What kind of chefs
Roast chefs could also braise meat, which means they roast it in liquid to make it more tender. Roasting can take several hours, so these chefs could arrive to the kitchen early to begin cooking. Vegetable chefs handle all dishes involving vegetables. They determine the best way to prepare vegetables, such as roasting, steaming, sauteing or frying. Additional duties could include finding ways to cook multiple vegetables for the same dishes at once, creating sauces or toppings for vegetable dishes and developing only vegetable dishes or vegetables that complement meats.
Vegetable chefs could also make soups and egg dishes as well. As the name implies, this chef makes all fish dishes for a restaurant. They determine which fish are in season, the best ways to prepare them and complementary sides. Fish chefs could fry, roast, steam or saute fish. In some cases, they may prepare different cuts of fish for customers to consume raw. A meat chef cooks all meats involved in dishes. They determine the best cuts of meat for different dishes, evaluate quality and cook them according to directions.
Meat chefs know the best ways to cook a cut to make it taste the best it can. They also know which sides and sauces work best with meat. Fry chefs operate fryers to cook meats, vegetables and sometimes cheeses. They may bread, batter or freeze different foods prior to frying, monitor cooking times and keep their station clean. Fry chefs usually create sauces that complement their plates.
Sauciers, or sauce chefs, are typically the third-highest in command in a kitchen. They follow the instructions of head chefs and sous chefs and create sauces for all dishes served to customers.
Sauciers could be responsible for salad dressing, pasta sauce, gravy, stews, stocks and soups. Since they usually the sauce at the end of plating, they check for final presentation to ensure dishes look correct before they're served to the customer. Prep chefs help kitchens get ready for meal times. They may come in earlier than other chefs to cut vegetables, bake breads or make foods that are easy to prepare ahead of time and store until needed.
Prep chefs could also determine the needs of the kitchen and ready items from the ridge or freezer. While not technically a chef, an expediter is an important role in a kitchen as they take care of the final stop for plates before they reach the customer. This kitchen professional ensures each dish looks correct and contains all of the needed elements before a server delivers the meal. They match tickets with dishes to make sure chefs fulfilled special customer requests and that all plates are ready before going to a table.
In smaller kitchens, head chefs or executive chefs perform the role of an expediter. A commis chef is an entry-level chef who shadows chefs to learn more about kitchen responsibilities. They often help prepare meals in workstations that need assistance, ensure work areas are clean and provide chefs with needed tools or ingredients.
Commis chefs usually earn promotions to different stations with experience and practice. Find jobs. There are many different types of chefs.
The Head Chef also known as the Executive Chef is the boss of the kitchen. It takes years of experience and time spent in many of the other positions mentioned in this blog to become one. During a shift, the Head Chef will be in the kitchen to oversee everything is running smoothly. The Sous Chef is second-in-command in the kitchen and has been since the late 19th century, assisting the Head Chef in overseeing the kitchen.
There can be more than one Sous Chef depending on the size of the kitchen. The Sous Chef is responsible for checking everything is working smoothly in the kitchen. Communication and an eye for detail are important skills you need to be a Sous Chef. Most Chef de Parties will specialise in one culinary area for example, a Pastry Chef and then be responsible for their team. The Expediter checks the meals are perfectly presented and served correctly before they leave the kitchen.
The Head Chef usually takes on the responsibilities of the Expediter in a small kitchen. But larger kitchens will have an Expediter near the door to check the food before a server takes it.
The position of Commis chef can also be considered as an entry level Line chef working under a more experienced one. They perform whatever duties are assigned to them and are often interns eager to learn as much as they can.
Their tasks can range from cutting vegetables to gutting fish or frying meat. The main goal of a Commis chef is to learn as many skills as they can working in different areas of the kitchen in order to eventually choose a specialization. Becoming a pastry chef requires attending a whole other realm of schooling. As a result, pastry chefs are like sous chefs in their own right and in bigger restaurants may have their own smaller division in the kitchen, with more pastry chefs working under them.
Pastry chefs prepare desserts such as pastries and tarts as well as baked goods. Those working under him or her include:. As the right hand of the executive chef, a sous chef is in charge of ensuring that all line cooks are preparing food up to the standard of the executive chef.