At ink., Michael Voltaggio has instilled the idea of 90°. Everyone and everything works and is arranged at 90°. It is part of the organization and fundamentals of the kitchen. At first I did not notice this approach and arrangement. The kitchen is well organized and everything is in place. I did not not notice until a single roll of plastic wrap was out of place on the counter. Michael asked one of the cooks whether or not I had asked them to work not in 90°? The cook quickly said no and the plastic wrap snapped back into a parallel position on the countertop. I asked Michael what 90° was. He was tired of cooks working unorganized with stuff just on the counter with no particular order. The idea gave him a language in which to express what he wanted when he wanted the kitchen clean and organized. Instead of just getting upset with the kitchen being disheveled he had a languge and a model to show his cooks. If everything is in its place we have time allow our minds to wander and allow creativity to flourish. After my lesson in 90° everything I see and work with takes on a new light. I can no longer look at countertops where stuff is just on it. I am hooked and a believer.
*This type of organization is known as knolling. Thanks to Chester Carlson who shared this link with us via twitter after we first published this post.
Years Past
