Lean Manufacturing: A Sibling in Style

Lean manufacturing has a similar smile,
In factories where precision’s a must,
It cuts out the waste and improves with trust.
Streamlining processes, making them right,
So every product comes out just right.