Introduction:
What's the key to a productive kitchen that regularly turns forth dishes of the finest quality? The secret is to collaborate like in the military. During the French Revolution, the French transformed the modern dining experience by organising their kitchen crews in a manner akin to that of army brigades.
The command structure of the kitchen brigade system is clearly defined by a hierarchy. Every team member has a certain task that they carry out to maximise production and establish order. The majority of restaurant kitchen teams still operate under the entire brigade system's guiding principles, despite its less widespread usage these days.
Consider implementing the brigade method if you're having trouble with performance and your culinary staff is arranged in an ad hoc fashion. We will walk you through every detail of this system so you can decide if your restaurant is a good fit for it or not. This in-depth tutorial on the kitchen brigade system will address:
What Is The Hierarchy In A Kitchen?
Georges Auguste Escoffier established the Brigade System, or culinary hierarchy, in the late 1800s. Escoffier streamlined and improved efficiency by systematising and organising culinary activities. It was difficult to regularly provide high-quality meals in the chaotic and disorganised kitchens that existed prior to the Brigade System. Using his military background as a guide, Escoffier established the brigade system to improve productivity and order in the kitchen.
The head chef, sous chefs, chef de parties, commis chefs, and kitchen staff are at the base of the pyramid-shaped hierarchy, which is topped by the executive chef. Every function in the kitchen has distinct duties to ensure efficient operation.
What is a Kitchen Brigade System?
The kitchen brigade system, sometimes referred to as the "brigade de cuisine," is a methodical framework for selecting and allocating restaurant kitchen employees in a way that optimises productivity. Every team member in this system plays a distinct and vital job that keeps the kitchen running smoothly.
A full brigade consists of more than twenty kitchen jobs, such as sous chef, executive chef, and several kinds of chefs de partie (line cooks) that oversee certain stations. A full brigade de cuisine, for example, might have a pâtissier in charge of the pastry programme, a Poissonnier in charge of fish dishes, and a potager in charge of soups.
Fine dining is where the kitchen brigade system first appeared. Although the emergence of more casual eating styles has made the complete system less popular in modern restaurants, its influence endures.
The brigade de cuisine was created with full-service restaurants (FSRs) in mind, although fast food businesses can still benefit from its tenets. To maintain optimal efficiency, fast food restaurants use stations for frying, grilling, and dish assembly. These stations are manned by line cooks.
The Five Basic Positions in the Kitchen Brigade
- Executive Chef: At the summit of the culinary pyramid, the Executive Chef, also referred to as the Group Chef, is the star of the kitchen. They oversee, organise, and manage every facet of food production.
- Head Chef: The Head Chef, also referred to as the Chef de Cuisine is in charge of daily operations. They bring the Executive Chef's vision to life with delicious results.
- Sous Chef: As the Head Chef's direct assistant, the Sous Chef holds the position of second in command. When the Head Chef is not present, they oversee the kitchen.
- Chef de Partie: The Chef de Partie, often known as a station chef or line cook, oversees a particular department within production.
- Commis Chef: The Commis Chef starts their culinary adventure and learns about several stations in this often entry-level role.
What Are the Benefits of Having a Kitchen Brigade in Your Restaurant?
For every kind of restaurant, putting the kitchen brigade method into practice can yield various benefits. Even more informal restaurants can profit from the brigade system's organised hierarchy, while fine dining venues usually implement it most strictly.
A Clear Hierarchy and Structure
The brigade system introduces order in place of a BOH team where all members have the same seniority and execute tickets according to availability. The executive chef, often known as the chef de cuisine, is in charge of the crew. Line cooks work beneath them, supervising particular stations and contributing to different dishes instead than doing the entire meal preparation themselves. By ensuring that line cooks are proficient in the methods they concentrate on, this strategy maximises productivity and uniformity.
Improved Food Quality and Output in The Kitchen:
Each chef or cook is certain to become an expert in the tasks they are given thanks to the division of labour into specialised stations. As a result, food preparation and presentation become more proficient and consistent.
Additionally, the brigade system guarantees that every meal is produced in accordance with set criteria, which increases quality control. It supports uniformity in portion sizes, presentation, and flavour—all of which are critical to a restaurant's standing.
Hierarchy Structure Explained:
The executive chef of a restaurant oversees the kitchen, much like a general does an army. The executive chef is in charge, with the chef de cuisine coming in second in the kitchen brigade hierarchy. Instead of having both roles, some establishments could decide to either employ an executive chef or a chef de cuisine. The sous chef de cuisine also referred to as the sous chef, is positioned beneath the chef de cuisine.
The line cooks, also known as chefs de partie, oversee several cooking stations and report to the sous chef. There may be more than one specialised chef at a station. A pâtissier (pastry chef), Boulanger (baker), and Glacier (expert in frozen desserts), for instance, can be on the pastry crew. The junior chefs, or commis chefs, complete the brigade system hierarchy.
Positions in the Brigade de Cuisine
The brigade de cuisine system allows for the employment of more than 25 different kinds of chefs in a kitchen. But just as every kitchen is different, so are the various chef responsibilities that are offered. In the kitchen brigade system, these are often some of the most prevalent positions:
Chef Exécutif (Executive Chef)
At the top of the culinary hierarchy, the Executive Chef is largely responsible for managerial tasks. They usually don't participate in cooking duties directly and frequently manage kitchens across several locations.
Chef de Cuisine (Kitchen Leader)
Working closely with the general manager of the restaurant, the chef de cuisine oversees the kitchen. The chef de cuisine is heavily involved in day-to-day kitchen operations, in contrast to the executive chef.
This crucial position covers administrative duties like food safety and inventory, hires new employees, and supervises the kitchen crew. Ensuring adherence to health codes is an essential duty. By creating and perfecting recipes, the chef de cuisine also contributes significantly to the executive chef's menu vision.
Sous Chef (Deputy Chef)
As the second-in-command in the kitchen, the sous chef is responsible for all aspects of its operations. In addition to supervising other chefs, they arrange staff schedules, keep track of inventory, uphold safety regulations, maintain equipment, and are always available to help at any station. A sous chef must move deftly between hands-on work and leadership duties, whether placing ingredient orders or deftly handling team conflicts. They serve as the head chef's main support system in a variety of ways and are frequently viewed as future leaders in the kitchen hierarchy.
Garde Manger (Pantry Chef)
The Garde manager has a special responsibility that involves making cold food, including salads, charcuterie boards, hors d'oeuvres, pâtés, and caviar. To ensure quality and freshness, this position calls for a combination of culinary knowledge, inventive food presentation, and skilful handling of cold items.
Patissier (Pastry Chef)
In addition to managing suppliers, choosing ingredients, supervising pastry chefs, and working closely with the head chef to prepare menus, the pastry chef is in charge of creating the dessert menu.
A pastry chef is frequently employed as the head of the dessert department at upscale restaurants. They could manage a group of pastry chefs or work alone. Pastry chefs are expected to possess crucial abilities such as complex plating and mastery of food presentation.
Saucier (Sauce Chef)
The saucier's function is not limited to sauces. They are experts at making the ideal sauces for the restaurant's menu items, but they are also skilled in making stocks, stews, soups, broths, gravies, and sometimes even pasta and desserts. Their speciality is perfectly seasoning sauces and getting the right consistency for every dish.
Commis Chef (Line Cooks)
Commissaires, another name for line cooks, are the backbone of the kitchen; they handle most of the cooking duties. A head line cook, also known as a chef de partie, usually oversees each station, supervising apprentices and ensuring smooth operations. A wide range of culinary abilities are required by line cooks, such as proficiency with knives, knowledge of flavours and seasonings, and mastery of fundamental methods.
Apart from acquiring culinary expertise, apprentices and line cooks need to exhibit collaboration by putting aside their egos and lending a helping hand when necessary. Numerous people have gone to culinary school or are still enrolled, which helps them hone their practical culinary and business skills.
Line cooks and apprentices typically rotate or specialise in various stations, such as:
- Fry station
- Grill station
- Saute station
- Cold-service station (handling salads, cold appetisers, and sometimes soups)
- Pastry or dessert station
There might be extra stations, such as those for soup, fish, sauce, and vegetables, depending on the restaurant. To guarantee efficient kitchen operations, each station needs a unique set of skills and collaboration.
Prep Cooks
Prep cooks are essential in the kitchen since they take care of necessary preliminary duties like cutting and peeling vegetables. While some restaurants use trainee line cooks for these jobs, others hire prep cooks specifically for this work.
Prep cooks must have a thorough understanding of mise en place, an organising method that is critical to maintaining kitchen efficiency. They are usually in charge of arranging supplies and ingredients for chefs and cooks at a higher level. A lot of people who want to work in the culinary industry start out as prep cooks or apprentices and acquire experience that helps them grow in respectable fine-dining restaurants.
Other Roles in the Brigade de Cuisine
Within the brigade, there are a number of responsibilities that include various facets of culinary operations in addition to the typical chef duties.
Boucher (Butcher)
To ensure that the kitchen has top-notch meat cuts for the dishes the brigade chefs produce, the boucher, or butcher, is essential. Modern bouchers concentrate on chopping, grinding, trimming, slicing, and dressing meat to restaurant standards, however, historically they also involved the slaughter of animals.
Apart from cooking meat, bouchers also have to keep an eye on the amount of meat in stock, place orders when there's not enough, and check new shipments for quality. Because handling raw meat necessitates such precise sanitation, keeping a sanitised workspace and tools is essential.
Aboyeur (Expediter)
The Aboyeur, sometimes referred to as the meal Runner or Food Expeditor, is an essential employee who makes sure that every meal order is delivered on time and correctly to the appropriate table and customer. Precise coordination is used to guarantee that diners receive all courses at the same time, preserving the integrity of the dining experience.
In contemporary restaurants, the role of announcing orders to the kitchen is typically performed by someone with advanced technology or ticketing systems. It's likely that the Aboyeur coordinated the flawless delivery of your dinner if you've ever had someone other than your server deliver it to you.
Implementing the Kitchen Brigade System for Enhanced BOH Efficiency
The kitchen brigade system, which was first implemented in French army kitchens and has been used by restaurants for centuries, has been evolving in tandem with the demands of the sector. It's critical to evaluate and improve your restaurant's operations to new levels. Think about using the kitchen brigade system, or any relevant components of it, to improve productivity and maintain uniformity in your facility.
Conclusion:
To sum up, using the kitchen brigade method can completely transform the way your restaurant runs while increasing productivity and ensuring that the quality of the food is consistently served. This hierarchical structure, which has its roots in military accuracy, guarantees that every team member contributes to a smoothly operating culinary machine. Whether you own a casual restaurant or a fine dining establishment, incorporating brigade system components can improve productivity, expedite kitchen operations, and improve the entire dining experience. Accept this tried-and-true method to make your kitchen the height of culinary brilliance.
