by Keri Fisher

Expediting is both heaven and hell for the control freak--when things are good, they hum, but when things are bad, they can get really bad. Keri Fisher offers tips to become an expediting maestro.

If a perfect restaurant meal is a symphony with the chef as its composer, then the expeditor is the conductor. When done well, the meal is executed with flawless precision: entrées following appetizers following amuse bouches at a steadied pace, with time enough at the table for meaningful discussions but not enough for tiresome debates. (The well-timed arrival of dessert has saved many a marriage.)

Expediting may not be an art, like cooking, but it is a skill. Expeditors must be organized and conscientious, with both an attention to detail as well as an ability to see the bigger picture. One must know not only which dishes come off which station, but also each and every ingredient in those dishes. (Table 33 has a severe nut allergy and wants to order the venison with cherry port sauce; her life is in your hands. Hopefully you know that the cherries are cooked in hazelnut oil.) Good expeditors know it takes the average human being 2.2 minutes to use the bathroom; 4.8 minutes to smoke a cigarette; and 12.5 minutes to eat a 12-ounce medium-rare steak (14.7 if it's well done).

Bad expeditors don't just confuse the line cooks; they can bring service to a standstill. But don't worry, there's always hope. Even bad expeditors can become good ones, if they just follow the rules.

Learn the Lingo
Every kitchen has its own jargon. If you're new, learn it. If you're the boss, teach it. Sometimes tickets "walk in," sometimes they're "ordered" or "in the oven," then "fired" or "picked up." Line cooks have been known to mutiny if you all orders incorrectly. Consistency is key.

Demand an Answer
In some kitchens, line cooks never actually see the paper ticket; they must rely on the expeditor to know what dishes they are working or picking up. That's why it's so important that when you call in a new ticket, the line cooks answer--not just "yes, chef," but actually repeat the entire order, so you're certain they heard everything. Just because you're screaming doesn't necessarily mean they're listening.

Keep a Reign on the Cooks
The expeditor runs the show in the kitchen, not the line cooks. Don't let them decide when the food goes out. Any special orders or instructions that come from the front of the house should come through you; servers should never discuss tables with the line cooks directly. The expeditor must always know every detail about every check.

Group Similar Tickets
On a busy night, lots of tickets come in at the same time, so chances are they'll be ready to be plated at the same time. It can help to group like-tickets together in one pickup; it's just as easy to plate three chicken as it is to plate one. But be reasonable; plating five or six chicken will probably slow the cook down. Also keep in mind what dishes are in the pickup. If the trout takes just two minutes and the duck takes seven, you may want to call them separately so nothing has to sit too long under the heat lamp.

Don't Rush the Meal...But Don't Drag It Either
Whenever possible, talk to the servers and peek in the dining room to see how tables are doing. Most expeditors have their own system for pacing tickets; for example, firing entrées 10 minutes after the appetizers go out. But no system is perfect, a table of four that shares a field greens salad will be ready for their entrées far sooner than the table of two who ordered the cheese plate and mussels. Servers should always let the expeditor know if a table is heading to the theater or another event, or if they're stepping out for a smoke in between each course.

Check the Check
Are there four guests at the table but only three entrées ordered? Sure, the fourth could be fasting, or may have brought his own dinner, but why take the risk of having to fire an entrée on the fly and possibly throwing off three other tables in the process? If something doesn't make sense on the ticket, ask the server. And most importantly...

Communicate
Silence may be golden in most kitchens, but that doesn't mean that communication isn't key. Expeditors must communicate with cooks. Cooks must communicate with the expeditor and often each other. That communication, of course, should be about the task at hand. "Dragging a salmon on table 12." "Seven lamb left." "86 cod cakes." Without proper communication, the line can grind to a halt.

Expediting is not the most glorious of jobs. For every Keith Lockhart there are thousands of conductors who toil away in obscurity. Nevertheless, a well-orchestrated symphony is beautiful, even if you don't know or notice the conductor.