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Rule 11. Choose the harder path.

You’re in the basement doing prep, and you realize that there are multiple ways to approach the task, including one that will be much quicker than the method your chef has called for. Chances are, no one will be the wiser if you take the easy route. But you still choose the more arduous path. Why? Because you realize that you’re not cheating the customer or your chef. You’re cheating yourself. You are cheating yourself out of practice and cheating yourself out of building the kind of fuck-you mentality that is vital to your survival.

In 1986, when he was at the height of his powers, Larry Bird decided to play a whole game as a lefty. He recorded forty-seven points and a triple-double using his off hand. Why? Because he wanted the challenge. If you’ve got your station down pat, it’s up to you to make things more difficult. Don’t be jealous of your friend who’s already a sous chef while you’re stuck on garde manger. Garde manger is the coolest job and teaches you the most skills. You’re in this to be the best, not just climb the ladder.

Rule 12. Become a master sandbagger.

Another Craft story: there was a critic in the house. It was the peak of spring, and they ordered an asparagus dish. Except we didn’t have it. The asparagus from the greenmarket had come in late and there wasn’t time to trim all of it for service. Tom Colicchio calmly entered the kitchen, hoisted the massive crate onto the counter, and with one swift, deliberate movement passed the entire box through a bandsaw, yielding perfectly prepped asparagus stalks.

My favorite chef stories are all about sandbagging—the dark art of saving time through tricks that are as ingenious as they are frowned upon. I call it a “dark art” because you don’t want to make a habit out of sandbaggery. Do it once when you need it and you’ve hacked the system. Do it too often and you’re a hack.

Eat a Peach, David Chang

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/04/02/dining/catering-lingo.html

To stockpile a food item as insurance against later demand. Mostly frowned upon because quality can diminish during the wait.