2025-12-01 – Weekly Chef News : Origin of "86" revealed

Last week, our forum buzzed with discussions on career paths in the kitchen, sustainable practices, and the intricacies of menu creation. Members shared insights on the role of mentorship in building resilient kitchen teams and debated the importance of innovation in pastry work. There was also an engaging conversation about the origins of common kitchen terms and how they impact our daily operations.


This Week’s Hot Topics

Is the saucier path quickest up the brigade
This lively thread examines whether specializing as a saucier offers a faster track to advancement in the brigade system. It’s an insightful look at career progression for aspiring chefs.
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Chamber vac without the plastic guilt
Explore how chefs are addressing environmental concerns with innovative ways to use chamber vac machines, reducing plastic waste in the kitchen. It’s a thought-provoking discussion on sustainability.
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Menu engineering vs table 7
Dive into the balancing act between strategic menu planning and catering to specific customer preferences. This discussion sheds light on the challenges of pleasing both the bottom line and the diners.
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Longevity and mentorship on the line
An important conversation about how mentorship can help chefs build long-term careers and support within the high-pressure environment of the kitchen.
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Finding time to innovate on pastry
This thread offers practical tips for pastry chefs seeking to carve out time for creativity amidst their busy schedules. A must-read for those striving to balance routine and innovation.
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Printer arias and surviving the line
A lighthearted yet insightful discussion about the symphony of sounds in a busy kitchen and how chefs cope with the chaos. It’s both amusing and relatable.
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What’s the real origin of 86
Curious about where the term “86” comes from? This engaging thread delves into its history and how it became part of kitchen vernacular.
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Menu tasting turned into a roast
Sometimes menu tastings don’t go as planned. This discussion highlights how to handle unexpected feedback gracefully while maintaining professional composure.
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Thanks for keeping up with the latest in our community. Looking forward to another week of sharing and learning together.

At my place we added a tiny expo whiteboard labeled 86; whoever pulls the last portion writes “86 halibut” and FOH snaps a pic to the group chat, which killed the mid-service confusion. If you’re digital, pushing 86s through the KDS is great too, but assign one person per station to own updates — silly simple, but it’s saved more tickets than a weekday matinee.

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But swapped the board for a laminated station card with an “86/sub” line; at 5 left the cook radios “call it at five” and expo hits 86 in the POS so FOH tablets update. @hana30 it ties back to last week’s mentorship chat — teaching rookies to call early cut our waste, but pastry’s the exception; if the pâte à choux is gone, it’s a hard 86.

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