Chefs are busy professionals who work in high pressure, fast-paced environments. When a food order comes into the kitchen, chefs must communicate clearly and effectively with their team to ensure the order is prepared properly and efficiently. Though every kitchen has its own style and terminology, there are some common things chefs say when orders come in.
Calling Out the Order
The first thing a chef will do is call out the order to the kitchen staff. This serves to alert everyone that new orders need to be worked on. The chef will call out the table number as well as list each menu item for that ticket. For example, “Ordering! I need a Caesar salad, mid-rare burger, and chicken fingers for table 12!” This cues the cooks to start preparing that order.
Asking Questions
Once the order has been called out, the chef may ask questions to clarify or get additional details. A few common questions chefs might ask when an order comes in are:
- “Is that salad regular or large size?”
- “How would they like that steak cooked?”
- “Any modifications or allergies I should know about?”
- “Does it get any sides or sauces?”
Asking these types of questions helps prevent mix-ups and ensures the food order is prepared according to the customer’s preferences.
Prioritizing Orders
Chefs have to juggle multiple orders at once and determine which should be made first. To keep things running smoothly, they will prioritize orders based on preparation time and urgency. For instance, a chef might say:
- “Fire the veggie burger first, that takes longer than the chicken sandwich.”
- “Rush order on table 5 – they need that pasta ASAP!”
- “Hold off on firing table 7’s entrees, they’re still on salads.”
This allows cooks to sequence what they’re cooking in an organized way that optimizes workflow.
Calling for Hands
When a chef needs extra help with an order, they may call out “Hands on [item]!” This signals that they need someone to come assist with preparing or plating that dish. For example:
- “Hands on two salmon, heard!”
- “I need hands on the pasta – it’s a big order!”
- “Can I get some hands on the sauce for this filet?”
Calling for hands is an efficient way to get support from fellow cooks when needed.
Timing Calls
To coordinate when dishes should be completed, chefs will make timing calls. They may shout out things like:
- “5 minutes on the halibut!”
- “I need that risotto in 2 minutes, heard?”
- “How long on those burgers?”
Keeping track of cook times helps the chef know when to fire off certain items so everything is ready at the same time.
Allergy Alerts
If a food order comes in with an allergy note, chefs always call that out clearly to prevent cross-contamination. Typical allergy calls might be:
- “Allergy alert – this salad is gluten-free!”
- “I need a shellfish free station for this shrimp pasta!”
- “Heads up, that ticket has a nut allergy!”
Making the kitchen aware of allergies is critical for food safety.
Readbacks
To double check accuracy, chefs will frequently do an order readback. They’ll repeat the entire order to the kitchen staff to confirm everything is correct. It could sound like:
“Let me read this back – I’ve got a mid-rare ribeye with mashed potatoes and grilled asparagus. I need a house salad with balsamic dressing on the fly. And this all for table 15, heard?”
Doing a readback helps prevent mistakes and shows the importance of getting each order right.
Firing Food
Once preparation is complete, the chef will “fire” or plate the food. Cues like “Firing table 7!” or “Fire two sea bass, one chicken!” signal that cooked items need to be moved into the pass or plate staging area.
Pick Up!
The final call a chef will make is “Pick up!” followed by the ticket number. This means the food is ready and needs to be run by servers:
- “Pick up ticket 12!”
- “Pick up on table 9, let’s go!”
- “Table 4 ready, pick up!”
The “pick up” call sets the plates in motion to be delivered hot and fresh.
Conclusion
Running a busy commercial kitchen requires constant communication between the chef and cooks. Calling out orders, clarifying details, prioritizing workflow, requesting assistance, minding cook times, alerting about allergies, confirming accuracy, and signaling when food is ready are all standard parts of how chefs verbally manage incoming orders. With practice, chefs develop a rhythm with their teams using these key terminology cues that allow them to seamlessly orchestrate the kitchen chaos.
| Common Statement | Meaning |
|---|---|
| “Ordering! I need a Caesar salad, mid-rare burger, and chicken fingers for table 12!” | Calling out new food order tickets |
| “Is that salad regular or large size?” | Asking clarifying questions |
| “Fire the veggie burger first, that takes longer than the chicken sandwich.” | Prioritizing order of food preparation |
| “Hands on two salmon, heard!” | Requesting assistance from other cooks |
| “5 minutes on the halibut!” | Calling out cook time remaining |
| “Allergy alert – this salad is gluten-free!” | Indicating food allergies |
| “Let me read this back – I’ve got a mid-rare ribeye with mashed potatoes and grilled asparagus.” | Doing an order accuracy check |
| “Pick up ticket 12!” | Telling servers to take food to diners |
Key Terminology
Here are some standard terms chefs use when communicating with their team about orders:
- Firing – Cooking or plating the food
- On the Fly – Needed right away, before other items
- Heard – Acknowledgement of instruction
- Ordering – Calling out new tickets
- Pick Up – Food is ready for servers to take to tables
- Hands On – Help needed with a dish
- All Day – Item will be needed/sold frequently
- In the Weeds – Very busy in the kitchen
- 86’d – Item is sold out/unavailable
- On Deck – Item will be needed shortly
- Fire More – Cook more of a menu item
Fluency in this “chef speak” allows the kitchen to operate harmoniously as a team.
Specific Needs
In addition to calling out standard menu items, chefs must communicate about orders that have specific needs. Some examples:
- “I need a gluten-free bun on that burger!”
- “Sub mixed veggies for the fries on Table 8”
- “The chicken is dairy-free with no sauce”
- “That salad is dressing on the side”
- “The steak gets caramelized onions”
Paying close attention to special requests helps chefs prepare foods correctly for customers with dietary needs.
Common Questions
Chefs ask lots of questions to their team to nail down order specifics, including:
- “Any sides with that sandwich?”
- “What temp on the burger?”
- “Regular or sweet potato fries?”
- “Ranch or blue cheese dressing?”
- “Sauteed veggies or house salad?”
Double checking these details prevents miscommunications that could slow down service.
Time Cues
Chefs use various time cues to keep orders moving rhythmically. Common time calls include:
- “2 Minutes to the window!”
- “How long on those ribs?”
- “I need that pasta 5 minutes ago!”
- “30 second check – what can we sell?”
- “2 minutes out on 3 burgers and 1 chicken sandwich”
Keeping everyone updated on cook times means the kitchen stays coordinated.
Cooking Instructions
To get dishes cooked properly, chefs specify cooking methods, temperature and doneness. Typical phrases are:
- “Grill that burger mid and hold the fries”
- “Pork chops cooked medium”
- “Bake the potato – no butter”
- “Poach 2 eggs soft for the Benedict”
- “Sear that tuna rare and slice thin”
Giving detailed cooking instruction leads to consistently executed menu items.
Plate Appearances
Chefs also describe how they want the final plated presentation to look. Descriptors might include:
- “Steak dinner with sauce on the side”
- “Pancakes stacked high”
- “Salad neatly composed”
- “Risotto mounded and garnished”
- “Sloppy joe nicely arranged”
Painting a picture of the ideal plate appearance helps cooks complete orders attractively.
Team Communication
Running a harmonious kitchen requires constant verbal communication between chefs and cooks. Key team calls include:
- “Behind you!” – Moving behind another person
- “Corner!” – Carrying something around a blind corner
- “Knife!” – Wielding a sharp knife
- “Hot Stuff” – Carrying hot items
- “Heard” – Message received
This “kitchen chatter” promotes smooth teamwork in close quarters, preventing collisions or injuries.
Problem Solving
When issues inevitably come up, chefs troubleshoot out loud to quickly solve them, saying things like:
- “We just ran out of buns, sub in sliced bread”
- “This order got messed up, re-fire it on the fly”
- “We’re backed up on tables, stagger courses”
- “I need all hands on deck, it’s full capacity tonight!”
Rapid problem-solving allows the chef to adapt and correct matters before they escalate.
Conclusion
Communication is the key to any effective kitchen. Chefs have developed specialized terminology to help coordinate their teams. Calling out orders, clarifying specifics, minding timings, describing plating, and troubleshooting out loud are all standard ways chefs verbally manage the controlled chaos of an active kitchen. Their running commentary, questions, reminders, and instructions allow cooks to work in sync and execute orders accurately. So next time you dine out, listen closely and you might gain insight into this lively linguistic dance happening just behind the kitchen doors!
