A professional kitchen during peak hours requires intense focus and rapid movement. Success in this high-volume environment depends heavily on standardized communication, often called kitchen jargon. This unique vocabulary allows chefs to convey complex information quickly and without ambiguity, streamlining the process of preparing many orders simultaneously. The phrase “all day” is one of the most frequently used operational commands. This article explores the precise meaning and application of this foundational culinary term within restaurant service.
The Core Meaning of All Day
The phrase “all day” serves as a running inventory count for a specific menu item or ingredient. When an expediter or chef uses this term, they calculate the total number of that item needed across all currently active, unfulfilled order tickets. This calculation provides the line cook with a single, consolidated production quantity. The term shifts the cook’s focus from individual plates to the total output required from their station.
For instance, if three separate tables have ordered steak (two steaks on one ticket and one steak on the other two), the call would be “Four steaks, all day.” This single number, four, is the quantity the grill cook must immediately prepare to satisfy every ticket waiting in the queue. Consolidating these demands into one clear total simplifies the execution of complex order flows and minimizes the risk of missing an item.
Using All Day During Service
The practical application of “all day” centers on the role of the expediter, or Expo, who acts as the communication hub between the dining room and the kitchen line. As new tickets print, the Expo reads and consolidates the individual orders. They translate these orders into “all day” calls for the various cooking stations. This consolidation prevents cooks from being distracted by individual ticket items, allowing them to focus solely on efficient batch production.
A sauté cook hearing “Six halibut, all day” knows they must immediately begin preparing six portions, regardless of which table ordered them. The cook uses this total count to manage production flow and track progress. Once three portions are completed, the cook might respond with a status update such as “Three left,” indicating the remaining quantity needed. This mechanism ensures the entire line works towards a unified, current total, optimizing cooking space and equipment use.
Why Precise Communication is Crucial
The reliance on standardized jargon, such as “all day,” is necessary for speed and accuracy in a high-volume environment. Standardized language minimizes misinterpretation, which can lead to costly errors like overproduction or underproduction. Using a single, unambiguous term saves seconds compared to reciting the specifics of multiple table numbers and individual orders.
This system ensures that multiple cooks working simultaneously on separate sections produce the exact combined total needed for the restaurant’s orders. Maintaining a clear and consistent communication structure allows the kitchen to manage dozens of simultaneous orders efficiently. This streamlined language is a foundational component of modern kitchen logistics.
Other Key Kitchen Terms
The efficiency gained by using “all day” is mirrored in several other pieces of kitchen jargon used to accelerate service. The command “Fire” is used by the Expo to signal to a station that it is time to begin the final cooking process for a dish that has been previously prepped or staged. This ensures that all components of a multi-part meal finish cooking at the same moment.
Another common phrase is “On the fly,” which indicates that a dish or component is needed immediately, either missed on a previous call or added to an existing order. This requires a cook to stop their current routine and prioritize the new item instantly. The term “Hands” is a request for assistance, usually directed at anyone nearby to help carry multiple finished plates to the pass or service area.