PART NINE: "THE KITCHEN HIERARCHY!" The pecking order in a big kitchen and who calls the shots.

THE KITCHEN HIERARCHY & UNWRITTEN RULES 

A HOTEL KITCHEN WITH 40 CHEFS INCLUDING APPRENTICES

The first day of my apprenticeship was basicly a introduction to the workings of the kitchen, a viewing of the satellite - and banquet kitchens, meeting the General Manager of the hotel, also meeting with the Executive Chef, Production Chef and Sous Chef, allocating a locker where you can get changed into your uniform and store your clothes, a tour of the hotel, meeting the Maitre D'Hotel and other staff members. The whole day was a induction of my new workplace and also does and don'ts in the kitchen and on the premises. The hotel has a laundry department where all linen, uniforms, tablecloths, napkins, bath robes, bath tails, face washers, hand towels and everything else is washed on premises. Also part of the hotel was a maintenance crew, fixing faults from changing light globes to electrical issues and any other maintenance required for the hotel and surroundings. 

If my memory serves me right, we had about 120 staff on different shifts, 37 nationalities from around the World. 

KITCHEN HIERARCHY

Executive Chef: The Executive Chef is in full charge of a hotel kitchen with a kitchen brigade. In most places he is also second - or third in charge of the whole Hotel, when the General Manager and Assistant General Manager are out of house. Executive Chefs are found in all National and International Hotels right up to 5 star hotels. 

A Head Chef: is in charge of a smaller kitchen like a Restaurant Kitchen or Pub Kitchen to smaller hotel kitchens. He or she may have 3 to 10 kitchen staff.  

Executive Sous Chef:He or Her are second in charge of the hotel kitchen. Sous Chef means; below the chef in translation, meaning second in charge of a kitchen. When the Executive Chef is not at the Hotel, the Executive Sous Chef runs all aspects of the kitchen.

Sous Chef: Sous Chefs or Second Chefs are second in charge of a Restaurant, Pub - or smaller Hotel kitchen. In contrast, a Sous Chef in a big hotel with a big kitchen brigade may be in charge of the function kitchen or any of the satellite kitchens.

Production Chef: He or she is in charge of all food bulk production cooked in the Main Kitchen or also called Production kitchen of a big hotel. For example, there is a function with sit down dinner for 300 people. The Production Chef will then coordinate with the chefs to prepare the function menu. He also oversees the regular preparation for all the satellite kitchens.

Chef de Partie: A Chef de Partie is a qualified chef in charge of a section, like the sauce section, vegetable section, larder section. 

Here is a breakdown of the proper names of ranks in the kitchen that are in French:

Chef Saucier Chef in charge of the sauce and meat section. He or She will cook all meats with sauces to order for the guests, like beef Stroganov, curries, poached fish and seafood served in a sauce and the like. Sometimes the grill is part of that section, especially in smaller hotels.

Chef Entremetier in charge of all preparation of vegetables, soups, pasta, rice and all other side dishes. So when a order comes into the kitchen with a dish of the menu, he or she cooks all side dishes to this dish, while the chef on the sauce section prepares the meat or fish for that dish.

Chef Garde-manger is preparing and cooking all entrees, mainly cold entrees, salads, terrines, pate, smoked and cooked chilled seafood entrees. Some entrees served hot may be cooked by the chef on the sauce or vegetable section.

Chef Rotisseur works on the grill section. Cooking everything from the grill and sometimes cooks all roasts on the menu. 

Chef Tournant: This Chef is a all rounder. You are generally a Chef Tournant when you have a sound understanding of all sections of the kitchen/satellite kitchen. Today you may work the sauce section and tomorrow you may run the larder section for a couple of days. This is the last position before you progress to the next position up, which is Sous Chef.

Chef de Garde: A Chef de Garde is the chef doing night shift. For example: Once the chefs knock off from the last shift of the day, the Chef de Garde stays back and cooks for late guests and for Room Service. A Chef de Garde may also start the breakfast menu in the morning including cooking breakfast menu dishes to order. Some hotels have 24 hours per day room service, that is where the Chef de Garde will cook when all chefs have gone home until the first few chefs begin the early shift in the morning. This shift is also referred to as the "Graveyard shift".

Chef Patissier: The Chef Patissier or also known as Pastry Chef is in  charge of all sweets, pastries and function desserts. A Pastry Chef has a different type of qualification to a Chef. A pastry chef has his or her skills in baking, including breads, all different chocolate making skills, would know how to make ice creams and sorbets, making show pieces for buffets made from sugar, chocolate or baked showpieces like Gingerbread houses and the like. A pastry Chef would have a sound knowledge on cakes, quiches and savory finger foods like pies, sausage rolls, pastry cheese sticks and mini pizzas. A Pastry Chef will know all classic known desserts and how to make them from scratch.

Demi- Chef de Partie: Also called a Demi Chef, has not reached the full level of fully qualified chef. This position is a step up to the Chef de Partie level. A Demi Chef will work on each section of the kitchen as a Demi Chef, to gain experience on all sections of the kitchen. For example in Switzerland it will take you up to 10 years including apprenticeship to become a fully qualified chef. 

Commis de Cuisine: A Commis Chef is a young chef just completed the apprenticeship. In the kitchen, a chef's apprenticeship is a base where you start to build your skills and experience.  The first 2 to 3 years after your apprenticeship you will be employed by a hotel as a Commis Chef starting in a section of the kitchen. You remind a Commis Chef until you done all sections of a kitchen as a Commis. After you achieved that, you will do the same again as a Demi Chef de Partie, when completed you become a Chef de Partie.

Canteen Chef: Some very big hotels have a canteen for the working staff. There you can have breakfast, lunch and dinner. The cook running the canteen kitchen works alone and gets a lot of precooked foods from the production kitchen. The person running the canteen is a all rounder. From preparing or reheating food for the staff, to cleaning, washing all plates and cutlery, mopping floors, wiping tables clean and keep the canteen clean.  

Chef apprentice: Introduction and learning the trade of Chef, working in most cases for the whole duration at the same hotel or restaurant. Chef apprenticeships go for 3 to 4 years with a exam finish in theory and practical aspect of cooking. In some countries a chef apprentice goes one day a week to trades school. 

Casserolier: The Casserolier is a kitchen hand in a big hotel. His or Her duty is to clean all kitchen equipment, clean floors and cool rooms, washing up all pots and pans and assist the chefs with simple tasks like peeling carrots and potatoes, onions, garlic, and other preparation duties like clean and wash leafy salads and helping storing away kitchen stock. 

CHEF'S SERVING FOOD FOR A FUNCTION.

Next week we talk about what goes on in a Hotel food production kitchen and what exactly gets prepared and cooked. . Have a fantastic week and love Life and great food.