planning like a french chef

Written By Jackie McConaghy

In French kitchens, there is a practice called mise en place.

Literally translated, it means “everything in its place.”

Before a chef begins cooking, they prepare every ingredient and tool they will need. Vegetables are chopped. Spices are measured. Equipment is ready. The workspace is organized.

When the cooking starts, the chef isn’t scrambling for ingredients or searching for tools.

They simply execute.

Leaders need to plan their deep thinking using the mise en place method because they often struggle with focus, as they try to jump straight into complex thinking. But our brains don’t switch modes that quickly. Deep thinking time is scarce and precious. Therefore, we need two things to practice mise en place for deep thinking: ramp-in rituals and gathering what is necessary.

Ramp In Rituals

If you move directly from back-to-back meetings into strategic work, your mind is still carrying the clutter of previous conversations.

This is why a ramp-in ritual matters.

Before deep work, take a few minutes to reset.

It might be:

  • A short walk

  • Changing work locations

  • Grabbing coffee

  • Reviewing a few key notes

This small transition signals to your brain that you are shifting into a different type of work.

Creative and strategic thinking requires mental space.

Sometimes the most productive thing a leader can do is pause for five minutes before starting.

Because focus doesn’t start with effort.

Gathering What is Necessary

It starts with preparation, and asking:  

“What do I need ready before I start?”

For example, if you are preparing performance reviews, your mise en place might include:

  • Last year’s performance review

  • Mid-year feedback notes

  • One-on-one meeting notes

  • Key project outcomes

  • Performance metrics or statistics

  • Employee self-reflections

  • Feedback from others

  • A preliminary review of the information to jot down initial ideas

Instead of gathering this during your focus time, you collect it ahead of time—in small windows between meetings or during administrative time.

Checklist for Focus Time

  • Create a regular, nonnegotiable focus-time cadence (consistent blocks of time for strategy and creative work) and communicate it to the team so interruptions are minimized

  • Turn off notifications during focus time and establish a single emergency contact method (e.g., phone call) that team members and family can use for true emergencies

  • Design and document a ramp-in / ramp-out routine (physical movement, short walk, or location change) to transition into and out of creative strategy sessions

  • Define the exploratory/developmental research plan: list who to solicit information from, scope outreach activities, and capture learning objectives to inform strategy

  • Create a 'mise en place' prep checklist for major tasks (identify required documents, data sources, previous reviews) and complete prep work before scheduled focus sessions

  • Schedule short prep sessions (use 5–10 minute gaps) to gather materials and review key inputs so focus-time is reserved for actual writing and analysis

  • Deep work is slow. It is a long game. Consistent effort leads to results. Track effort after each session to show the development of the idea over time.

  • Give yourself small breaks to recover when you get distracted. Reflect on what pulls your attention away.

A little preparation beforehand can turn an hour of scattered effort into an hour of deep, productive thinking.

Jackie McConaghy