Techniques
What is mise en place?
The short answer. Mise en place is the French phrase for having every ingredient measured, cut and within reach before you start cooking.
Professional kitchens work this way because cooking moves fast. Once the pan is hot there is no time to chop an onion.
At home it means reading the recipe, setting out the ingredients and tools, and prepping before you turn on the heat. It is the single habit that most improves a beginner's cooking.
Where it shows up in our recipes
Question
Do I need little bowls for everything?
No. A cutting board with groups of prepped ingredients works. The point is that nothing needs chopping once the heat is on.