Hierarchy of kitchen department

Classical brigade:

Chef Augustus Escoffier introduced a system known as brigade in a professional kitchen. Following are the key points related to the classical brigade in a professional kitchen-

·         A professional kitchen operates with a very distinct rank just like army of soldiers, probably this is why Escoffier called it a brigade.

·         each member of the kitchen has his/her role to play for the success of a team.

·         It was based on the various sections of the kitchen (for ex. Pastry, butchery, bakery etc.)

·         Every section was named in French.

·         Every section featured a head of department, with cooks, helpers and porters working under him/her.

Nowadays the requirements of the kitchen are different and hence the hierarchy has changed. Manpower is expensive and menus are not elaborate as in the classical cuisine.

Organizational structure of the kitchen:

Now in the hotels multi skilled manpower is created and used. The jobs and duties of the staff members vary from kitchen to kitchen, and so do the titles attached. But certain positions and titles do occur throughout the industry. Here are some of the most common positions with a general definition-

Chef de cuisine (executive chef):

Position carries overall responsibility for all aspects of the kitchen like hiring, firing, cost control, meetings, budget planning, new recipe creation, purchasing etc. Also responsible for kitchen plant and machinery.

Sous chef:

They assist executive chef and acts as executive chef in his/her absence. Responsible for the sections. Acts as a liaison between executive chef and other kitchen staff.

Chef de partie:

Basically supervisors. They assist sous chefs in their job. And headed by commis.

Commis:

They are the cooks. They assist CDP’s in their job.

Chef Garde manger:

These chefs are responsible for all cold preparations like salad, sandwiches and cold cuts. They prepare cold sauces too.

Butcher chefs:

They are responsible for cutting meat, poultry and fish in desired shape by the other departments.

Pastry chefs:

They are responsible for all hot and cold desserts for ex. Cakes, breads, ice creams etc.

Boulanger:

Bakers of breads, breakfast rolls etc. And works under pastry chef.

Potagers:

Chefs responsible for all types of soup and stock preparations like consommé, cream soup, puree soup etc.

Entremetier:

A chef who is responsible for all types of vegetable preparations including potato preparations and egg preparations.

Rotisseurs:

Responsible for roasting, braising meat dishes and also responsible for deep frying.

Saucier:

He/she is responsible for all sauces and sauce related dish preparations.

Banquet chef:

They are responsible for preparation of food for the banquet functions.

Chef Tournant:

Reliever chefs who take charge in the absence of the section chefs. Usually they are multi skilled.

Kitchen Stewards: are responsible for maintaining high levels of cleanliness and organization within a restaurant's kitchen. They perform a variety of tasks in order to do so, and are essential to the success of any culinary establishment.

Current trends 

Apprentice cooks: also known as "apprentice chefs" or "junior chefs," are employees in the food industry who are working to become professional chefs. They usually work in full-time kitchens under the supervision of professional chefs in order to learn the nature of working in a professional setting.

Management trainee: Management trainee works under the supervision of managers and executives in organizations. Their goal is to acquire all essential knowledge to become future managers, often in particular fields, such as marketing, sales, or operations.

On the Job Trainee: The main objective of 'on-the-job training' is to acquaint the students formally to a real life work place environment.  This enables students to understand and respond better to the market demand. General aims of OJT. 1. Demonstrate the broad role and importance of the technician in industry/commerce.

Master Chef: A Certified Master Chef has proven their mastery of cooking techniques by passing a rigorous 8-day examination. The quick and talented contenders are examined over 130 hours in areas of buffet catering, classical cuisine, freestyle, global cuisine, baking and pastry, and morning continental cookery.

Cosmopolitan chef: Who travel globally and have cooking different cuisine experiences with different cultures. Combine their food expertise with business tactics to market and adapt their establishment to meet consumer needs. One should must have knowledge about pre opening of restaurant or hotel kitchen setup, corporate chef,  industrial executive role with consultant experience, innovative national & international awards and decade of academic & vocational teaching experience. Position carries overall responsibility for all aspects of the kitchen like hiring, firing, cost control, meetings, budget planning, new recipe creation, purchasing etc. Also responsible for kitchen plant and machinery.

Personal Chef: A personal chef is a chef who is hired by different clients and prepares meals in the clients' home kitchens, based on their needs and preferences.

Corporate chef:

A corporate chef is a type of executive chef whose job is to oversee the culinary management of a restaurant chain or hotel. A Corporate Executive Chef is top dog in the kitchen. You're in charge of building and maintaining relationships with vendors, ordering food and other supplies for the kitchen, and ensuring that those deliveries arrive on time and in good condition. 

Private Chef: For professional cooks who don’t want to work in restaurants, the job of private chef is an attractive alternative. Private chefs work independently in private homes and on yachts, creating meals that adhere to the tastes and possible dietary restrictions of members of the household. Although duties vary, many chefs are responsible for all the grocery shopping, cooking and clean-up. The job can be demanding, with many private chefs on duty from morning to evening. Some private chefs travel with their clients to different destinations and residences, making it difficult to maintain a personal life of their own.

Innovative cooking chef: Means applying time honored and proven techniques to food. Using compatible ingredients is fundamental to successful cooking. Creating appealing taste sensations by using exotic herbs and spices depends on the genius of the cook. Subtlety is the hallmark of an innovative cook.

Airline chefs: Chefs are responsible for a variety of tasks that range from personnel management to menu planning to food preparation and presentation. Most airline chefs will not perform their duties on a plane, but will instead work off-site and coordinate the delivery of meals to the airline.

Celebrity chefs: A celebrity chef is a kitchen chef who has become a celebrity. Today, chefs often become celebrities by presenting cookery advice and demonstrations, usually through the media of television and radio, or in printed publications

reference source :https://chefkumarchalise.blogspot.com/