Today's Phrase 👉 Mise en place

Traveling from place to place; a person who moves about frequently

August 28, 2025

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Mise en place (meez ahn plahs) (noun): A French culinary term meaning “everything in its place”—the practice of having all your ingredients prepped and organized before you start cooking.

“In the kitchen, mise en place is more than just prepping ingredients; it’s the mindset that separates chaos from calm, enabling creativity to flourish.”

— Anthony Bourdain, Kitchen Confidential

First published May 22, 2000
312 pages, 8:19 listening time
4.5 Amazon, 4.2 Goodreads

In Kitchen Confidential, the iconic chef Anthony Bourdain argues that mise en place isn’t just a chef’s trick—it’s a way of approaching any task with care, intention, and readiness.

SMARTER INSIGHT
When you plan ahead and create the right environment, you set yourself up for smooth execution, better results, and less stress.

USE IT TODAY
Before you start your next meal (or project), take a “mise en place moment.” Line up what you need, clear some space, and see how much more enjoyable—and successful—the process becomes.

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