Mis en Place?

For some reason I've never watched Top Chef. I happened across Padma Lakshmi promoting the new season on tv recently. This season is in Las Vegas, which makes it all the more appealing since Vegas is such a foodie town. I dvr'd the first two episodes and watched the first one today. The show reminds me of Next Food Network Star, only a little more ruthless. I love it!!

The first challenge envolved a mis en place. Although this concept is designed for restaurant kitchens, it has application to the home chef as well. Measuring and assembling ingredients before starting a recipe cuts down on time and possible mistakes.