https://heardbybuzzy.com/blog Plain answers for people who run kitchens, from Heard. en-us Fri, 09 Oct 2026 12:00:00 GMT https://heardbybuzzy.com/blog/what-does-86-mean-in-a-kitchen https://heardbybuzzy.com/blog/what-does-86-mean-in-a-kitchen Fri, 09 Oct 2026 12:00:00 GMT Sheraz Gandhi 86 means you are out of it. When a cook says "86 the salmon," the salmon is off the menu until someone says it is back. https://heardbybuzzy.com/blog/what-does-heard-chef-mean https://heardbybuzzy.com/blog/what-does-heard-chef-mean Fri, 09 Oct 2026 12:00:00 GMT Sheraz Gandhi In a kitchen, "Heard, chef" means "I heard you, I got it." It is the answer a cook gives so the person who spoke knows the message landed. https://heardbybuzzy.com/blog/stop-servers-selling-86d-dishes https://heardbybuzzy.com/blog/stop-servers-selling-86d-dishes Fri, 09 Oct 2026 12:00:00 GMT Sheraz Gandhi To stop servers selling a dish you are out of, get the news from the kitchen to the floor the moment it happens. Four habits help: one list, said at line-up, a second check at the window, and a word to the host. https://heardbybuzzy.com/blog/kitchen-and-server-communication https://heardbybuzzy.com/blog/kitchen-and-server-communication Fri, 09 Oct 2026 12:00:00 GMT Sheraz Gandhi The kitchen and servers stay on the same page when news moves in one direction, in one place, at set times. Four habits help: a line-up before service, one list, notes on the menu, and one person who answers questions. https://heardbybuzzy.com/blog/how-to-train-a-new-cook-on-the-line https://heardbybuzzy.com/blog/how-to-train-a-new-cook-on-the-line Fri, 09 Oct 2026 12:00:00 GMT Sheraz Gandhi To train a new cook on the line, teach one task at a time, use call and response so you know they heard, and write short notes after each shift. Be kind, be clear, and let them do the task themselves. https://heardbybuzzy.com/blog/restaurant-short-delivery-what-to-do https://heardbybuzzy.com/blog/restaurant-short-delivery-what-to-do Fri, 09 Oct 2026 12:00:00 GMT Sheraz Gandhi When a delivery comes in short, check it before the driver leaves, write it on the paperwork, tell the chef, change the plan, and ask for credit. Do the first two while the driver is still there. https://heardbybuzzy.com/blog/how-to-run-a-line-check https://heardbybuzzy.com/blog/how-to-run-a-line-check Fri, 09 Oct 2026 12:00:00 GMT Sheraz Gandhi A line check is a short walk down the line before service, to make sure every station is stocked, labeled, and ready. Walk it in the same order every day, one station at a time, and write down what is short. https://heardbybuzzy.com/blog/how-to-build-a-kitchen-order https://heardbybuzzy.com/blog/how-to-build-a-kitchen-order Fri, 09 Oct 2026 12:00:00 GMT Sheraz Gandhi To build a kitchen order without guessing, look at what is on the shelf, what is already coming, and what you expect to sell. Order the gap, and check the cutoff time and the minimum before you send it. https://heardbybuzzy.com/blog/kitchen-waste-log https://heardbybuzzy.com/blog/kitchen-waste-log Fri, 09 Oct 2026 12:00:00 GMT Sheraz Gandhi A kitchen waste log works when it asks for three things: what you tossed, how much, and why. Keep it in one place, fill it in as you toss, and look at the top three once a week. https://heardbybuzzy.com/blog/how-to-organize-a-walk-in-cooler https://heardbybuzzy.com/blog/how-to-organize-a-walk-in-cooler Fri, 09 Oct 2026 12:00:00 GMT Sheraz Gandhi To organize a walk-in cooler, give every kind of food its own zone, label everything, and put the oldest food at the front so it gets used first. Check your local health department for the rules in your area. https://heardbybuzzy.com/blog/kitchen-inventory-count-routine https://heardbybuzzy.com/blog/kitchen-inventory-count-routine Fri, 09 Oct 2026 12:00:00 GMT Sheraz Gandhi A kitchen inventory count is a weekly walk where you count what is on your shelves. Keep it quick by walking the same path every time, using one sheet in shelf order, and having two people: one counts and one writes. https://heardbybuzzy.com/blog/prep-labels-what-to-write https://heardbybuzzy.com/blog/prep-labels-what-to-write Fri, 09 Oct 2026 12:00:00 GMT Sheraz Gandhi A kitchen prep label says what the food is, who made it, when it was made, and when to use it by. Keep it short and readable, and check your local health department for the rules in your area. https://heardbybuzzy.com/blog/how-to-calculate-plate-cost https://heardbybuzzy.com/blog/how-to-calculate-plate-cost Fri, 09 Oct 2026 12:00:00 GMT Sheraz Gandhi Plate cost is what it costs you to make one plate. To work it out, find the price of each part, multiply by the amount on the plate, add the parts together, then compare the total to the menu price. https://heardbybuzzy.com/blog/what-are-par-levels https://heardbybuzzy.com/blog/what-are-par-levels Fri, 09 Oct 2026 12:00:00 GMT Sheraz Gandhi A par level is the amount of an item you want on the shelf when the truck comes. To set one, think about how much you use, how many days until the next delivery, and add a small cushion. https://heardbybuzzy.com/blog/how-to-write-a-prep-list https://heardbybuzzy.com/blog/how-to-write-a-prep-list Fri, 09 Oct 2026 12:00:00 GMT Sheraz Gandhi A prep list that works says four things for every line: what to make, how much, who makes it, and why. Start from what you expect to sell, take away what you already have, and round to whole batches. https://heardbybuzzy.com/blog/what-is-mise-en-place https://heardbybuzzy.com/blog/what-is-mise-en-place Fri, 09 Oct 2026 12:00:00 GMT Sheraz Gandhi Mise en place means having everything you need ready and in its place before you start to cook. To set up a simple one, read the list, gather what you need, cut and portion, set your station, and clear the extras.