Professional chefs know the value of mise en place and setting up their station for efficient prep work. The techniques professionals use can easily be adapted to the home kitchen to make cooking easier and more enjoyable.
Above are the elements of my "prep station" at home when I've got slicing and dicing to do. I'll describe each element...
1. A Good, Sharp Knife
There are so many knife options available today--including both "western" and "eastern" style knives (a good rundown of options is here.) I am a recent convert to the eastern style knife, using 7" Wüsthof Santoku knife. The blade is thinner and lighter than a traditional chef's knife, which makes it particularly well-suited to easier and more accurate slicing.
2. A Cutting Board
Shown above is my Richlite cutting board, which is much lighter (easier to handle) than wood and completely dishwasher-safe. For sanitizing purposes, I like being able to put a cutting board in the dishwasher. Plastic is also dishwasher-safe, but I prefer the look of the Richlite board in our kitchen. (Our kitchen counters are all Richlite as well.)
3. All-purpose Scraper
This is used to "scrape up" whatever is on the cutting board and transfer it to where it needs to go. I have a custom-made scraper (from my woodworker husband); there are many fine options available including those from OXO and KitchenAid.
4. Counter-top Refuse Bowl
Quickly transfer scraps and trimmings with your scraper to a counter-top refuse bowl. Then, periodically empty it into the compost or trash. It's much more task-efficient than leaving refuse on the board or counter--or repeatedly stopping to putt it in the trash.
5. Nested Bowl Set
In preparing mise en place, a nested bowl set gives you a wide range of bowl sizes in a compact footprint. Having these at hand eliminates unnecessary movement. And there is something so gratifying about seeing prep work complete and ready to use, placed into appropriately-sized bowls.
Certain prep tasks might call for specialized equipment: a paring knife, a peeler, zester... the list goes on. But the above is my "core" prep set-up--what I get ready every time.
