Unit 2: People in the kitchen. Career Paths Cooking Unit 2: People in the kitchen.

People in the Kitchen In this lesson you will learn about the different jobs in a kitchen. By the end of this unit you should be able to List the different jobs titles for employees in kitchen Explain the duties for the people who make up the kitchen brigade. Differentiate between different chefs and what they do in a kitchen. 

The Kitchen Brigade Brigade comes from the French Brigade system (or Brigade de cuisine). All modern professional kitchens run according to a strict hierarchy, with the French Brigade system used in order to ensure the whole operation runs as smoothly as possible.  The structure will vary slightly depending on the size and style of the restaurant, however as a chef it’s important to know and understand the many positions held within a professional kitchen.

Jobs in a Kitchen Brigade Executive Chef  (aka Group Chef)  Head Chef (aka Chef de Cuisine) Sous Chef (aka Second Chef) Chef de Partie (aka Station Chef, Line Chef, Line Cook) Commis Chef Kitchen Porter (aka Kitchen Assistant or Kitchenhand) Dishwasher

Executive Chef The Executive Chef (aka Group Chef) The very top of the kitchen management structure. Only the largest restaurants have an executive chef, and it is primarily a management role. Executive Chefs do very little actual cooking

Head Chef Head Chef (aka Executive Chef, Chef de Cuisine) Chef de Cuisine is the traditional French term and is used in a few European and Asian restaurants. Head Chef is more common in most of the world. Generally controls the whole kitchen. Hires, fires and manages kitchen staff, Responsible for controlling kitchen costs. Orders supplies. Responsible for creating the menus.

Sous Chef Sous Chef (aka Second Chef) translated it literally means ‘under chef’. The sous-chef is second in command. More actively involved in the day-to-day running of the kitchen than the head chef. Some smaller kitchens may not have a sous chef, while larger operations can have more than one. If there are more than one sous-chefs the words executive, junior or senior can precede the title to further specify hierarchy.

Chef de Partie Chef de Partie (aka Station Chef, Line Chef, Line Cook)  Each chef de partie is responsible for running a specific section of the kitchen. Butcher chef Fish chef Fry chef Grill chef Pantry chef Pastry chef Roast chef Roundsman (aka chef de tournant, swing cook, relief cook) Sauté chef (aka saucier or sauce chef) Vegetable chef Will talk about each of these sections in more detail later.

Commis Chef Commis Chef A commis Chef is a junior member of staff. Works under a chef de partie in order to learn the station, these are often people that have recently completed, or are still undertaking, formal culinary training. You can think of a Commis Chef as an on the job training position. They are NOT a chef’s helper.

Kitchen Porter Kitchen Porter (aka Kitchen Assistant or Kitchenhand) workers that assist with rudimentary tasks within the kitchen. They perform basic food preparation such as washing lettuce and peeling potatoes. May also  perform basic cleaning duties. Usually do not have any formal culinary training.

Dishwasher Dishwasher The person responsible for washing dishes and cutlery.

Chef de Partie (aka Station Chef, Line Chef, Line Cook) Butcher chef (aka boucher)– In charge of preparing meats and poultry before they are delivered to their retrospective stations, the butcher chef may also handle fish and seafood preparations. Fish chef (aka poissonnier)-An expert in the preparation of fish dishes, and often responsible for fish butchering as well as creating the appropriate sauces. Fry chef (aka friturier) - This individual specialises in the preparation of fried food items. Grill chef (aka grillardin) –As the name implies, the master of all foods that require grilling. Pantry chef (aka garde manger) - A pantry chef is responsible for the preparation of cold dishes, such as salads and pâtés.

Chef de Partie (aka Station Chef, Line Chef, Line Cook) Pastry chef (aka patissier) – The King or Queen of the pastry section; baked goods, pastries and desserts are this chefs forte. Roast chef  (aka rotisseur) – Responsible for the preparation of roasted meats and the appropriate sauces. Roundsman  (aka chef de tournant, swing cook, relief cook)  – Someone who fills in as needed on all of the stations, rather than having a specific job. Vegetable chef (aka entremetier)  - Prepares vegetables, soups, starches, and eggs. Larger establishments may employ multiple chefs to work this station. A potager would be in charge of making soups, and a legumier would be in charge of preparing any vegetable dishes.

Chef de Partie (aka Station Chef, Line Chef, Line Cook) Sauté chef (aka saucier or sauce chef) – Often the most respected role in the brigade system of stations, reporting directly to the head chef or sous- chef. They’re responsible for sautéing foods, but their most vital role lies in the creation of the sauces and gravies that will accompany other dishes.

Kitchen Brigade Organization