General
a la minute
What does a la minute mean?
French for 'at the minute'. Nothing pre-cooked, nothing held — when the order prints, you start cooking. Slower service, better food. The opposite of batch-cooking or par-cooking, and the philosophy behind most chef-driven restaurants.
"We do the steaks à la minute, so warn the four-top it's a 20-minute cook."
Origin
French culinary term, brought into English kitchens via the classical brigade system (Escoffier era).
Frequently asked questions
What does "a la minute" mean?
In a professional kitchen, it means a dish is cooked to order the moment the ticket comes in, rather than prepared in advance.
How do you use "a la minute" in a sentence?
"We don't batch the risotto — every plate goes out a la minute."
Where does "a la minute" come from?
It's a French culinary phrase literally meaning "to the minute," used in kitchen brigades to mean made fresh on the spot.
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