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What's in a name, chef?
WITH the plethora of cooking programmes filling our TV screens, we’re all becoming familiar with the various ranks associated with the professional kitchen.
You will often here celebrity chefs refer to each other as ‘chef’ when their paths cross on a Saturday morning show, but what’s the difference between this and an executive chef, and while we’re at it, what’s a sous chef?
An executive chef is the big boss of the kitchen. He or she is in charge of everything related to the business of food, including menu creation, staff rotas and the commercial side. Executive chefs are often expected to be masters of all things - a genius when it comes to both cooking and balancing the accounts.
The ‘executive’ in the title is a little redundant as the boss of a kitchen is generally just referred to as ‘chef’, although many people use this word casually to refer to anyone involved in the cooking process in a kitchen, hence the distinction. It’s worth noting that in France, and much of Europe, the executive chef title is replaced by chef to cuisine.
In most kitchens the chef is responsible for calling the orders and carrying out quality control on all the dishes at the pass (the area in a kitchen were waiting staff collect completed dishes) before they are delivered to the diner. The term for this role can be expeditor or announcer.
A sous chef a deputy to the executive chef and acts as the second in command - a demanding role which would see him or her standing in for the chef during times of absence. In large kitchens there can be several sous chefs who are in charge of different sections of the kitchen.
An executive chef is the big boss of the kitchen. He or she is in charge of everything related to the business of food, including menu creation, staff rotas and the commercial side. Executive chefs are often expected to be masters of all things - a genius when it comes to both cooking and balancing the accounts.
The ‘executive’ in the title is a little redundant as the boss of a kitchen is generally just referred to as ‘chef’, although many people use this word casually to refer to anyone involved in the cooking process in a kitchen, hence the distinction. It’s worth noting that in France, and much of Europe, the executive chef title is replaced by chef to cuisine.
In most kitchens the chef is responsible for calling the orders and carrying out quality control on all the dishes at the pass (the area in a kitchen were waiting staff collect completed dishes) before they are delivered to the diner. The term for this role can be expeditor or announcer.
A sous chef a deputy to the executive chef and acts as the second in command - a demanding role which would see him or her standing in for the chef during times of absence. In large kitchens there can be several sous chefs who are in charge of different sections of the kitchen.
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Many large kitchens will also have several commis chefs - generally aspiring chefs who are effectively carrying out an apprenticeship under the guidance of the sous chefs and the executive chefs. Being a commis means you will do much of the donkey work in the kitchen - preparing huge quantities of vegetables is a common task.
In large kitchens you will find people with many sub titles, such as pastry chef whose sole responsibility is preparing all thinks related to pastry. There are also line cooks who are divided up into different techniques, such as meat and fish. Most cooks work all the different lines in order to gain experience and climb the hierarchical ladder in the kitchen.
In nearly all French restaurants, and more so in kitchens around the world these days, the brigade system is operated. This dictates a structure for the kitchen were all different specialities are covered by a different member of staff. The title list within a brigade is exhaustive and covers every aspect of food creation and cooking.
In large kitchens you will find people with many sub titles, such as pastry chef whose sole responsibility is preparing all thinks related to pastry. There are also line cooks who are divided up into different techniques, such as meat and fish. Most cooks work all the different lines in order to gain experience and climb the hierarchical ladder in the kitchen.
In nearly all French restaurants, and more so in kitchens around the world these days, the brigade system is operated. This dictates a structure for the kitchen were all different specialities are covered by a different member of staff. The title list within a brigade is exhaustive and covers every aspect of food creation and cooking.