The Mise en Place

While we’re on the subject of chefs, there are three words used in every professional kitchen that are essential for master grilling: mise en place. The mise (as it’s affectionately referred to in American kitchens) refers to the basic setup of ingredients and equipment you need at grillside before you start cooking.

A typical mise en place for a barbecue would include your fuel (extra charcoal or propane and soaked wood chips); your tools (grill brush, tongs, spatula, basting brush or mop, grill gloves or pot holders, a cutting board and knives for carving, platters or plates for serving); and your ingredients (salt, pepper, and seasonings in shakers; bastes and butters in bowls; sauces in bowls or squirt bottles; and, of course, the food to be grilled—on ice if necessary). You might want to have a bowl or bucket of sudsy water nearby for hand washing.