Behind the pass: a day in our studio kitchen
From the 6 a.m. market run to the last plate at midnight — what actually happens in a full-service catering kitchen on event day.
Most guests see twenty minutes of a service. The other sixteen hours happen out of sight. Here's what an event day actually looks like in our kitchen.
◆6:00 — Market
Our sourcing chef is at the market before sunrise. Fish first — what came in last night decides what the menu actually looks like today. Then produce. We don't lock specific items into a menu more than a week ahead; the market writes the final draft.
◆9:00 — Prep
Stocks already reduced overnight. Sauces start now. Pastry team begins their day. Each course has a dedicated chef de partie, each station has a written timeline pinned above it. Nothing improvised. Everything timed.
◆15:00 — Load out
Three vans, two kitchens, eight ice chests. Plates wrapped, garnishes packed cold, sauces in dedicated thermals. The pass is rebuilt at the venue from scratch.
◆19:30 — Service
The first amuse leaves the pass. From here it's pace and pressure. The maître d' runs the floor, the chef runs the kitchen, and the captain reads the room. Two and a half hours, plated to order, never held.
◆00:30 — Last plate
Coffee poured. Petits fours on the table. The kitchen breaks down. The team sits for ten minutes, eats whatever's left, and starts the load-out. By 3 a.m. we're back at the studio. Tomorrow there's another menu to write.
