Preparing Your Work Area

A work area can be fixed or mobile, depending on the task at hand. An example of a fixed work area would be what is commonly referred to as a station. It is a designated area that is equipped for a specific service. For example, hot entrees would be prepared in a work area that is equipped with burners and an oven, a work table, and cold storage for their mise en place. In this designated area of the kitchen, the chef de partie performs specific tasks related to his specialty.

A mobile work area is a temporary work area based on the task to be realized. It can be in an area that is specific to the preparation of the task (butchery), or in another area of the kitchen that provides some isolation if preventing potential cross-contamination is important. The temperature can also be a factor in determining the placement of a temporary work area.