Chapter 3 Workstations in the Professional Kitchen

Chapter 3Chapter 3

Workstations Workstations in the in the

Professional Professional Kitchen Kitchen

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ObjectiveObjective

• Recall the names and roles of workstations in the traditional brigade

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The BrigadeThe Brigade

• Fine cuisine requires many cooks to perform a wide variety of tasks

• Chefs modeled kitchen structure after the military’s brigade system

• The brigade is organized by workstations

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The BrigadeThe Brigade

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The BrigadeThe Brigade

• Each workstation in the brigade has a name and assigned duties

• Chef de cuisine (shef deh kwih-ZEEN)– “Chief of the kitchen” who supervises all kitchen positions– Responsible for quality of food and safety of guests and staff

• Sous chef (SOO shef)– Second in command– Assumes authority and responsibility in chef’s absence

• Chef de garde (shef deh GAHRD)– Night chef in 24-hour kitchen– In charge after the chef leaves for the evening

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The BrigadeThe Brigade

• Chef de partie (shef deh pahr-TEE)– Also called a station chef– May be responsible for any kitchen workstation

• Saucier (saw-see YAY)– Responsible for making sauces– Prepares sautéed and panfried items

• Poissonier (pwah-sawn-YAY– Prepares all fish and shellfish items– May head the workstation

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The BrigadeThe Brigade

• Garde manger (gahrd mohn-ZHAY)– In charge of cold food station– Makes salads, dressing, fruit plates, cold appetizers,

and buffet platters

• Butcher– Cuts and trims meat and poultry for other kitchen

stations

• Rotisseur (roh-teess-UHR)– Roasts meats and poultry and prepares

accompanying pan sauces and gravy

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The BrigadeThe Brigade

• Grill cook– Prepares all grilled and broiled meats, poultry, and

fish

• Fry cook– Cooks deep-fried items

• Entremetier (ehn-treh-meh-tee YAY)– Oversees preparation of vegetables, starches, egg

dishes, and hot appetizers

• Potager (poh-tahj-AY)– Makes all stocks, soups, and mother sauces

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The BrigadeThe Brigade

• Legumier (lay-goo-mee-YAY)– Prepares and cooks vegetables– When tasks are combined with those of the potager,

called preparation station

• Pastry Chef– Head of the baking and pastry department

• Pastry cook– Prepares sweets and pastries– Works in the bakeshop during the daytime

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The BrigadeThe Brigade

• Baker– Makes breads and may also make breakfast pastries– Typically works during the night and early morning

hours

• Decorator– Specialist who decorates cakes and pastries– Also makes chocolate carvings or sugar sculptures

• Tournant (toor-NAHN)– Fills in for other staff members on their days off– Also called the swing chef or roundsman

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The BrigadeThe Brigade

• Commis (koh MEE)– An assistant

• Communard (com-muh-NAHR)– Prepares staff’s meals at large operations

• Expeditor– Reads the servers’ food orders to the cooks– Organizes finished dishes for prompt delivery

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ObjectiveObjective

• Recognize modern variations on the classical brigade

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Organization of Modern Organization of Modern KitchensKitchens

• Fewer cooks are needed in today’s kitchens for a variety of reasons– Smaller operations– Modern equipment– More limited menus

• Chain of command and organization of tasks by stations still exist

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Organization of Modern Organization of Modern KitchensKitchens

• Many large hotels and resorts operate numerous restaurants

• Hotels/resorts employ an executive chef and if needed, a banquet chef

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Organization of Modern Organization of Modern KitchensKitchens

• Cross training is popular in the modern kitchen for the following reasons:– Easier staff scheduling– More flexibility in assigning jobs– Easier to replace staff who are sick or quit– Eases staff boredom with job

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ObjectiveObjective

• Explain how the kitchen interacts with other departments to satisfy guests

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Working with Departments Working with Departments Beyond the KitchenBeyond the Kitchen

• Large restaurants, hotels, clubs, and resorts have complex foodservice operations

• The kitchen must coordinate efforts with other departments:– Stewarding– Dining room– Catering– Room service– Purchasing

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StewardingStewarding

• The department’s primary task is sanitation including– warewashing (cleaning of dishes,

glasses, and serviceware)– washing pots and pans– cleaning the kitchen– storing, inventorying, and

transporting serviceware

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Dining RoomDining Room

• Kitchen and dining room work together to time the cooking and serving of food

• Food must be served correctly and with a friendly attitude

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CateringCatering

• Sales staff and chefs work closely to plan events

• During an event, banquet chefs communicate with the sales staff and servers about timing of service and special requests

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Room ServiceRoom Service

• In-room dining is often an option at larger hotels

• Kitchen and room-service staffs must work together to please room-service diners

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PurchasingPurchasing

• Many large operations have staff who purchase, receive, store, and issue food and supplies

• Chef and purchasing staff work closely to ensure the correct products and quantities are purchased

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ObjectiveObjective

• Summarize recent trends in foodservice to reduce labor

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Labor Saving TrendsLabor Saving Trends

• Labor is one of the largest costs in the foodservice industry

• Technology and prepared foods are two ways to control labor costs

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TechnologyTechnology

• Technological advances in foodservice equipment reduce labor costs– Food processors and

grinders– Vegetable cutting

machines– Roll-in rack ovens

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Prepared FoodsPrepared Foods

• Labor savings using prepared foods is often greater than the increased product cost

• Common prepared foods include– portion-controlled

meats and fish– precut vegetables

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More Prepared FoodsMore Prepared Foods

– Prepared sauces and soups

– Powdered soup base and sauce mixes

– Frozen precooked meats and vegetables

– Ready-made breads and pastries

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ReviewReview

• Describe the role of the following brigade position:– Chef de cuisine

• Supervises kitchen; responsible for food quality and safety of guests and cooks

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ReviewReview

• Describe the role of the following brigade position:– Sous chef

• Second in command, assumes authority and responsibility in the absence of the chef

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ReviewReview

• Describe the role of the following brigade position:– Chef de garde

• Night chef

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ReviewReview

• Describe the role of the following brigade position:– Chef de partie

• In charge of any of the particular workstations in the kitchen

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ReviewReview

• Match the position to the duty1. Poissonier

2. Garde manger

3. Entremetier

4. Potager

5. Légumier

A. Vegetables, starches, egg dishes, hot appetizers

B. Vegetables

C. Fish cook

D. Stocks, soups, mother sauces

E. Cold foodB

C

D

A

E

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ReviewReview

• Why do today’s kitchens need fewer cooks?

– Smaller operations, modern equipment, more limited menus

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ReviewReview

• What does an executive chef do?

– Coordinates the operation of the restaurants and departments of a hotel or resort

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ReviewReview

• List some advantages of cross training

– Easier scheduling, flexibility in assigning jobs, back-up if someone is sick or quits, eases boredom of performing the same task daily

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ReviewReview

• Name the departments the kitchen works closely with

– Stewarding, Dining Room, Catering, Room Service, Purchasing

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ReviewReview

• Name and describe two methods of reducing labor costs

– Technology: better equipment that does the work of many people

– Prepared foods: food that doesn’t require labor to prep