Daily Prep Task Checklist

Walk the walk-in, reach-ins, and dry storage with the par sheet. Flag any item below par so the sous chef can call the distributor (Sysco, US Foods, PFG) before the morning order cutoff. FIFO-rotate while counting — pull use-by-dated items forward.

Pull oils, salts, spices, paper goods, and to-go packaging to each station's bin level. Date and label anything opened today with a use-by sticker.

Wash, peel, cut, and portion against the prep sheet quantities. Use color-coded cutting boards (green for produce) and dedicated allergen-safe tools where required by the menu spec.

Marinate per recipe card and hold at 41°F or below. Keep raw proteins on the bottom shelf of the walk-in, separated by species, to prevent cross-contamination.

Anything cooked then cooled must move from 140°F to 70°F within 2 hours and to 41°F within an additional 4 hours — log times on the cooling sheet. Use ice baths or shallow pans, not stacked deep hotel pans.

Each chef de partie sets their station: sauté, grill, garde manger, fry. Light pilots, calibrate the flat top, filter fryer oil if hazy. Reach-ins stocked with the morning's mise; backups in the low-boy.

Quat-ammonia should test 200–400 ppm; chlorine should test 50–100 ppm. Use a fresh test strip and log the reading. A failed strip means rebuild the sink before any prep tools go in.

Wipe, sanitize, air-dry. Replace any cutting board with deep grooves — knife scoring harbors bacteria below the sanitizing surface.

Scrape and degrease the flat top while warm, not hot. Filter or change fryer oil on the daily rotation; record oil change on the fryer log. Check hood filters for grease buildup — Ansul system inspection is harder when filters are saturated.

Pay attention to the line in front of the fryer and the dish-pit corner — those are the OSHA slip-hazard zones. Set wet-floor signage until dry.

Refill soap, paper towels, toilet paper, and seat covers. Inspectors check restroom handwashing supplies as a critical violation. Initial the restroom log on the back of the door.

Cold-hold must be 41°F or below per FDA Food Code. Use the calibrated probe at the warmest point (typically near the door), not the wall-mounted dial. Log AM reading; PM reading is logged at close.

Freezers should read 0°F or below. Line reach-ins and low-boys at 41°F or below. Record each unit on the temperature log — gaps in the log are the most common health-inspection write-up.

If the walk-in is above 41°F, relocate dairy, proteins, cut produce, and cooked TCS food to a working unit. Log the move with timestamps; food held above 41°F for more than 4 hours total is discarded per Food Code §3-501.19.

Several states (MA, IL, MI, NY, RI) require a certified allergen-aware manager on every shift. Confirm cert is current (AllerTrain or PCFP) and posted. A missing cert at inspection is an automatic citation.

Silverware rolls, water pitchers, sweetener caddies, check presenters. Print a test ticket from each Toast or Square terminal to confirm kitchen-printer routing — bar tickets to bar, food tickets to expo.

Use hot water and a lint-free cloth; spotted glassware is the most-mentioned negative on Yelp and Google reviews. Reject any chipped china or glassware to the breakage bin.

Post the 86 list at the expo window and in the server alley. Servers must announce 86s at lineup; bartenders need the list for cocktails that share garnish or modifier ingredients.

Pull the book from Resy, OpenTable, or SevenRooms. Flag birthdays, anniversaries, allergies, and regulars. Print the allergy tickets so they travel with the order to the line — verbal allergy callouts get missed at peak.

Write the feature, the price, and the allergen flags (gluten, dairy, shellfish, tree nut, peanut, soy, egg, sesame). The chef walks features at pre-shift so every server can describe preparation and sourcing.

Slip-resistant shoes, hair restraints, clean aprons, no jewelry below the wrist for line cooks. Cut-glove available at the slicer station. Send anyone non-compliant to change before lineup.

10-minute lineup: features, 86s, large parties, VIPs, allergen briefing, training point of the day, sales goal. Hand out section assignments at the end so servers can finish side-work without re-stacking tables.

Verify each extinguisher gauge is in the green and the annual tag is current. Confirm exit paths are clear of stacked deliveries, high chairs, or pallets — blocked egress is a fire-marshal citation.