Mise en place (French for ‘everything in its place’) is the fundamental organisational principle of the professional kitchen. It refers to the complete preparation of all ingredients and utensils before the actual cooking begins: vegetables washed and chopped, spices measured out, pots ready, knives to hand.

In the professional kitchen, mise en place is non-negotiable – it prevents time pressure, reduces errors and ensures consistent results. If you have to search for ingredients in the middle of cooking, you lose control of the cooking process.

For this ravioli recipe, mise en place means: preparing the pasta dough and both fillings well in advance, dusting the work surface with flour, bringing salted water to the boil and having all equipment ready before shaping the ravioli. As a flexitarian who often cooks several components at once, good mise en place is a real game-changer.

Alternative: In home cooking, this is also known as ‘batch prep’ – preparing ingredients for several dishes in one go.

Tip: Have all the ingredients ready in small bowls or on the chopping board before you start – cooking becomes a joy rather than a rush.