Chef Iyer, IHMCTAN, Mumbai 1

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As the task of the professional kitchen has become greater, its organization has inevitably become

more complex. To provide meals in the large modern hotel, this kitchen organization has reached its

culmination point. In such establishments, there are many customers to be served in many different

ways. For example, there are usually different menus or forms of service in a hotel. Moreover, the

menus, dishes and presentation can be highly elaborated and certainly even, when relatively simple,

will usually involve high skills.

BASIC DIVISIONS OF KITCHEN WORK

Even in earliest times, there has been an obvious tendency to divide the work of preparing and cooking

so that the most efficient results can be obtained from the minimum of effort. The broad features of a

kitchen organization soon began to emerge in divisions such as:

1. The storage of commodities – both perishable and non-perishable.

2. The preparation of meat, fish and poultry (Larder work).

3. The preparation and cooking of poultry and desserts (The pastry).

4. The preparation of vegetables.

5. The general stove section at which prepared foods are assembled and cooked.

In small kitchens, even this basic arrangement can-to some extent-be simplified and on the other hand

as kitchen increase in size and volume of work the basic arrangement can be expanded by varying

degrees.

THE PARTIE SYSTEM

The Partie (or “Corner” as it is known in many British establishments) system as perfected by Escoffiér,

was the result of studying the food and cookery work behind the recipes and allocating tasks to

different specialists so as to help produce the most complex dishes regularly, efficiently and swiftly.

This meant breaking down processes and allocating different tasks, even of one dish, to different

sections. A veal escalope, for example, might be flattened, marinated and breadcrumbed by the Larder

Cook, shallow fried by the Sauce Cook and assembled by him using appropriate garnishes, which in

turn, might well have come from other corner (Partie) of the kitchen.

In the kind of kitchen Escoffiér and his collogues organized, the partie system reached the height of

complexity because the end product had to be the highest finish and yet be completed to order in rapid

sequence for a substantial number of customers.

There are, however, several factors like introduction of new machines, equipments, convenient foods

etc. which can cause the amendment and simplification of the Partie system.

The essence of Partie system is the division of work into sections, each section or partie being

controlled by a Chef de Partie, who might be regarded as the section foreman or head as well as a craft

specialist. All the parties come under the control of the Chef de Cuisine, aided by one or more Sous

Chefs, who in large establishments have no partie or section duties; although in smaller

establishments, an important Chef de Partie such as the Chef Saucier or even the Chef Garde Manger

may act as Sous Chef.

In large hotels and restaurants, there will be about a dozen principal parties under the Chef de Cuisine,

assisted by his Sous Chefs. The team of the Chefs and their assistants under the partie system is

commonly called as the “Brigade”.

CLASSICAL AND MODERN KITCHEN

The classical kitchen brigade system established by Escoffiér was designed for large operations using

complex menus. The classical brigade included a Chef who was directly in charge of production.

Production in the kitchen was divided into stations which were overseen by the following Chef de Partie:

1. Saucier

Responsible for sauces, stews, stocks, hot hors d’ oeuvres and sautés.

2. Potager

Responsible for soups, stocks for soups and chowders.

3. Poissoner

Responsible for fish dishes.

4. Entremetier

Responsible for vegetables, starches and eggs.

5. Rotisseur

Responsible for roasted and braised meats and meat gravies.

6. Grillardin

Responsible broiled items and possibly deep-fried meats and fish.

Chef Iyer, IHMCTAN, Mumbai 2

7. Garde Manger

Responsible for cold foods including salads, dressing, pates, cold hors d’ oeuvres and buffet items.

8. Patissier

Responsible for prepared pastries and desserts with a baker responsible for breads and rolls.

9. Tournant

Swing or relief cook.

Each Chef de Partie was assigned a Commis – a helper. Standard were the Premier Commis or Station

Cook, Deuxieme Commis or Cook’s helper and Troisieme Commis or Cook’s helper assistant.

Large modern kitchens still use a version of the classical brigade organization. The major changes are

collapsed positions and different titles, such as the following:

E Executive Chef

Responsible for overall kitchen organization.

E Sous Chef

One for each shift the kitchen is open and for semi-independent operations within a hotel property.

E Garde Manger Chef

The pantry supervisor.

E Short Order Cook/Broiler Cook

Responsible for preparation of items to order and working the line (The final plating area in the

kitchen); normally has minimal involvement in preparation of more complex items.

E Pastry Chef

Plans dessert menu and prepares pies, cakes and other desserts.

E Baker

Responsible for breads and rolls.

E Cook’s Helper

Assigned to the various stations, training positions.

Medium size modern kitchens use an abbreviated form of the brigade. In small restaurants, the lead

position is typically the working Chef, ho works directly with the Short Order Cook and Pantry Cook.

The cook’s helper may be the pot and dish washer.

The complexity of the staffing will be in proportion to the complexity of the property itself. The number

of staff members doesn’t necessarily reflect the quality of the food served by the establishment. The

one constant from the classical brigade to the more modern version is the importance of the Chef,

whether an Executive or Working Chef.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF VARIOUS CHEFS

Chef de Cuisine (Head Chef)

The Chef de Cuisine in the large establishments is much more a departmental manager than a working

craftsman. He will be selected for his position and will retain it more for his organization and executive

abilities than for his culinary skills, though it is obvious that he should have such skill and a large

appreciation of fine cookery as part of his background. Nevertheless, his principal function is to plan,

organize and supervise the work of the kitchens.

His “blue print” for the major part of his activities is the menu which he will prepare for the

management in accordance with the costing and catering policies laid down by the establishment.

He will either have full responsibility for staffing within a general kitchen labour cost policy or will have

major responsibility for staff selection and dismissals (hire and fire) in conjunction with the Personnel

Department. The Chef de Cuisine has heavy responsibility for ordering food stocks and purchasing. He

will also be concerned with the plant and equipment of his kitchens at least in an advisory capacity.

Thus the executive responsibilities of the Chef de Cuisine can be considered under the principal

headings of:

1. Food and food cost (Menu planning, ordering, purchasing etc.).

2. Kitchen Staff (Hire and Fire, Duty allotment, Training, Appraisals etc.).

3. Kitchen planning, equipment etc.

Under his control, all three must be coordinated to produce good food efficiently and economically.

Within his organization, moreover, high craft skills and artistry of cookery must develop. Because of

the complexity of the operation he organizes and the skills and art he must foster, the Chef de Cuisine

enjoys a unique standing. His status is normally second only to that of the manager and he will expect,

and is normally accorded, complete control of his domain. Within the establishment’s general policy,

particularly in regard to cost, he will be given considerable freedom to operate and control in his own

way. Hotel and restaurant etiquette, for example, might prohibit the entry of staff up to the manager

into the kitchens without the consent of the Chef de Cuisine.

It is clear, therefore, that the Chef de Cuisine must additionally acquire managerial qualities and

administrative knowledge, particularly in regard to the organization of work, control of staff, the

efficient use of machinery, costing and food control. At the same time his craft skills in regard to food

should desirably have been expanded into a full understanding of gastronomy so that his menus and

Chef Iyer, IHMCTAN, Mumbai 3

dishes may be planned by him and executed by his staff in accordance with aesthetic considerations as

well as commercial ones. He must be aware of modern developments, in manufacturing and processing

foods for his use and perfecting equipment for his kitchens. Present trends indicate that the Chef must

increasingly concern himself not only with cookery but with the techniques of meal presentation in the

widest sense.

The duties and responsibilities of the Chef de Cuisine are so wide that it may be said that they may

best be appreciated than listing.

Sous Chef (Under Chef)

The Sous Chef is the principal assistant of the Chef de Cuisine. In large establishments, Sous Chefs will

have no sectional or Partie responsibility, but will aid the Chef in his general administration and in

particular in supervising the work of preparing food and in overseeing its service at the hot-plate

servers. Depending on the organization’s requirement, there may be more than one Sous Chef. The

position of Sous Chef is, of course, regarded as an intermediate step between control of a partie and

the ultimate control of a kitchen. In smaller organizations, one of the principals Chefs de Partie such as

the Chef Saucier or Chef Garde Manger may act as Sous Chef.

Chef de Partie

The Chef de Partie is a working cook, in charge of a clearly defined section of activities within the

kitchen, or other satellite kitchens within the establishment. All the Chefs de Partie may be regarded as

supervisors or foremen of their sections as well as skilled craftsmen. They must, for example, plan and

organize their work and staff and normally they will prepare daily indents for commodities.

Commis

Dependent on the partie concerned, the Sectional Chef will be assisted by one or more trained cooks

who have not yet reached full Chef status. These assistants or Commis should have completed their

apprenticeship or training, but will still be gaining experience before taking full partie responsibilities.

Nevertheless, the first Commis, as the senior of the assistants is called, should be capable of taking

charge when his Chef de Partie is off and as second in command, should take considerable

responsibility under his Chef.

Apprentices

On each partie, there will also be found apprentices or trainees who will, whilst learning, also be

helping in the practical day to day work of food preparation and cookery. In French brigades, learners

and apprentices were styled – Aides de Cuisines.

CHEFS DE PARTIE AND THEIR WORK

Chef Saucier (Sauce Cook)

If he doesn’t enjoy the title and status of Sous Chef, the Chef Saucier is undoubtedly regarded as

following next below. His standing in the kitchen is rivaled only by that of the Chef Garde Manger and

Chef Patissier. The reason for the importance accorded to the duties of the Chef Saucier is directly

related to their complexity and vital role they play in executing the requirements of the menu. It has

been suggested that the word “Saucier” is derived from the Italian “Salsa” meaning “Salt”, the

fundamental seasoning in savoury foods. The work of this Chef de Partie involves, of course, much

more than the preparation of sauces. The Saucier’s work may perhaps best be summarized as

comprising the cooking, garnishing and dishing of all meat, poultry and game dishes with the exception

of plain grilled and roasted. This means that he is responsible for braises, bouillis, entrée and poeles

etc. which are included in the menu.

Chef Garde Manger (Larder Cook)

The Chef Garde Manger is in charge of the larder. The larder is not simply a place where food is stored,

but a place where the raw materials of cookery are prepared and dressed. The Garde Manger is

normally accommodated adjoining, but not separated from the main part of the kitchen. It will have its

own cooking facilities which may, in some cases, be within the main kitchen itself. The principal sub-

sections are bouchier, charcutier, volailleur, poissonier, hors d’oeurier, saladier etc.

Chef Potager (Soup Cook)

Chef Potager is responsible for the preparation and making of all the soups for the establishment and

for the garnishes accompanying the soups.

Chef Poissonier (Fish Cook)

The Chef Poissonier is responsible for the cooking, garnishing and sauce making for the fish courses of

a menu with the exception that deep fried fish is normally dealt with separately.

Chef Iyer, IHMCTAN, Mumbai 4

Chef Rotisseur (Roast Cook)

In olden days, he was responsible for mainly “spit roasting”. His name is supposedly derived from the

Italian “Rota” meaning sometimes turned. Whilst the methods and equipment for roasting may have

changed, the scope of duties of the Chef Rotisseur has remained similar and includes several processes

quite distinct from roasting. This partie is commonly responsible for deep frying of foods of all kinds

including fried potatoes and the Rotisseur may have an assistant Le Frituier (Frying Cook). The Chef

Rotisseur is normally also responsible for savouries such as Welsh rarebit and for hot sandwiches. The

roast corner is also occupied with the preparation of stock for gravies which accompany the roasts and

other dishes supplied from that corner. The Trancheur (Carver) may be under the control of the

Rotisseur. Chef Grillardin and Chef Savourier also come under Rotisseur.

Chef Entremetier (Vegetable Cook)

The entremet course is, on the modern menu, the sweet which is the responsibility of the Chef

Patissier and not the Chef Entremetier. Traditionally an important entremet course on traditional

menus in France was, however, the Entremet de Legumes when skillfully prepared and cooked

vegetables were presented on a dish apart. An entremet was originally something sent to the table

between courses and this practice still survives in France as far as vegetables are concerned.

The Entremetier in the kitchen brigade today is therefore concerned mainly with vegetables with

additional responsibilities for the cooking of eggs, pates, rice and farinaceous dishes such as gnocchi.

The cooking of eggs forms an important part of the work of this corner, especially omelets of all kinds.

The pates (usually Italian pastas, but also noodles; not to be confused with the pastes of meat,

poultry, fish and game prepared by the Garde Manger) are also prepared by Chef Entremetier.

Unfortunately in Britain, where meat is widely eaten, the Chef Entremetier was honoured relatively less

in the past. This attitude should no longer exist, for it is certain that the cooking and service of

vegetables is of greatest importance to the culinary reputation of an establishment.

Chef Patissier (Pastry Cook)

The Chef Patissier in a large and important establishment has a status different from, but certainly not

less than the Chef Saucier and the Chef Garde Manger. Like the Chef Garde Manger, however, the

work of his department is normally separated from the main body of the kitchen and is only self-

contained in the matter of cold storage and specialist machinery with its own baking and cooking

facilities.

THE Chef Patissier is responsible for all hot and cold sweets. He is also responsible for the making of

pastes like short and puffy pastry, fritter batters and also noodles and Italian pastes for supply to other

corners of the kitchen.

The Boulanger (Baker) comes under the Chef Patissier or directly under the control of the Chef de

Cuisine. The importance of Chef Glacier who used to make various kinds of ices such as bombes,

biscuits glacees and the many varieties of ice cream is also tending to disappear from all, but the most

exclusive hotels and the practice of obtaining these items from factory is now common. Sorbets and

water ices are the items now a day most likely to be made in the pastry section itself. The service of

ice and those of sweets which are based upon ices has of course developed strongly and these, from

whatever source the ice cream is obtained, are prepared and assembled in the patisserie. They include

the sweet omelet en surprise and the soufflé surprise (ice cream with hot meringue exterior) and

speciality dishes like Peach Melba, Poire Helene and Puits d’Amour. Spun sugar, dripped fruits and petit

fours of all kinds to accompany this type of sweet course are all prepared within the patisserie. The

work with pulled and coloured sugars to make flower baskets and similar decorative centers work with

pastillage (Fondants and icing sugars reinforced with gum) etc. are also done here. The work of the

Patissier has always been high lighted by the beauty of the cold sweets, ices and their

accompaniments.

Chef Tournant (Relief Cook)

The Chef Tournant is simply the relief Chef de Partie. His duty is to takeover from any Chef de Partie as

demanded by the normal incidence of holidays and off days. Attitudes to the Chef Tournant vary

amongst Chefs de Cuisine. It is quite common for it to be regarded as an opportunity for an

experienced Commis to gain his first experience as a Chef de Partie as he will have fresh memories of

all the parties round which he has circulated as an apprentice or Commis. Usually, therefore, the Chef

Tournant is a young and “up and coming” cuisinier. Occasionally, however, the appointment may go to

an older man of long experience as a prelude to appointment as Sous Chef.

Chef de Garde (Duty Cook)

The term Chef de Garde means, simply, the Chef “On guard” or the duty cook and the task may be

undertaken by any Chef de Partie (or even experienced Commis) in the kitchen. During the period

Chef Iyer, IHMCTAN, Mumbai 5

when the bulk of kitchen staff are off duty due to break shifts etc. there remains behind one or more

Chefs de Garde to continue the work which can’t be delayed until the remainder of brigade return to

duty.

Chef de Nuit (Night Duty Cook)

In larger establishments, completely separate arrangements are provided, if not for the complete

cooking of the banquet and function meals, then at least for their assembly and service. The Chef

given the responsibility for special service of banquets may be known as the Chef de Banquets.

Chef de Petit de Jeuner (Breakfast Cook)

The cooking and service of breakfast in hotels is commonly entrusted to a speciality cook whose range

is limited to the needs of breakfast. S/he doesn’t rank as a full Chef de Partie, but nevertheless needs

to be of good skill within the limited field. The breakfast cooks and helpers are left with the relatively

simple task of assembling and cooking breakfast dishes. In these dishes, the cooking of eggs in their

various forms and the grilled and frying of fish and bacon are amongst the principal functions.

Chef Communar (Staff Cook)

In many small establishments, food for the hotel staff may be prepared according to its nature by the

different Chefs de Partie. In large hotels, a separate kitchen may be allocated to the production of staff

meals. The Chef Communar and his staff will prepare and cook meals principally for the junior

employees.

Catering of this nature should be influenced by nutritional factors as well as those designed to give

pleasure and will be the concern not only of the Chef de Cuisine under whom the Chef Communar

operates, but also the management of the hotel who must regard it as an important personnel

management feature contributing to staff well-being, welfare and efficiency.

In addition to supplying wage earning employees with meals, the Chef de Cuisine in bigger

establishments is also responsible for catering for the couriers’ room. The name of the couriers’ room is

derived from the days when travelers were accompanied by couriers and attendants and such rooms in

hotels still afford facilities for personal servants, such as chauffeurs and ladies’ maids accompanying

guests. It is however common for the couriers’ room to be combined with the function of catering for

superior staff or put another way, the servants of guests are often afforded dining facilities in the

superior staff dining room.

It is common for the supervisory and executive staff of the departmental managers’ grade and above

to be given dining facilities in the restaurant or in their own quarters from the ordinary en pension or

table d’hote menus.