Brigade de cuisine/Staffing is the term used to describe the hierarchy of the apprentice system in a professional kitchen. This concept was created by Chef Auguste Escoffier.

The hierarchy of kitchen depends on the type of star category of the hotel.

CORPORATE CHEF

  • He is a chief chef in a chain hotel or cruise.
  • Responsible for making policy in the kitchen.
  • He directly reports to General Manager.
  • Menu planning
  • Menu Engineering

EXECUTIVE CHEF

  • He is in-charge of all preparations held in the kitchen.
  • He is responsible to plan kitchen layouts.
  • He is responsible for inspection regarding food quality and standards.
  • He is responsible for taking the feedback of all the kitchen operations.
  • He is responsible for staff recruitment and training.
  • Responsible for maintaining hygiene and cleanliness
  • Analyzing costing and budgeting.
  • Directly report to top management
  • Responsible for allotment of different sections and administrations.
  • Making standard recipes, garnishes, accompaniments and service style.
  • Creating menus, their planning and designing.
  • His personality represents the hotel.

SOUS CHEF

  • He is the second chef after Executive Chef.
  • He directly assists Executive Chef.
  • Responsible for allocation of duties and responsibilities of his team.
  • He is overall in-charge of kitchen in absence of Executive Chef.
  • Each section has its own Sous Chef.
  • He serves as liaison between the customers and line cook.
  • Responsible for prompt and efficient services.
  • He prepares duty roasters on weekly basis.
  • He takes briefing of the staff on daily or weekly basis or/on any special event is organized

LARDER CHEF/CHEF GARDE MANGER

  • he is responsible for smooth running of operation in the Larder kitchen.
  • He co-ordinates with his staff.
  • He takes briefing on daily basis of his team.
  • He arranges the training for his staff if necessary.
  • Allocates the responsibilities of his employees.
  • Responsible for cross checking of requisitions.
  • Mainly focus on portion control.
  • Responsible to minimize cost.
  • Responsible for innovation of new recipes that can be a part of menu later on once approved by the higher dignitaries.
  • Responsible to co-ordinate with other departments.
  • Directly responsible to maintain the hygiene and sanitation standards in the larder kitchen.
  • Maintains registers to record receipts.

COMMIS -I, II, III

  • Also called junior chefs or commis chefs.
  • Work with station chefs/CDP to learn about the kitchen environment.
  • They are responsible for preparing of different sauces, garnishes and accompaniments.
  • They help to dissection the joints of meats like pork, beef, fish etc.
  • They assist in preparation of salads and their dressings.
  • Responsible for mis-en-place and storing of the items at an appropriate temperature.
  • Responsible for their station cleaned and hygiene.
  • If any problem occurs, they directly report to CDP/Larder chef.
  • Commis – III, is a chef, who is new to the kitchen operation, his job is to assist and to gain knowledge from CDP.

KITCHEN PORTERS

  • The kitchen porters usually don’t have the same training and experience as the chefs.
  • They are in-charge of simple but important tasks involved in the larder kitchen.
  • This can include anything from cutting of vegetables, preparing sauces, soups, appetizers and grating cheese, peeling apples etc.