54 Part 1 Introducing the Foodservice Industry
A foodservice operation’s menu is the
most important factor for determining the
staff size and organization of a kitchen. A
seafood house requires a large fish station,
grill station, and fryer station. However, this
operation may have no need for a rotisseur.
On the other hand, a restaurant specializing
in steaks and prime rib of beef will have
large rotisseur and grill stations. This busi-
ness may need little or no staff to prepare
fish.
Many large hotels and resorts operate a
number of restaurants. Each restaurant has
its own chef de cuisine and brigade. The
hotel or resort employs an executive chef to
coordinate the operation of the restaurants
and departments. Many of the duties of an
executive chef are managerial. However, an
executive chef must also be an excellent cook
in order to oversee the work of other cooks
and chefs. Successful executive chefs interact
often with all members of their team and
even periodically work alongside them.
Most hotels have a special department
that prepares banquets or meals for large
groups. This department is headed by the
banquet chef. The banquet chef oversees a
staff of cooks that prepare meals for large
groups.
Cross Training
The traditional way of organizing work
in kitchens created specialists. A cook
The Classical Brigade
Chef
(Chef de Cuisine)
Sous Chef
Chefs de Partie
Chef de Garde
Communard
Rotisseur Saucier Tournant Entremetier
Grill Cook Butcher
Garde Manger
Poissonier Pastry Cook Potager
Fry Cook Commis 1st Commis Baker Légumier
Commis 2nd Commis Decorator Commis
Commis
Pastry Chef
3-3 The organizational chart of a classical brigade illustrates how the department is ordered.