A chef is a professional

cook Cook or The Cook may refer to: Food preparation * Cooking, the preparation of food * Cook (domestic worker), a household staff member who prepares food * Cook (profession), an individual who prepares food for consumption in the food industry * C ...

and

tradesperson A tradesperson or tradesman/tradeswoman is a skilled worker that specialises in a particular Trade (occupation), trade. Tradespeople (tradesmen/women) usually gain their skills through work experience, on-the-job training, an apprenticeship prog ...

who is proficient in all aspects of

food preparation {{catexp, articles about specific foodstuffs. See :Food and drink for more general topics relating to food. Food watchlist articles ...

, often focusing on a particular

cuisine A cuisine is a style of cooking characterized by distinctive ingredients, List of cooking techniques, techniques and Dish (food), dishes, and usually associated with a specific culture or geographic region. Regional food preparation techniques, ...

. The word "chef" is derived from the term (), the director or head of a

kitchen A kitchen is a room (architecture), room or part of a room used for cooking and food preparation in a dwelling or in a commercial establishment. A modern middle-class residential kitchen is typically equipped with a Kitchen stove, stove, a sink ...

. Chefs can receive formal training from an institution, as well as by apprenticing with an experienced chef. Different terms use the word ''chef'' in their titles and deal with specific areas of food preparation. Examples include the ''sous-chef'', who acts as the second-in-command in a kitchen, and the ''chef de partie'', who handles a specific area of production. The kitchen brigade system is a hierarchy found in restaurants and hotels employing extensive staff, many of which use the word "chef" in their titles. Underneath the chefs are the ''kitchen assistants''. A chef's standard uniform includes a hat (called a '' toque''),

neckerchief A neckerchief (from ''neck'' (n.) + ''kerchief''), also kerchief, scarf, and bandana, is a type of neckwear associated with those working or living outdoors, including farm labourers, cowboys and sailors. It is most commonly still seen today in ...

, double-breasted jacket, apron and sturdy shoes (that may include steel or plastic toe-caps).

Etymology

The word "chef" is derived (and shortened) from the term ''chef de cuisine'' (), the director or head of a

. (The French word comes from

Latin Latin ( or ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic languages, Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally spoken by the Latins (Italic tribe), Latins in Latium (now known as Lazio), the lower Tiber area aroun ...

'' caput'' (head) and is cognate with English "chief"). In English, the title ''chef'' in the

culinary arts Culinary arts are the cuisine arts of food preparation, cooking, and presentation of food, usually in the form of meals. People working in this field – especially in establishments such as restaurants – are commonly called chefs or ...

originated in the ''

haute cuisine ''Haute cuisine'' (; ) or ''grande cuisine'' is a style of cooking characterised by meticulous preparation, elaborate presentation, and the use of high quality ingredients. Typically prepared by highly skilled gourmet chefs, haute cuisine dish ...

'' of the 19th century. The culinary arts, among other aspects of the French language, introduced French loan words into the English language. The word is often used by itself as an

honorific An honorific is a title that conveys esteem, courtesy, or respect for position or rank when used in addressing or referring to a person. Sometimes, the term "honorific" is used in a more specific sense to refer to an Honorary title (academic), h ...

to address chefs by each other, apprentices, and

waiting staff Waiting staff ( BrE), waiters () / waitresses (), or servers (AmE) are those who work at a restaurant, a diner, or a bar and sometimes in private homes, attending to customers by supplying them with food and drink as requested. Waiting staff ...

Titles

Chef preparing naan to be baked in a tandoori

Various titles, detailed below, are given to those working in a professional kitchen and each can be considered a title for a type of chef. Many of the titles are based on the ''

brigade de cuisine The kitchen brigade (, ) is a system of hierarchy found in restaurants and hotels employing extensive staff, commonly referred to as "kitchen staff" in English-speaking countries. The concept was developed by Auguste Escoffier (1846–1935). Th ...

'' (or brigade system) documented by

Auguste Escoffier Georges Auguste Escoffier (; 28 October 1846 – 12 February 1935) was a French chef, restaurateur, and culinary writer who popularised and updated traditional French cooking methods. Much of Escoffier's technique was based on that of Marie-A ...

, while others have a more general meaning depending on the individual kitchen.

''Chef de cuisine''

Other names include executive chef, chef manager, head chef, and master chef. This person is in charge of all activities related to the kitchen, which usually includes menu creation, management of kitchen staff, ordering and purchasing of inventory, controlling raw material costs and plating design. ''Chef de cuisine'' is the traditional French term from which the English word chef is derived. ''Head chef'' is often used to designate someone with the same duties as an executive chef, but there is usually someone in charge of a head chef, possibly making the larger executive decisions such as the direction of menu, the final authority in staff management decisions, and so on. This is often the case for executive chefs with multiple restaurants. Involved in checking the sensory evaluation of dishes after preparation and they are well aware of each sensory property of those specific dishes. In the UK, the title executive chef normally applies to hotels with multiple outlets in the same hotel. Other establishments in the UK tend to use the title head chef.

''Sous-chef''

The ''sous-chef de cuisine'' (under-chef of the kitchen) is the second-in-command and direct assistant of the chef de cuisine or head chef. This person may be responsible for scheduling the kitchen staff or substituting when the head chef is absent. Also, the ''sous-chef'' will fill in for or assist a ''chef de partie'' (line cook) when needed. This person is accountable for the kitchen's inventory, cleanliness, organization, and the continuing training of its entire staff. A sous-chef's duties can also include carrying out the head chef's directives, conducting line checks, and overseeing the timely rotation of all food products. Smaller operations may not have a sous-chef, while larger operations may have more than one. CIA (2011). p. 8.

''Chef de partie''

A ''chef de partie'', also known as a "station chef" or "line cook", is in charge of a particular area of production. 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 so on as needed.

''Commis'' (chef)/Range chef

A commis is a basic or junior chef in larger kitchens who works under a ''chef de partie'' to learn the station's or range's responsibilities and operation. CIA (2011). p. 9. This may be a chef who has recently completed formal culinary training or is still undergoing training.

Brigade system titles

Station-chef titles, created by Escoffier, which are part of the brigade system include:

Kitchen assistant

Kitchen assistants are of two types, kitchen-hands and stewards/kitchen porters. Kitchen-hands assist with basic food preparation tasks under the chef's direction. They carry out relatively unskilled tasks such as peeling potatoes and washing salad. Stewards/

porters are involved in the scullery, washing up and general cleaning duties. In a smaller kitchen, these duties may be incorporated. A ''communard'' is in charge of preparing the meal for the staff during a shift. This meal is often referred to as the staff or

family meal A family meal or staff meal is a group meal that a restaurant serves its staff outside of peak business hours. The restaurant provides the meal free of charge, as a Employee benefit, perk of employment. Typically the meal is served to the entire st ...

. The ''escuelerie'' (from 15th century French and a

cognate In historical linguistics, cognates or lexical cognates are sets of words that have been inherited in direct descent from an etymological ancestor in a common parent language. Because language change can have radical effects on both the s ...

of the English " scullery"), or the more modern plongeur or dishwasher, is the keeper of dishes, having charge of dishes and keeping the kitchen clean. A common humorous title for this role in some modern kitchens is "''chef de plonge''" or "head dishwasher".

Culinary education

Education is available from many culinary institutions offering diploma, associate, and bachelor's degree programs in culinary arts. Depending on the level of education, this can take one to four years. An internship is often part of the curriculum. Regardless of the education received, most professional kitchens follow the

apprenticeship Apprenticeship is a system for training a potential new practitioners of a trade or profession with on-the-job training and often some accompanying study. Apprenticeships may also enable practitioners to gain a license to practice in a regulat ...

system, and most new cooks will start at a lower-level 2nd or 1st cook position and work their way up. Like many skilled trades, chefs usually go through a formal apprenticeship which includes many years of on-the-job training. Culinary schools and restaurants offer these apprenticeships. Apprenticeships usually take 3 to 4 years to complete and combine classroom instruction with on-the-job training. The training period for a chef is generally four years as an apprentice. A newly qualified chef is advanced or more commonly a toquecommis-chef, consisting of first-year ''commis'', second-year ''commis'', and so on. The rate of pay is usually in accordance with the chefs. Like all other chefs except the executive-chef, trainees are placed in sections of the kitchen (e.g., the starter ( appetizer) or entrée sections) under the guidance of a ''demi-chef de partie'' and are given relatively basic tasks. Ideally, over time, a ''commis'' will spend a certain period in each section of the kitchen to learn the basics. Unaided, a ''commis'' may work on the vegetable station of a kitchen.chef training options
- kitchenwarrior.co.uk The usual formal training period for a chef is two to four years in catering college. They often spend the summer in work placements. In some cases this is modified to 'day-release' courses; a chef will work full-time in a kitchen as an apprentice and then would have allocated days off to attend catering college. These courses can last between one and three years. In the UK, most chefs are trained in the workplace, with most doing a formal

NVQ National Vocational Qualifications (NVQs) are practical work-based awards in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland that are achieved through training and assessment. The regulatory framework supporting NVQs was withdrawn in 2015 and replaced by th ...

level 2 or 3 in the workplace. File:Oxford - Chef School - 0405.jpg, Chefs in training at chef school in Oxford, England Image:Chef préparant une truffe.jpg, A chef preparing a truffle for diners

Notes

References

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External links

Official certification levels of the American Culinary Federation

Chef training and career progression in New Zealand
{{Authority control Culinary terminology Food services occupations Restaurant staff Restaurant terminology