中餐厅为什么能如此之快地做出那么多种类的食物？他们是不是全部预先做好后再加热，或者只是把不同肉、菜跟不同的酱汁混合一下？

我整个大学期间在两个不同的中餐馆工作过，并从他们那里学会烹饪一些菜肴。

大厨和厨师们每天早上8、9点之间到场，开始进行午餐所需的和其他的一些准备工作。那里有种类极多的肉、蔬菜，数不清的酱汁，还有蛋卷、馄饨及其他开胃菜，这些都需要每天新鲜地手工制作。看他们工作是一种令人惊奇的体验。组织和效率和他们仰仗的关键，每个人都为厨房做一切他力所能及的工作。

他们要制作一加仑一加仑的汤储备，数十千克的米和面条蒸熟备用并保持新鲜。

装有每种必需的酱汁、调料等的碗需要放在每个灶台和烤炉容易拿到的地方。绝大多数的菜肴所用的蔬菜都是一样的，而肉类也常常相同。它们被放在几步之外的每天补给的冷藏柜中，到了高峰时段，所有这些都触手可及且迅速消失不见。厨师身后通常有一些“准备员”，他们不挡厨房的路，工作是不断地把食材切成丁或片以补充消耗。

看他们工作是真的非常奇妙。

由于如此多的菜式所包含的基本原料是相同的，而调味和烹调手法各异，大厨们几乎是在无意识的状态料理食材。每个长勺和烹饪器具都有特定的大小，因此他们能知道每样菜肴需要放多少蔬菜和肉。这几乎成了他们所有人的第二天性。

从我的经验看，没有什么东西是预先做好，或者冷冻加热的。这里面只有普通的原料和工作效率极高的优秀大厨。

单词表

variety n.多种式样，多样性，变化，品种
throughout prep.自始至终，遍及各处
show up 如约赶到，露面，使变清晰
prep v.把……准备好 n.课外作业，备课
tremendous a.巨大的，极大的
numerous a.很多的，数不清的
appetizer n.开胃菜
manually ad.手动地，人工地
stock n.股票，库存，储备物 vt.贮备 a.陈腐的，常备的
seasoning n.调味品 v.加调料
stove n.火炉
oven n.烤箱
restock v.更新，补给
cooler n.冷藏器
peak n.顶峰 vi.达到高峰 a.高峰时期的
prepper “准备者”
out of the way 不挡路
constantly ad.不断地
slice n.片 v.切成片
dice n.骰子 vt.将……切成丁
replenish vt.补充，重新装满
ingredient n.成分，原料
automatic a.自动的，无意识的，当然的
ladle n.长柄的 vt.用大勺舀
utensil n.器具，器皿
second nature 第二天性，习惯

译自：https://www.quora.com/How-do-Chinese-restaurants-make-such-a-large-variety-of-food-so-fast-Is-it-all-pre-made-and-then-heated-or-different-sauces-mixed-in-with-different-meats-and-veg

时间：2019年10月31日

答主：Paul Cuadrado , I lived in China for years and have many insights to it.

I worked in two different Chinese restaurants throughout university, and they taught me how to cook several dishes.

The chefs and cooks showed up between 8:00 and 9:00 every morning to do the preps, …ALL the preps they’d need for lunch and then some. There is a tremendous variety of meats and vegetables, numerous sauces, and the egg rolls, won tons and other appetizers have to be done fresh daily one by one and manually. It is amazing to watch them in action. Organization and efficiency are the keys that they rely on. That and each doing all he can to make the kitchen work.

Gallons of soup stock must be made, tens of kilos of rice and noodles steamed and kept fresh.

Bowls with every possible sauce, seasoning, etc. they may need are placed within easy reach of each stove top and oven. The same vegetables are used in most dishes, and the meats are often the same. With the daily restocked coolers within a few steps, all of these are readily available and disappear quickly at peak hours. There are usually a few “preppers” toward the back and out of the way who constantly slice and dice to replenish stocks.

It truly is amazing to watch them in action.

Since so very many of the dishes contain the same basic ingredients but are flavored and cooked differently, this becomes automatic to the chefs. Every ladle and cooking utensil is sized so they know how much of each vegetable or meat goes into each dish when. This becomes second nature to them all.

In my experience, nothing is premade, nothing is frozen and re-heated. It is simply common ingredients and excellent chefs who work quickly and efficiently.