Kitchen Staff Responsibilities.

The Classical Brigade

Legendary chef Auguste Escoffier laid out the classical brigade structure in the
late 19th century. At the top is the executive chef, who determines the overall
direction and focus of the kitchen. Next are one or more sous-chefs, responsible
for the day-to-day operation of the kitchen. A range of chefs de partie, or station
cooks, are responsible for specific types of food. These included the saucier for
sauces, the poissonier for fish dishes, the potager for soups and the garde-manger
for turning leftovers into new dishes. The patissier, or pastry chef, prepared
desserts and baked goods. A variety of apprentices and helpers rounded out the
standard kitchen's staff.
Chefs
Modern kitchens show less specialization, but the fundamental roles are the same.
At the top is the executive chef, who is primarily a manger. If the chef owns
multiple restaurants, each restaurant will typically have its own chef de cuisine
managing the kitchen under the executive chef's direction. Large operations might
have an executive sous-chef to ease the executive chef's workload. Under these
top managers, are the sous-chefs. A large hotel might have several sous-chefs, or a
small restaurant might have only a lead cook, but the role is the same as in a
classical brigade. In many establishments the pastry chef runs a semi-autonomous
kitchen in collaboration with the executive chef.
Line Cooks
In modern restaurant kitchens the roles of individual cooks aren't as clearly
defined, and except in large hotels or institutions there aren't as many singlepurpose work stations. Most cooking tasks are performed by line cooks, with more
skilled and experienced cooks handling the most demanding jobs. Larger kitchens
often designate a first cook or lead cook for that role, and first cooks will often
supervise the kitchen in the sous-chef's absence. Less-experienced cooks begin by

assisting at high-volume stations within the kitchen, or working independently in a

less-demanding, lower-volume station.
Prep Cooks, Apprentices and Others
Large kitchens, and some smaller ones, employ prep chefs to perform basic duties
such as peeling, cutting and portioning raw ingredients, or making stock and sauces.
This frees up more experienced cooks for more skilled labor. Prep cooks are
sometimes called cooks' assistants, and help by continuously stocking a busy
station during service. Apprentices are cooks in formal training programs, learning
through a combination of on-the-job and classroom instruction. They're typically
given opportunity to learn all positions in the kitchen, beginning with prep work and
then moving onto the line. The dishwasher also plays a role in the kitchen, speeding
needed utensils back into service and occasionally helping out with food
preparation.