Interested in becoming a chef – which one is right for you?
There are many different types of chefs in the kitchen, each with their own tasks, working
toward making perfect meals. No matter what specialty you decide to focus on, you want to
choose something that inspires you, allowing you to create something you’re proud of and that
will take you to the top of your profession.
In general chefs and specialist chefs prepare and cook complete meals, banquets or specialty foods including pastries, sauces, soups, salads, vegetables, meat, poultry, fish dishes, etc. They also create food displays and exhibits.
Typically chefs will instruct their assistants (namely, cooks and apprentice chefs) in the preparation, cooking, garnishing and presentation of food. Chefs will supervise the operation of the kitchen and supervise the kitchen staff. It is the chef’s job to design and plan the menus and to ensure that the required foods and other kitchen supplies are inventoried and ordered for the kitchen.
There are several options to becoming a chef. The following is a brief summary of the types of chefs positions:
The Executive Chef
The Executive chefs is responsible for planning and directing the food preparation and cooking activities of the kitchen. The Executive chef plans the menus, ensure that food meets quality standards, estimate food requirements, and may also estimate food and labour costs. They supervise the activities of sous-chefs, specialist chefs, other chefs and cooks. The Executive chef also recruit and hire the kitchen staff.
Some Executive chefs are very hands-on, in their restaurants every day and night, actually preparing dishes or finishing the plates to make sure everything that leaves their kitchen is perfection -especially for special occasions or special guest to ensure quality. On the other hand, some Executive chefs may have created the dishes and settled the menu, but leaves the sous chef to do all the day-to-day running of the kitchen while the executive takes time to manage the kitchen, interface with customers or promote the business and to travel.
The Sous Chef
The Sous (“soo”) chef is the second in command after the Executive chef (also know as the chef de cuisine) in the kitchen. The Sous chef is similar to the first mate to the captain. Sous is French for “under,” and the under chef is often the unsung hero of the kitchen, the one who makes things run. While the Executive chef’s name is on the menu, it might well be the Sous chef who created (and cooked) many of the special dish that are on the menu.
Sous-chefs supervise the activities of specialist chefs, other chefs, cooks and other kitchen workers. The Sous chef may also demonstrate new cooking techniques and equipment to cooking staff. They may plan menus, requisition food and kitchen supplies, and prepare and cook meals and specialty foods.
The Apprentice Chef (also known as an Assistant chef or Commis)
The Apprentice chef (Commis) is an entry-level position. Even though the commis may seem to have a lowly position in the kitchen, the experience the a Commis (Apprentice chef) can gain is invaluable. The Commis will typically work under the tutorage of the line cooks (chefs de partie) in order to learn particulars of a station, This includes knife skills, food preparation skills, plating, etc. Besides gaining insights and experrince by working along side chefs and cooks, the commis will experience the pace, pressure, and demands of a kitchen.
The Pastry Chef
Pastry chefs must have keen knowledge to create different kinds of baked goods and confections. They must also be able to take on special projects. Pastry chefs must also be very creative, have a good aesthetic eye, and most importantly, understand the principles of taste and flavor in desserts.
In a corporate environment, the pastry chef typically reports to the Executive Pastry Chef, who may report to the Corporate Pastry Chef. In a restuarant environment, the position below pastry chefs are Assistant Pastry Chefs and line employees.
An important charasteristic of a good pastry chef is taht the pastry must be an exceptional manager of people and must be able to coordinate staffing with production requirements. A good pastry chef must also be able to keep track of costs and be in charge of ingredient ordering.
The Saucier
One of the most prestigious postion in the kitchen is the position known as “section chefs” the Saucier (sah-see-ayy). Although it may not seem like an important part of cooking to specialize in, the Saucier might be considered “the keeper of the flame” -especially in a traditional French-based restaurant kitchen. This chef makes all the sauces, and sometimes might make meat dishes cooked in a particular sauce. Sauces are the foundation of good cooking, especially of French haute cuisine.
The classically trained Saucier knows that the basis of all sauces stem from the five “Mother Sauces.” The first mother sause is Espagnole (or Brown Sauce). This sauce is made from a dark roux of cooked flour and butter, along with brown stock made from roasted bones and vegetables. Veloute is a white sauce, made with a pale roux and a light stock. Bechamel is a basic white sauce made of flour, butter, and milk, to which cheese is often added. Vinaigrette is oil and vinegar, usually flavored with garlic, shallots, or herbs. And Hollandaise represents the emulsified sauces of egg and oil or butter, which include Mayonnaise.
The Garde Manger
The Garde Manger is another highly specialized position in the kitchen. The Garde Manger is a highly specialized line cook who is responsible for all cold food presentation, such as composed salads, pates, canapes and hors d’ouevres–everything cold that might appear on a buffet table. The Garde manger chef handles all cold sauces, such as vinaigrettes and dressings, as well as aspics, pickles, chutneys and relishes. In a corporate setting, the Garde Manger chef could be responsible for ice sculpture and large-scale food still-lifes to decorate a buffet table.
A Personal Chef (The Family Chef)
A Personal Chef is a chef who specialized in cooking for individual families and customers. The Personal chef is typically a person who loves to cook and at the same time helps families gather around the table again for a meal together. In these busy world, time-starved families need the services of a Personal Chef in order to avoid having to resort to feeing the family frozen pizza, going to fast food joints, or expensive restaurant for dining. A Personal Chef will be asked to complete a family interview to determine dinner time favorites, discuss allergies and dislikes, then shop for all the fresh ingredients and go to their client’s homes to prepare delicious meals to their client’s specifications.
… Good luck in your quest of becoming a chef.
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