Question of the Week
Aug 31, 2026
What ingredient do you always prep before turning on the stove?
Cooking Community
The cooking community, chat, and discussion.
8M SOULS
Garlic. I always prepare it before I light the fire, because once the cooking starts, everything goes quickly. And garlic is the kind of ingredient that can completely change a dish in a matter of seconds: well-measured and well-prepared, it immediately adds character.
Nothing. First, I turn on the stove. While it heats up, I do everything else.
All of them
Almost all the ingredients are nicer to have ready, so it's quicker to cook.
Onions. It's always onions
Everything.
The chicken
The onion, and the meat, everything else can be prepared on the fly.
A mise en place, But even before finishing it, it should already be on to cook at the moment and not lose the properties of the food.
Garlic and onion, everything has to be in place to use.
Careful preparation of all ingredients ensures that I won't miss anything.
I the rice 🍚
I will plan everything to be completed. Turning on the stove will be the final step of cooking (except for the oven, I always prepare it before anything else).
What is the topic exactly??
Onions 🌰
Root veggies first, so garlic, onions, potatoes(dunking them in cold water immediately until ready), etc. Then all of the spices, broths, veggies, dairy, and meats last. I arrange the ingredients by the order I'll need them in and start cooking. The prep work might take a while, but it makes cooking way less hectic.
I'm with Josh.....always mise en place
Without onion, it doesn't make sense 🤣
Everything before you turn on the stove or oven
Meat is very important! Also things that are cold.
A bottle of wine for us. Sticks and marshmallows if there are kids nearby.
It depends on the dish. I usually season the meat, then the rest of the ingredients. Once everything is ready, I turn on the stove.
None
Salt and pepper
Before lighting the fire, I prepare the environment, put on some music... 😏😏😏Wait, are you talking about food?? 😅😅😅
Summary
The overwhelming favourite answer was everything - cooks around the world championed mise en place, insisting that all chopping, measuring and arranging be finished before a flame is lit. The clear runner-up was the aromatic duo of onions and garlic, with many saying nothing goes in the pan before those are ready, followed by meat and proteins that need seasoning or marinating in advance, and general vegetable prep like washing, slicing and dicing. Smaller groups prepped spices and salt, or oil, butter and water, while a handful of rebels said they switch the stove on first and prep while it heats. A playful minority prepped mood instead of food - music, wine, patience and the right mindset.</summary>
Responses
Everything (mise en place)42
31%
Onions and garlic28
21%
Other17
13%
Other vegetables, chopping and washing12
9%
Mood setters (music, drinks, mindset)11
8%
Meat and protein9
7%
Spices, salt and seasoning6
4%
Oil, butter and liquids6
4%
Nothing - stove goes on first5
4%
Meet New People
50,000,000+
DOWNLOADS