A bistro serving 50 covers recently discovered they were short 90 minutes of prep time daily, forcing their team into overtime every service. Poor mise-en-place calculation creates stress during service and extends wait times for guests. Here's how to accurately calculate your prep time needs.
What is mise-en-place time?
Mise-en-place time covers all prep work before the first guest receives their meal. This includes cutting, marinating, making sauces, preparing garnishes, and getting everything ready for service.
⚠️ Note:
Never underestimate mise-en-place. Poor preparation causes stress during service and longer wait times for guests.
The basic calculation
For every 50 covers, you'll need an average of 3-5 hours of mise-en-place, depending on your menu type. Fine dining requires more prep than a bistro does.
- Bistro/casual dining: 3-4 hours for 50 covers
- Restaurant: 4-5 hours for 50 covers
- Fine dining: 5-7 hours for 50 covers
Calculate by dish category
Break your menu into categories and calculate time per section:
💡 Example bistro menu (50 covers):
- Appetizers: 45 minutes (washing greens, dressing, garnish)
- Main courses: 90 minutes (portioning meat, cutting vegetables)
- Side dishes: 30 minutes (peeling potatoes, making sauces)
- Desserts: 20 minutes (preparing toppings, portioning)
Total: 3 hours 5 minutes mise-en-place
Factors that affect time
Different factors make your mise-en-place longer or shorter:
- Fresh vs. pre-prepared: Filleting whole fish takes 3x longer than ready-made fillets
- Season: Shelling fresh peas takes longer than frozen
- Team size: 2 cooks can divide tasks
- Experience: An experienced cook cuts 2x faster
💡 Example time difference:
50 portions of vegetable julienne:
- Experienced cook: 45 minutes
- Junior cook: 75 minutes
- Apprentice: 90 minutes
Build in buffer time
Always plan 20-30% extra time for unexpected situations. Late delivery, broken equipment, or a new staff member who works slower can derail your timing. I've seen this mistake cost the average restaurant EUR 200-400 per month in overtime wages and stressed staff.
⚠️ Note:
Without a buffer, you're under pressure if something goes wrong. Better to have 30 minutes extra than 10 minutes short.
Create a mise-en-place checklist
Make a checklist per dish with estimated times. This helps you keep track and not forget anything important.
💡 Example checklist steak (50 portions):
- Remove meat from cooler: 5 min
- Portion and season: 25 min
- Cut vegetables: 30 min
- Prepare sauce: 15 min
- Set up garnish: 10 min
Total per dish: 85 minutes
Track digitally
An app like KitchenNmbrs helps you record mise-en-place times per recipe. This way you build a database of realistic time estimates for your team.
How do you calculate mise-en-place time? (step by step)
Make a list of all dishes
Write down all appetizers, main courses, side dishes, and desserts you're serving tonight. Count the expected number of portions per dish for 50 covers.
Estimate prep time per dish
Determine how much time each dish takes for cutting, marinating, making sauces, and preparing garnish. Calculate based on your slowest cook's speed.
Add everything up and add 25% buffer
Sum all times and add 25% extra time for unexpected situations. This becomes your total mise-en-place time for the service.
✨ Pro tip
Time your top 5 most ordered dishes over 3 service days, then add 25% buffer time. You'll have accurate baseline numbers that account for your team's actual speed and kitchen flow.
Calculate this yourself?
In the KitchenNmbrs app you can do this in just a few clicks. 7 days free, no credit card.
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Frequently asked questions
How much mise-en-place time do I need per person?
On average 4-6 minutes mise-en-place per cover. For 50 guests that's 3-5 hours total, depending on your menu type and team experience.
Can I do mise-en-place a day ahead?
Some things yes, like cutting vegetables or making sauces. Fresh work like filleting fish or seasoning meat is better done the day of for the best quality.
What if I've planned too little mise-en-place time?
Then you'll be under time pressure during service. Better to prep as much as possible the day before and plan a 30-minute buffer.
How do I divide mise-en-place among my team?
Give experienced cooks the difficult tasks and have junior cooks do simple cutting work. Make a clear task division with times per person.
Should I include mise-en-place time in my food cost?
Yes, mise-en-place time is labor costs. Calculate roughly €15-20 per hour for cooks and include this in your total labor costs per dish.
How do seasonal ingredients affect mise-en-place timing?
Fresh seasonal items typically add 25-40% more prep time than processed alternatives. Factor this into your calculations during peak seasons when you're using more fresh produce.
What's the biggest mise-en-place time waster in most kitchens?
Poor organization and missing ingredients cause the most delays. Always check your mise-en-place list against inventory before starting prep to avoid mid-service scrambling.
📚 Sources consulted
- EU Verordening 852/2004 — Levensmiddelenhygiëne (2004) — Official source
- EU Verordening 853/2004 — Hygiënevoorschriften voor levensmiddelen van dierlijke oorsprong (2004) — Official source
- EU Verordening 1169/2011 — Voedselinformatie aan consumenten (2011) — Official source
- NVWA — Hygiënecode voor de horeca (2024) — Official source
- NVWA — Allergenen in voedsel (2024) — Official source
- Codex Alimentarius — International Food Standards (2024) — Official source
- FSA — Safer food, better business (HACCP) (2024) — Official source
- BVL — Lebensmittelhygiene (HACCP) (2024) — Official source
- Warenwetbesluit Bereiding en behandeling van levensmiddelen (2024) — Official source
- WHO — Foodborne diseases estimates (2024) — Official source
Food Standards Agency (FSA) — https://www.food.gov.uk
The HACCP standards shown in this application are for informational purposes only. KitchenNmbrs does not guarantee that displayed values are current or complete. Always consult the FSA or your local authority for the latest regulations.
Written by
Jeffrey Smit
Founder & CEO of KitchenNmbrs
Jeffrey Smit built KitchenNmbrs from 8 years of hands-on experience as kitchen manager at 1NUL8 Group in Rotterdam. His mission: give every restaurant owner control over food cost.
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