- Head Chef (or Executive Chef)
- Sous Chef.
- Station Chef (Chef de Partie)
- Expediter.
- Kitchen Manager.
- Pastry Chef (or Pâtissier)
- Saucier.
- Fish Cook (or Poissonier)
What is the difference between a chef and a cook?
Despite the fact that many people confuse the terms chef and cook, there are some differences Chefs are typically higher-ranking kitchen staff who are in charge of running and maintaining their work area. They could design menus, develop new recipes, and test out new ingredients. Most chefs have at least a few years of kitchen experience.
Cooks are frequently entry-level kitchen staff who might work in fast-food or casual restaurants. They typically follow specific recipes without much deviation. If a cook has the necessary experience and commitment, they can become chefs.
In addition, a lot of chefs enroll in culinary schools to hone their skills and get ready to work in a top-notch kitchen. Depending on the school and specialty, culinary programs may last one to three years. Chefs may have more job opportunities after graduating from culinary school than cooks, and they may also have a higher earning potential.
15 types of chefs
Chefs usually work full-time in varying shifts. Their salaries vary based on their experience, training and specialties. The salaries of some of the most popular chefs are as follows:
The various types of chefs you might encounter in a kitchen include the following:
Executive chefs are often managers of all kitchen activities. Throughout their shift, they keep an eye on activity to make sure each chef is finishing their tasks on time. Executives chefs usually dont participate in cooking. Instead, they check final plate presentations, create new menu items, and taste dishes before serving them to customers. A chef executive requires years of training and experience.
A head chef and executive chef are frequently interchangeable in kitchens. They keep an eye on kitchen activities, keep an inventory, place orders for supplies, and occasionally mentor new hires. They might also keep up relationships with suppliers, supervise the kitchen’s staff, and interact with both clients and other staff members.
A sous chef is the second-highest-ranking employee in a kitchen. They collaborate closely with a head or executive chef to make sure other chefs complete orders and carry out the restaurant’s vision. They keep in constant contact with the chefs, ensure that they have the necessary ingredients and equipment, and take more active roles in decision-making than the executive chef.
These chefs prepare meat before it goes to different workstations. They assess the requirements of other chefs and prepare the appropriate cuts and types of meat for the shift. Additional responsibilities might include inspecting the quality of delivered meat, keeping track of inventory, and curing/storing meat as necessary. Not all kitchens will have a butcher chef.
Pastry chefs, or patissiers, make all baked goods and desserts. For products like breads, cakes, croissants, puff pastry, and eclairs, they prepare batters and doughs, bake them, and frequently add decorations. Pastry chefs may hold senior positions in the kitchen and have independent decision-making authority from other chefs. Many pastry chefs attend culinary school for this specialty.
A pantry chef manages refrigerator stocks and prepares cold dishes. They frequently work in larger restaurants with numerous cold storage spaces that require a specialized individual to keep an eye on supply levels and guarantee all food is fresh. Additionally, pantry cooks could make salads and other cold meals, place orders for fresh supplies, and deliver cold ingredients to chefs who require them.
These professionals cook meats and vegetables in ovens. They prepare food for roasting, keep an eye on it while it cooks, and make sauces to go with the meal. In order to make meat more tender, roast chefs may also braise it, which means to roast it in liquid. Since roasting can take several hours, these chefs might show up early to the kitchen to start preparing food.
Vegetable chefs handle all dishes involving vegetables. They decide which method, such as roasting, steaming, sautéing, or frying, is best for preparing vegetables. The creation of sauces or toppings for vegetable dishes, the development of only vegetable dishes, or the development of vegetables that go well with meats, could all be additional responsibilities. Soups and egg dishes could also be prepared by vegetable chefs.
As suggested by the name, this chef prepares all of the fish dishes for a restaurant. They decide which fish are in season, how to prepare them, and what sides go best with them. Fish chefs could fry, roast, steam or saute fish. They may occasionally prepare various fish cuts for customers to consume raw.
A meat chef cooks all meats involved in dishes. They select the best cuts of meat for various dishes, assess quality, and prepare them in accordance with recipe instructions. The best ways to cook a cut of meat to maximize its flavor are known by meat chefs. Additionally, they are aware of the ideal sides and sauces for meat.
Fry chefs use frying machines to prepare meats, vegetables, and occasionally cheese. Prior to frying, they might bread, batter, or freeze various foods. They would also keep their station clean and watch the cooking process. Fry chefs usually create sauces that complement their plates.
In a kitchen, sauciers, also known as sauce chefs, are typically third in command. They create sauces for all dishes served to customers while adhering to the direction of head chefs and sous chefs. Salad dressing, pasta sauce, gravy, stews, stocks, and soups could all be made by sauciers. They check for final presentation to ensure that dishes look good before they are served to the customer because they typically add the sauce at the end of plating.
Prep chefs help kitchens get ready for meal times. To cut vegetables, bake bread, or prepare foods that are simple to prepare in advance and store until needed, they might arrive earlier than other chefs. Additionally, prep chefs could assess the needs of the kitchen and prepare ingredients from the refrigerator or freezer.
Although not a chef, an expediter plays a crucial role in the kitchen because they handle the last stop for the plates before they are delivered to the customer. Before a server brings the food, this kitchen expert checks that each dish is presented properly and has all the necessary ingredients. Before plates are brought to a table, they match tickets with dishes to ensure that chefs have complied with any special requests from patrons and that everything is ready. Head chefs or executive chefs fill the position of an expediter in smaller kitchens.
A commis chef is a beginning chef who observes other chefs to gain more knowledge of kitchen duties. They frequently assist chefs with meal preparation at workstations where they are needed, keep workspaces tidy, and supply them with the tools or ingredients they require. Commis chefs typically advance to new stations with experience and training.
6 Types of Chefs You Will Meet
FAQ
What is a 5 star chef called?
The positions of head chef, executive chef, and chef de cuisine are frequently held by five-star chefs. They are responsible for managing all kitchen tasks, including assigning and monitoring the work of cooks and kitchen assistants.
What are all the levels of chef?
- Executive Chef. At the top of the kitchen hierarchy is the Executive Chef, whose primary responsibility is management.
- Chef de Cuisine (Head Chef) …
- Sous Chef (Deputy Chef) …
- Chef de Partie (Station Chef) …
- Commis Chef (Junior Chef) …
- Kitchen Porter. …
- Escuelerie (Dishwasher) …
- Aboyeur (Waiter/Waitress)
What is a fancy chef called?
The professional zenith to which many chefs aspire is executive chef, also known as chef de cuisine.
What is the highest type of chef?
An executive chef, also referred to as a head chef or a master chef, is the head of the entire kitchen. This position is the pinnacle of any chef career. An executive chef oversees all aspects of the kitchen’s operations rather than just cooking. There is usually only one executive chef at any restaurant.
