Chef de partie
A chef de partie, station chef, or line cook is a chef in charge of a particular area of production in a restaurant. In large kitchens, each chef de partie might have several cooks or assistants.
In most kitchens, however, the chef de partie is the only worker in that department. Line cooks are often divided into a hierarchy of their own, starting with "first cook", then "second cook", and continuing if needed by the establishment.
Station-chef titles
Station-chef titles that are part of the brigade system include:English | French | Description | |
Sauté chef | saucier | Responsible for all sautéed items and their sauce. This is usually the highest stratified position of all the stations. | |
Fish chef | poissonnier | Prepares fish dishes and often does all fish butchering as well as appropriate sauces. This station may be combined with the saucier position. | |
Roast chef | rôtisseur | Prepares roasted and braised meats and their appropriate sauce. | |
Grill chef | grillardin | Prepares all grilled foods; this position may be combined with the rotisseur. | |
Fry chef | friturier | Prepares all fried items; this position may be combined with the rotisseur position. | |
Vegetable chef | entremetier | Prepares hot appetizers and often prepares the soups, vegetables, pastas and starches. In smaller establishments, this station may also cover those tasks performed by the potager and legumier. | |
Potager | Prepares soups in a full brigade system. In smaller establishments, this station may be handled by the entremetier. | ||
Legumier | Prepares vegetables in a full brigade system. In smaller establishments, this station may be handled by the entremetier. | ||
Roundsman | tournant | Also referred to as a swing cook, fills in as needed on stations in the kitchen. | |
Pantry chef | garde manger | Responsible for preparing cold foods including salads, cold appetizers, pâtés and other charcuterie items. | |
Butcher | boucher | Butchers meats, poultry, and sometimes fish. May also be responsible for breading meats and fish. | |
Pastry chef | pâtissier | Makes baked goods such as pastries, cakes, breads and desserts. In larger establishments, the pastry chef often supervises a separate team in their own kitchen. |