In college, I worked as a prep cook at a restaurant. The chef had French training and emphasized the importance of “mise-en-place”—a French term for “everything in its place.”

Mise-en-place is a system chefs use to prepare themselves and their kitchens in the hours leading up to meal time. The “Meez,” as professionals refer to it, involves studying recipes, making lists of necessary ingredients, prepping food and assembling the tools necessary for cooking that day’s menu.