Organizational Structure of the Kitchen (2024)

After reading this article you will learn about organizational structure of the kitchen department in hotel and food establishments of various types and sizes.

Modern kitchen organizations aim at orienting staff in all the areas of the kitchen, so that a multi-skilled workforce is created. A business organization is defined as an arrangement of people in jobs to accomplish the goals of the operation. The organiza­tional structure of the kitchen reflects the needs of the operation, the job functions, and the various goals.

The jobs and duties of staff members also vary from kitchen to kitchen, and so do the tides attached to the jobs. But certain positions and titles do occur throughout the industry.

Here are some of the most common positions with a general definition for each and a place in the typical kitchen hierarchy:

Chef De Cuisines (Executive Chefs or Head Chefs):

This position carries overall responsibility for all aspects of production, for the quality of the products served, for hiring and managing the kitchen staff, for controlling costs and meeting budgets, and for coordinating with departments not directly involved in food production.

Duties also include making new menus, purchasing, costing, and scheduling of employees. They are also responsible for kitchen plant and machinery.

Sous Chefs (Under the Chefs):

They are the principal assistants to the head chefs and aid the chefs in general administra­tion and in particular, supervising food production, and overseeing its service. They are the acting head chefs in the absence of the head chefs.

Chef Gardemangers (Pantry Chefs):

They are responsible for all cold food presentations, which might include hors d’oeuvres, salads, sandwiches, pates, etc.

Butcher Chefs:

They are in charge of the butcher shop which prepares meats, fish, and poultry as desired by the user departments of the kitchen.

Pastry Chefs:

They enjoy a different status and the work of their department is generally separated from the main kitchen and is self-contained in the matter of cold storage, machinery, and equipment. They are responsible for all hot and cold desserts. These may include cakes, pastry, ice creams, creams, etc.

Boulangers:

They are the bakers who work under the pastry chefs and are responsible for all baked products such as bread, breakfast rolls, etc.

Potagers (Soup Cooks):

They are responsible for preparing soups and stocks, which may include cream soups, consommes, bisques, broths, national soups, essences, etc.

Entremetier (Vegetable Cooks):

The entremets course is, on the menu, the sweet which is prepared by the pastry chefs. Entremets de legumes were the vegetable courses traditionally featured on a menu.

The entremetiers are therefore concerned with the preparation of the following:

i. All vegetable dishes,

ii. All potato dishes,

iii. All egg dishes,

iv. All farinaceous dishes.

Chef Rotisseurs [Roasting Cooks):

They are responsible for braised meats, roasted meats, and meat dishes. Their section is also responsible for deep-frying of foods.

Sauciers:

They are responsible for all sauces and sauce-related dishes.

Banquet Chefs:

They are responsible for all food to be prepared for banquet functions and also for the buffet in coffee shops.

Chef Tournants:

They are the reliever chefs who take charge in the absence of the section chefs. They were usually multi-skilled cooks, who would fit into any job in case of emergencies.

Chef De Parties (Section Chefs):

All chef de parties are supervisors in charge of a clearly defined set of activities within the kitchen. They are the station heads and must be skilled to cook every dish made by their stations. They should also have a certain degree of administrative skills. They should be able to plan and carry out production schedules for the section.

Demi Chef De Parties:

They are also in a supervisory capacity. They take charge in the absence of the chef de parties. They assist the chef de parties.

Commis:

There are both commis Is and commis IIs; the Is being seniors. They are the assistants to die chef de partie. However, in most hotels now, the commis I and II have been classified as commis only.

Apprentices:

These are the trainees who help out in day-to-day operations.

These positions defined here are in a classical sense. In the real world, they are combined, altered, and adapted to fit the specific goals of the individual operation.

Figures 2.1-2.5 represents the organizational charts of the kitchen departments of different types of hotels.