Chapter3: KITCHEN ORGANIZATION
THEBASIS OF KITCHEN ORGANIZATION
The purpose of Kitchen organizationis to assign or allocate tasks so that they can be done efficiently andproperly and so all workers know what their responsibilities are.
The way a kitchen is organizeddepends on various factors.
1. THE MENU
The kindsof dishes to be produced obviously determine the jobs that need to be done. Themenu is in fact, the basis of the entire operation.
2. THE TYPEOF ESTABLISHMENT
The majortypes of establishment are as follows:
·Hotels
·Institutional kitchens
Schools
Hospital, Nursing homes
Airline Catering
·Catering and banquet services
·Fast food restaurants
·Carry out and take out food facilities
·Full service restaurants
3. THE SIZEOF THE OPERATION(the number of customers and the volume of food served)
4. Thephysical facilities, including the equipment in use.
THECLASSICAL BRIGADE
Escoffier’s important achievementswas the re organizations of the kitchen. This reorganization divided thekitchen into departments, or stations, based on the kind of the food produced.A station chef was placed in charge of each department .In small operations;the station chef might be the only worker in the department. But in largeestablishments station chefs might have several assistants.
DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
EXECUTIVE CHEF
The Executive Chef is a manager who isresponsible for all the aspects of food production, including
Menuplanning
-Alwayslead by example, adopting a positive attitude to keep the team spirit at itshighest levels.
-Identifyand develop new products and equipments, to enhance product quality.
-Developand define quality standards of food preparation and presentation.
-Ensurethe quality of food preparation and presentation, as per the organizationalstandards.
-EstablishRecipes and methods of preparation, inform the F&B Director of significancechange in prices affecting the preparation of menu items.
-RecommendMenu pricing in co-ordination with the F&B Director/F&B Manager/F&BController /Banquet Manager.
-Ensurethat menus are changed on a regular basis, as per the corporate guidelines andmarket needs, in co-ordination with F&B manager /F&B Director.
Purchasing
-Ensure availability of stock andraw ingredients by proper planning and coordination with purchase and stores.
Costing
-Analyzeand monitor costs (Material, energy and staff) to ensure high profitability onregular basis and initiate corrective action whenever necessary.
Planning work schedules
-Definethe organization of work within the department including assignments, timeschedules and vacation of staff.
-Co-ordinatewith the engineering Department to carry out preventive maintenance programmein the kitchen.
Hiringand training
-Ensure Department employees arefully trained through constant on the job training.
-Ensurepractice of hygiene and safety precautions as well as compliance with hotel andcompany policies by the kitchen staff through training.
-Providecareer development and succession planning for subordinates through training.
If a foodservice operation is large, with many departments (eg.formal dining room, a casualdining or specialty restaurant) or if it has several units in differentlocations, then each kitchen may have a Chefde Cuisine. The Chef de Cuisine reports to the Executive Chef.
SOUS CHEF (SOO SHEF) is directlyin charge of production and works as the assistant to the Executive Chef orChef de Cuisine (the word Sous is French for Under).Because the ExecutiveChef’s Responsibilities may require great deal of time in the office, the Souschef takes command of the actual production and the minute by minutesupervision of the staff.
-Lookafter the function of the executive chef during his/her Absence.
-TrainStaff on improved work procedures, quality food production, economical usage offood material s and the attractive presentation of Food items.
-Accountfor the usage, consumption, spoilage and control of food stuff produced orstored under his supervision
-Beresponsible for the preparation of mis en place at all stations.
CHEF DE PARTIE (STATION CHEFS) is in charge of a particular area of production.All the Chef de Parties’ may be regarded as supervisors or foremen of theirsection as well as skilled craftsman. They must for example plan and organizetheir work and staff and normally they will prepare daily indents forcommodities.
Thefollowing are the most important station chefs:
·The SAUCE CHEF or SAUCIER (so-see-ay),prepares sauces, stews and hot horsd’oeuvres and sautés foods to order. This is the highest position of all thestations.
·The FISH COOK or POISSONIER (pwah-so-nyay),prepares fish dishes. In some Kitchens the stations are handled by the saucier.
·The VEGETABLE COOK or ENTREMETIER(AWN-TRUH-MET-YAY), prepares vegetables, soups, starches (Rice andPasta Dishes) and eggs. Large Kitchens may divide these duties among thevegetable cook, the fry cook (Friturier) and the soup cook (Potager)
·The SOUPCOOK OR POTAGER (PO-TAH-JAY) responsible to make all the soups for theestablishments. Also the Garnishes accompanying the soups.
·The ROAST COOK or ROTISSEUR (RO-TEE-SUR) preparesroasted and braised meats and their gravies and broils meats and other items toorder. Grillardin (Grill cook)
The PANTRY CHEF or GARDE MANGER (GARD-MAWN-ZHAY)is responsible for cold foods including salads and dressings, pates, cold horsd’oeuvres and buffet items.
Whatis Larder or Garde Manger?
·It is the Cold Kitchen or that part ofthe kitchen department which is set aside for the storage and preparation ofperishable foods- both raw and cooked.
·The food stuffs such a meats, fish,poultry, and game, vegetables other perishables are prepared and made ready forcooking.
·All the cold foods found on the menu suchas appetizers ( Hors d’ oeuvres ), cold fish or meat dishes , all salads, coldsauces and dressings are made ready.
·One particular special duty of thisdepartment is the preparation of all types of cold buffet- a major feature ofmany functions and banquettes.
Thework is broken down into various sections-
·· Appetizer section (Horsd’oeuvrier)
·· Salad and dressingsection (Saladier)
·· Butchery-Boucher(butcher),poissonier(fishmonger), Volailleur (poultry man)
·· Cold buffet
RESPONSIBILITIES OF CHEF GARDE MANGER
ChefGarde manger reports to the Sous chef.
He isresponsible for-
· Efficientworking of the larder section.
· Co-ordinationfor the efficient running of the garde manger.
· Trainingof the larder staff
· Maintainingdiscipline of the section.
· Heis responsible for all the foodstuffs which are dealt in the section especiallyall the cold food and their proper storage.
· Heis responsible for keeping the record of the entire foodstuff coming into thesection and the orders served to the main kitchen and the other outletkitchens.
· Thechef needs to put in the requisition for the meats, fish and poultry and otherfood ingredients required for all the food service.
· Heis responsible for maintaining his section in the best of hygienic and sanitary
Conditionsto avoid any danger of contamination and possible food poisoning.
·The PASTRY CHEF or PATISSIER (PA-TEES-SYAY) preparespastries and desserts.
Glacier(Ice cream Chef)
Boulanger(Baker)
·The RELIEF COOK or TOURNANT (TOOR-NAWN)replaces all station heads.
The EXPEDITER OR ABOYEUR (AH- BWA-YER)accepts orders from waiters and passes them on to the cooks on the line .theExpediter also calls for orders to be finished and plated at the proper timeand inspects each plate before passing it to the dining room staff. In manyrestaurants this position is taken by the Head chef or the Sous chef.
•COOKS ANDASSISITANTS (Commis and Apprentices/Aides de cuisine). The CDP or sectional chefwill be assisted by trained commis/cooks. The station cooks /Commis in eachdepartment help in the duties assigned to them. They will be still gainingexperience before taking full Partie responsibilities.
Apprentices/Aides de cuisines: Help inthe practical day to day work of food preparation and cookery. For exampleassistant vegetable cook may wash, peel and trim vegetables.
Withexperience, assistants may be promoted to station cooks and then to stationchefs.
CHEF COMMUNAR (STAFF COOK): In a large hotel, a separatesection of the kitchen or a completely separate kitchen may be allocated to theproduction of staff meals.
CHEF DE PETIT JEUNER (BREAKFAST COOK): Thecooking and service of breakfast in hotels is commonly entrusted to a specialtycook whose range is limited to the needs of breakfast.
He/Shemight not rank as a full Chef de Partie, but needs to possess good skillswithin the limited field. The cooks assisting are responsible to simple task ofassembling and cooking breakfast dishes. Cooking of Eggs in its various formsand the grilling and frying of fish and bacon are some of the principlefunctions.
CHEF DE BANQUETS (BANQUET CHEF):Responsible for banqueting operation The Banquet Chef will have its own set ofteam to ensure smooth operation.
DEVELOPMENT OF THE PARTIE SYSTEM
The Partiesystem as perfected by Escoffier was the result of studying the food andcookery work behind the recipes and allocating tasks to different specialistsso as help produce the most complex dishes regularly, efficiently and swiftly.
This meant braking downor allocating task even for one dish to different sections. In the kind ofkitchen that Escoffier and his colleagues organized, the Partie system reachedthe height of complexity because the end product had to be of the highestfinish and yet be completed to order in rapid sequence for a substantial numberof customers.
There are however introduction of new machines, equipment,convenient foods etc which can cause the amendment and simplification of thePartie system.
The essence of the Partie system is the division of work into sectionseach section or Partie being controlled by a Chef de Partie. All the partiescome under the control of the executive chef aided by one or more Sous chefs.
PLEASEREFER AND STUDY THE FOLLOWING CHARTS
1.CLASSICAL KITCHEN BRIGADE CHART
2.ORGANISATIONAL CHART OF A LARGE SIZE HOTEL
3.ORGANISATIONAL CHART OF A MEDIUM SIZE HOTEL
INTER-DEPARTMENTALCO-ORDINATION
Foodand Beverage Service
It is a most common sight to seethe kitchen staff arguing with service people and vice versa. The age oldanimosity between the two departments results from the fact that both do notappreciate each other’s job. However, in spite of such differences, they arecompletely independent and cannot do without each other. The kitchen depends onthe service for the following things.
1. Serviceoperates sales in various outlets. It takes the food order and serves it to theguest.
2. Serviceacts a bridge between the guest and the chef and helps to communicate therequests and opinions of the food by providing constant feedback.
3. Forcooking, wines and liquors are required from F&B on daily basis.
4. Servicesells the food and markets the chef’s specialty thereby bringing in more salesand happy customers.
HOUSEKEEPING
Following are some importantpoints related to the coordination between the kitchen and housekeeping.
1. Kitchenrequires clean uniforms, aprons, and dusters on daily basis, which are providedby housekeeping.
2. Kitchenalso needs to coordinate with the housekeeping regarding the pest control andfumigation in the kitchen.
3. Specialuniform if required for particular functions or theme parties are obtained fromhousekeeping.
4. Festivedecorations if required in the restaurants or outlets, is again taken care ofby housekeeping.
FRONTOFFICE
Following are the importantpoints related to the coordination between the kitchen and the front office.
1. Frontoffice communicates the daily arrival list to the kitchen and it helps thechefs to forecast their production so that the daily wastage is minimized. Thedaily arrival list also contains guest history and the chefs come to know ifthere was any problem with food or service during the guest’s previous stay.Hence, they could make it up this time by exceeding his/her expectation.
2. The frontoffice circulates VIP lists in the kitchens for any special requests of guestsand for the room amenities to be placed in the room.
3. Sometimeswelcome drinks are prepared by the kitchen for some VIPs.
4. Frontoffice also assists guests in making their dinning choices and helps inmarketing the restaurants and outlets.
PURCHASEAND STORES
Following are the important pointsto the coordination between the kitchen and the purchase and stores department.
1. Thisdepartment procures raw materials at the best possible prices, not compromisingon the quality of ingredients.
2. Chefshelp the purchase department to create the standard purchase specifications forcommodities.
3. Chefsmust give sufficient time for the orders to be procured and so maintaining forpar stock levels are decided by the chefs and the purchase managers dependingupon the frequency of withdrawals and availability from the market.
4. Chefsalso receive the goods at receiving bay, thereby ensuring that the rightquality of ingredients as per the standards specified is purchased.
FINANCE
Following are the importantpoints related to the coordination between the kitchen and the financedepartment.
1. Financedoes the costing of the recipe and this helps the management to decide upon theselling price to get the desirable profits and maintain the agreed food cost.
2. Financehelps chefs and the purchase managers to go for regular market surveys and seeif any new and better quality products are available.
3. Financehelps chefs to keep a check on their expenses by giving a periodic reportmentioning their profit and losses.
SALESAND MARKETING
Following are the importantpoints related to the coordination between the kitchen and the engineeringdepartment.
1. Engineeringdepartment does the preventive and breakdown maintenance of the machinery usedin the kitchen.
2. Helps ininstallation of new machinery and equipment and trains the staff in its usageand precautions.
3. Coordinateswith chefs to utilize the resources effectively to minimize costs and increaseprofits.
4. Maintenanceschedules are made and followed up by chefs.
5. Firefighting and safety procedures are laid down by the engineering and followed upby the chef.
HUMANRESOURCE AND TRAINING
Following are the importantpoints related to the coordination between the human resources (HR) andtraining department.
1. HRdepartment helps chefs to find the skilled people and facilitate recruitmentsby helping chefs to take interviews and trade tests.
2. Chefshighlight the training and developments required by their staff and communicateit to the training department, who then prepare the training calendars andtrain people accordingly.
3. Appraisalsand career developing of the kitchen people is liaised with the HR department.
4. Joiningformalities of the new staff, induction, orientation, locker facilities etc.are dealt by HR department.
SECURITY
Following are the importantpoints related to the coordination between the kitchen and the securitydepartment.
1. Itemstaken out the hotel are taken on a ‘gate pass’. This can be returnable ornon-returnable. It is made in triplicate and one copy is retained in the book,one goes to the finance department and the other goes to the securitydepartment.
2. Any firein the kitchen is immediately reported to the security department.
3. Keys ofcertain areas are deposited in the security and only authorized personnel canwithdraw the same.
4. Sometimesstore room needs to be opened in case of emergencies. In such case, the normalprocedure is to inform duty manager who will inform security and together withchef the store shall be opened in front of security supervisor and duty managerand locked duly after the commodity is withdrawn against a store roomrequisition.
5. Employeesswipe the cards when they come for work and go off duty. This is done at thestaff entry point of the hotel, which is also known as ‘time office’. Theswiping helps the HR department to compute their salaries. However, when themachine is faulty or the employee has forgotten to swipe the card or any otherreason a format is given which is duly filled up to avoid deductions in salary.
