Turn on Lights/Hoods
Turn on Fryer(s)
Turn on French Eye
Turn on Flat Top
Turn on Ovens (ALWAYS CHECK INSIDE OVENS FIRST)
Check pilots on burners
Turn on Grill
Check all refrigeration/freezer temps, if anything is amiss notify a Chef
Set-up trash/compost bins
Flip all proteins into appropriate non reactive containers, quality check as you go
Receive, log, and appropriately store all deliveries
Be aware and sensitive to any bread/pastry operations in the kitchen space
Pull up/print banquet, programming menus, etc. (Chef)
Consult station prep lists
Greet Chef on duty
Check for any notes from PM Shift
Check dates on all mise en place for day of service
Refresh fish storage (i.e swap out lexan trays, fresh ice as needed, prohibit water accumulation)
Open Dish (i.e fill trip sinks with detergent, rinse water, and sani. Make sure machine is operating at proper temperature)
Give the walk-in a look. If you see something, do something.
Tend to any overnight projects (i.e stocks, braises, deal with them accordingly)
If your prep is light, do what you can to help your team for the imminent service
If day prep is looking good, see what you can do to set up the PM team for success. We are brothers and sisters in arms. Cleaning proteins, portioning or extruding pastas, anything to save time for our allies. Communicate! Collaborate! Conquer!

Prep lists are to be completed after each shift while all information is still fresh. This ensures that each cook can immediately begin work on the next shift without wasting any time investigating mise en place.

Prep List documents will be created by CDC and distributed to all chefs/cooks daily + per seasonal menu.

It's very important these get done before a new menu release. Your line cooks will need them to make sure they have everything prepped and your sous chefs will need to use them for accurate line checks.

Prep List Excel Example linked here

A required list of standard mise en place for each station is as follows, but not limited to:

• Kosher salt, maldon salt, full pepper mill, blended oil, extra virgin olive oil, cooking spoons, tasting spoons, tongs/forceps

• Black pepper is always to be ground fresh, a la minute (never pre-ground)

• Mixed salt and black pepper is grounds for dismissal

We use tons of herbs at Common House. Herbs will brighten every dish, add greater depth of flavor and add subtle vibrance. A few rules:

• Herbs belong in every dish

• If there’s no herbs, you’ve missed a step

• Herbs should be cut or picked fresh each day

• Chives and parsley are the only herbs to be cut ahead of time

• Most leafy herbs are to be torn

• Temperature provides an important flavor distinction when cooking and serving. Applicable to all dishes (not just proteins),making sure doneness is perfect is a high priority. With a few exceptions, nothing should ever leave the kitchen so hot it will burn a guest or too frigid.

• Most flavors are best registered on the palate around 98-100 degrees

• Let the dishes temper. Ice cold only tastes like cold. Scorching hot only tastes like burning.

Temperature

• Danger Zone: 40°F-140°F

• Temp recording

  • Heating and cooling logs will be posted in the kitchen to keep track of how long product takes to cool from 140° to below 40°

  • All cooked food must cool from 140°-70° within two hours and from 70°-40° within four hours after that

Cross contamination

• Cross contamination occurs when an allergen/bacteria comes in contact with a different food item containing a separate allergen/bacteria. Change cutting boards, change gloves, wash knives and use clean containers to avoid cross contamination.

• Be aware of contamination across cooking surfaces, specifically for allergens (i.e. fryers, grills, flattops, etc.)

The very first metric for success in cooking professionally is this: “Would I be thrilled if someone served this to me?” If the answer isn’t yes, we shouldn’t be serving it to our guests. The only way to ensure consistent quality is to taste everything before it hits the window.

At Common House, we strive to source the highest quality ingredients. These ingredients are generally expensive and someone’s life’s work. It is our responsibility to treat them with as much care as possible, being deliberate in our treatment so as not generate waste or otherwise careless treatment.

Flip/wrap containers
Ensure all items are labeled/dated
Fresh pans for proteins (beef uncovered)
Flip walk-in fish bins -- reup ice, dump fish water
Shut off all hot equipment

• Grill, Flat, French, Fryer, Six burner, Cheese Melter, Ovens (conventional, rational, combi), Altoshams, etc.

• Check pilot lights

Ensure ovens are empty
Check robot ovens, run self-clean as necessary
Strain Fryer (change oil as necessary)
Scrub/scrape Grill
Brick Flat Top
Scrub six burner
Empty drip pans (hood, flat top, etc.)
Wipe inside of lowboys/fridges
Wipe down all surfaces
Wipe down oil bottles, pepper mills, etc.
Scrub/send to dish cutting boards
Clean all sinks
Organize/tidy up walk-in
Vacuum/store floor mats
Sweep floors
Scrub/squeegee floors
Mop floors
Dump/replace linen bags
Shut off dish machine, ensure dish pit is wiped down/scrubbed
Check BEOs for upcoming days/week
Write prep lists
Call in orders (produce, chef’s wh, igf, etc.)
Check all refrigeration/freezers plugged in
Take out trash
Break down recycling
Compost
Turn off hood
Shut off lights
Ensure all fridge doors are shut (walk-in, low boys, etc.)
Set alarms and lock up where necessary

Clean insides of conventional ovens
Clean inside six burners and drip trays
Change fryer oil (2-3x a week)
Clean hood vents
Clean kitchen shelving (plates, dry goods, etc.)
Wipe down all speedracks
Wipe down all walk-in storage
Wipe/windex kitchen windows
Check inventory

• Produce

• Dry goods

• Cleaning supplies

• Deli/take out containers