Every dish leaves the pass with the same standard.
The non-negotiables
- Every plate wiped clean before leaving the pass.
- Garnishes fresh, applied at the last moment.
- Hot food on hot plates. Cold food on cold plates.
- Sauce applied per spec — never freelance.
- The pass photograph (mental image of the plate's correct presentation) lives in the kitchen pre-shift.
Service
Plates dropped to the guest's left, never reaching across.
Server names the dish on drop ("the burger for you, sir").
Confirm allergens at drop if previously flagged.
What never happens
- Plates carried stacked in hand
- Garnish wilting on a counter waiting to plate
- Sauce smudge on the rim
- Crumbs from prep on the plate
If a plate doesn't meet standard, the expediter sends it back. Better to send a re-fire than a bad plate.
Tags: culinary, plating, standards, kitchen