The Kitchen Organization

The Kitchen layout and equipment can be described as the body of the kitchen, and what gives life to it are the people working inside--- sometimes called the kitchen brigade.

Kitchen Organization

The figure below illustrates the classic kitchen organizational chart in large- scale hotels and restaurants. Some positions may not be applicable in smaller scale hotel and restaurant operations. Understanding the organizational chart can guide you in creating an organizational system that will best suit the type of operation.

THE CLASSIC KITCHEN BRIGADE

The kitchen brigade was introduced by the legendary French chef, Georges- Auguste Escoffier. The kitchen brigade was influenced by Escoffier's experience in the French army. Escoffier applied his experience with the clearly defined structure and duties of a military brigade into the kitchen, known as the chef de partie system.

The kitchen brigade was introduced to form an organizational hierarchy of authority, responsibility, and function for professional kitchens. This system has a strict chain of command based on rank. This is to ensure that every cook had a clear purpose and the kitchen could work to maximum efficiency. The idea was to assign specific task to avoid duplication of effort and to help facilitate communication between the various staff members.

THE CLASSICAL KITCHEN BRIGADE POSITIONS

The following are the basic hierarchy of a classic kitchen brigade system:

chef de cuisine

Is the head of the entire kitchen or the head honcho, most commonly known as the executive chef, and is in incharge of the overall management of the kitchen operations. It includes innovating new menu items as well as planning, purchasing, costing and supervising of the staff.

SOUS CHEF

Is the second in command or the under chef. He/ she supervises and coordinates the various station chefs (chef de partie). The sous chef fills in for the chef de cuisine when he/she is off. He/she also acts as an expediter (aboyeur) during service (usually in training to become head chef). The sous chef is more hands-on and actively involved in daily kitchen operations and receives orders directly from the chef de cuisine for the management of the kitchen.

chefs de partie

There is more than one chef de partie; each one is assigned and responsible for a specific section in the kitchen. The chefs de partie (station chef) are responsible for a particular part the meal where they are specialized in or divided into the method of cooking to make the kitchen more productive. Chefs de partie usually has several demi-chefs (assistant station chefs) and commis (attendants) working under them.

demi-chef

Is the assistant station chef; does most of the actual preparation of food in the specific station he/she is assigned; may be required to assist with cooking, preparation, and plating when station chefs are absent; oversees all preparation, cooking and presentation for plates.

commis

Are junior cooks; also work on a specific station under the chef de partie and demi chef; generally responsible for the tools used in that station; usually in training to become a demi-chef. They are often people who are still undertaking formal culinary training.

apprentice

Might work in a specific station; gaining experience because he/she is likely to have any formal culinary training; helps in cleaning and work preparation, including peeling and washing salads and sometimes washing the dishes.

In modern commercial kitchens, having all positions stated below is not necessary, but some of the following stations listed are still seen, in whole or combined, with other stations.

saucier

Is the sauté cook; makes sauces; also often regarded as the highest respected role in the kitchen brigade system of stations.

poissonier

Is the fish cook; cooks and prepares fish and shellfish dishes from sautéing to poaching and often prepares any sauces that need to accompany the fish, in the absence of a saucier.

entremeteir

In charge of the entrees or "entrance" to the meal. In today's kitchen, entrees are considered the "main course". This is a combined potager and legumier, preparing vegetable dishes, soups and stocks.

potager

Is in charge of the soups and stocks; assistant to the saucier; considered a lower- skilled position.

legumier

Is the vegetable chef; in charge of the gratins, pilafs, braises and other hot vegetable side dishes.

rotisseur

Chef assigned in roasting- roasted and braised foods and any stuffing for them.

garde manger

Is in charge of all cold foods, including salads, cold meats, pates, terrines, sausages, hors d'oeuvres, decorative carving garnishes, and buffet items, if present.

grillardin

Is the "grill man" ; grills and broils food

patissier

Is the pastry chef. Also supervises the confiseur, who makes petits fours (small fancy cakes, cookies, or confections) and candies; the glacier, who make cold or frozen desserts (today this would be someone who make ice cream and othe frozen desserts, and perhaps also makes ice sculptures); the decorateur, who decorates cakes or other items; and the boulanger, who bakes and makes bread, rolls and cakes.

friturier

Is the fry cook; prepares all fried items (Basically - deep frying)

boucher

Is in charge of meat butchery, and poultry and fish treatment; may prepare these and then give to the garde manger for distribution to the various station chefs.

charcutier

Prepares pork products, such as pâté, pâté en croûte (pate in crust or meat pie), rillettes, hams, sausages, or any cured meats; may coordinate with the garde manger and deliver cured meats.

the modern kitchen brigade

In today's modern kitchen, positions listed in the classic brigade system are rarely used. The classic kitchen brigade system still exists in large cruise liners or places where large food volume is produced. But with the radical changes in equipment, the presence of modern and advanced kitchen appliances, and the changes in how food is fabricated and prepared, some of the positions stated above are no longer needed. These changes resulted in the consolidation of employee responsibilities and even staff reduction

executive chef

In charge of the overall management and operation of the kitchen, including the creation of the menu, ordering, and purchasing of supplies, oversees staff and reports to owners or managers; sometimes handles more than one restaurant kitchen. Some restaurant have separate executive chefs and chef de cuisine.

chef de cuisine

The head of the kitchen who directly reports to the executive chef or the owner, if the owner has the control of the kitchen. There are restaurants where the executive chef and chef de cuisine is the same or only one.

sous chef

Second in command, next to the chef de cuisine. The sous chef is in command in the absence of the chef de cuisine. He/she monitors the quality of meny items as to the standards of the executive chef or chef de cuisine and supervises the preparation, portioning, and presentation of the menu items.

area chefs

Similar to the classical kitchen brigade, the area chefs are the chef de partie or station chefs responsible for a particular section in the kitchen. The line cooks and stations chefs are the same, depending on the size of the kitchen operations. Area chefs may be assigned and rotate in different stations like grilling, rotisserie, frying, and other stations in the kitchen.

line cooks

Work together with the area chef who is assigned to a particular station in the kitchen.

expeditor

Responsible for coordinating and managing the flow of orders from the kitchen to the dining room, ensuring that dishes are prepared and served promptly and correctly.

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