Who Does What In a Restaurant Kitchen?
Just as the teaching profession has a variety of subjects to cover
and there are more types of lawyers than most of us can count, becoming a
chef comes with different choices. You can have dreams of becoming an
executive chef, the mastermind behind the kitchen, but the path to get
there is filled with jobs like patissier, sous chef, and even saucier –
many of which are viable, well-paying careers all on their own.
Executive Chef (Chef de Cuisine)
The executive chef is the boss of the kitchen. There is usually only
one per restaurant (or chain), so the competition to get to the top of
the field is fierce, and it can take years of formal training at a culinary school
as well as decades of experience to land the job of your dream. As
executive chef, you rarely worry about the details of food preparation,
instead acting as the overseer, keeping the kitchen running smoothly and
planning the menu with new dishes that you devise.
Sous Chef
The sous chef is the right hand of the executive chef, and there can
be more than one. These professionals do a lot more of the micromanaging
in the kitchen, seeing to the details of each dish and working in the
trenches to make sure everything is properly prepared.
Pastry Chef (Patissier)
In most cases, becoming a patissier requires a different type of
culinary training, usually at a baking school or in a baking program
rather than a straightforward culinary school. The bulk of this work is
centered around pastries, breads, and desserts, and depending on where
you work, you could become the equivalent of an executive chef.
Station Chef (Chef de Partie)
The station chef is usually in charge of just one part of the
kitchen: for example, the soups, the salads, or the grill. They work
under the sous chef or executive chef to make sure all food prepared and
put out of their station is of the highest level for quality and
appearance.
Saucier
The saucier’s sole responsibility is to prepare the sauces. Although
it might not sound like much, certain types of cuisine (particularly
French) are all about the sauce.
Fish Cook (Poissonier)
The poissonier works with seafood, both in preparation and in cooking.
Vegetable Cook (Entremetier)
The entremetier can take on a variety of roles, depending on the type
of cuisine. For the most part, he or she deals in soups, vegetables,
potatoes and rice, and egg dishes
Meat Cook (Rotisseur)
The rotisseur is the mastermind of meat. From roasting and braising
to broiling and grilling, the rotisseur does it all. In many cases, the
tasks will overlap with those of the saucier, especially when it comes
to gravies.
Fry Cook
When a restaurant has a heavy dependency on a frier (for french fries
and many Southern delicacies), a fry cook may be employed to cover the
station.
Pantry Chef (Gard Manger)
The pantry chef is in charge of all cold items, from salad and hors
d’oevres to cold sauces and dressings. One big aspect of this job is
making the food appear presentable.
Line Cook (Commis)
The line cook is typically an entry-level position in which you work
alongside the rest of the kitchen doing what needs to be done. You may
cut vegetables one day and plate dishes on another. It is a fast-paced
position with plenty of room for upward mobility.
Expediter
The expediter is the bridge between the kitchen and the waitstaff.
These individuals are the last line of food preparation before the plate
reaches the table, and are responsible for delivering the plate either
via their own hands or that of the waiter. This position is often taken
over by the executive chef him or herself, especially when it’s vital to
ensure that the dish is perfect before it goes out.
No matter where you start out and what your specialty, there is a
place for you in the culinary world. And with the right training and
dedication, you could be just a few years away from an upper-level
position where respect and better pay await your command.
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