25 Last-Minute Thanksgiving Prep Tips from Professional Chefs

You can plan ahead as much as you can for your Thanksgiving gathering, but there’s always bound to be some last-minute scrambling or anxiety. It could be as big as trying to triage the turkey (overcooked, undercooked, etc.) or as small as you forgot to iron the tablecloth. Whatever the problem, it can be super stressful in the moment.

So to help with down-to-the-wire complications, I tapped professional chefs for their best tips. They’re used to high-stress kitchen situations and serving big groups of people, so they definitely know what they’re doing, right?

Their answers don’t disappoint. From the best way to create a schedule to how to keep things warm, here are the best last-minute tips to know when hosting your big feast. Read ahead and say it with me, “Yes, chef!”

1. Make a List and Schedule

Keep things organized by making lists and creating a schedule. Chef Daniel Ulrich of Mon Ami in Santa Monica, recommends making a shopping list before you go to the grocery store or buy kitchen essentials, like cookware and serving dishes

“Always make a to-do list with a set schedule. Making a plan always helps with time management,” says James Jung, executive chef at SET Steak & Sushi in Newport Beach, California.

If you’re a visual person like Shane McAnelly, executive chef at Charlie Palmer’s Dry Creek Kitchen in Healdsburg, California, you might want to write everything out on a dry erase board in the kitchen and cross things out as they get done because it “keeps everything organized and assures nothing gets missed, like an important ingredient or a step in the process.”

While you’re planning, try to not go overboard. “Less is more. Yes, we all love the giant buffet, but how good is your seventh casserole, maybe if you just made four, those four would be way better!” adds Dave Beran, chef at Pasjoli in Santa Monica.

And during the whole prepping and cooking session, chef Hannon Matern of Videre in Los Angeles recommends taking notes for next year (yes, next year). “If you find that something doesn’t work of you would do something different jot it down, note the change, or maybe the cooking times for the proteins. This will make your next engagement much easier and feel a little more smooth and organized.

2. Prep Ahead

It’s not news that prepping in advance will help lessen the stress. But it’s definitely worth repeating. “A key strategy I employ is prepping certain dishes in advance,” says Gene Hall, executive chef at Preserve in Winters, California. “Assembling my stuffing the evening before allows me to concentrate on roasting the turkey to perfection on the day, ensuring both elements come together seamlessly at mealtime.” Chef Tony Nguyen of Crustacean Beverly Hills adds that you can make other dishes like mashed potatoes and cranberry sauce the day or days before, too.

And if you tried to prep as much as you could and still are…