dropping

Intermediate 🍳 Food / Culinary

Definition

The moment when an order is fired and cooking begins in earnest, coordinating all stations to finish simultaneously. It's the culinary equivalent of a conductor's downbeat.

Example Usage

Dropping table 12 now—I need apps in three minutes and entrées in eight, people!

Origin

Kitchen slang from the practice of 'dropping' tickets into the cooking queue

Fun Fact

A skilled expeditor can manage dozens of simultaneous drops, orchestrating complex timing across multiple stations like a delicious chess game.

Source: Professional kitchen service terminology

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