🧑‍🍳 Kitchen Hierarchy Explained:

🔥 Introduction

Every successful kitchen, whether it’s a Michelin-starred fine dining spot or your favorite local bistro, thrives on one thing: structure. Without clear roles, responsibilities, and leadership, even the most talented team would collapse into chaos. The kitchen hierarchy isn’t just tradition — it’s the backbone of service, ensuring speed, safety, quality, and teamwork. Let’s dive deep into who’s who behind those swinging doors.

🏰 The Classical Brigade System (Escoffier’s Legacy)

The modern kitchen hierarchy is based largely on the “brigade de cuisine” system created by Auguste Escoffier in the late 1800s.

Escoffier, a legendary French chef, revolutionized how professional kitchens operated by:

Dividing the kitchen into clear stations
Assigning specific roles to each cook
Streamlining service and reducing confusion

In the fine dining world, this brigade system is still the gold standard, adapted over time to fit different types of restaurants.

🥇 Executive Chef (Chef de Cuisine)

The Boss.
Oversees everything: menu creation, budgeting, hiring, supplier relations, kitchen philosophy.
Rarely touches day-to-day cooking unless needed.
Delegates heavily and focuses on maintaining standards.
Acts as the face of the kitchen to owners, media, and guests.

In short: The executive chef is the architect and ambassador of the restaurant’s culinary vision.

🥈 Sous Chef

The Right Hand.
Manages daily operations and keeps the team flowing.
Steps into any role when a gap appears.
Trains and mentors staff.
Acts as the communication bridge between executive chef and the rest of the team.
Controls the “energy” and “discipline” of the kitchen.

In short: The sous chef is the kitchen’s engine, keeping everything running.

🧑‍🍳 Chef de Partie (Station Chef)

Masters of their domain.
Each chef runs a specific station and owns it.
Examples of traditional parties (stations):
- 🍽️ Saucier — In charge of sauces, stews, sautéed items.
- 🐠 Poissonnier — Handles all fish and seafood.
- 🌿 Grillardin — Works the grill (meats, sometimes veg).
- 🧲 Friturier — In charge of fried foods.
- 🌱 Entremetier — Manages vegetables, soups, eggs, pastas.
- 🧁 Pâtissier — Crafts desserts, pastries, breads.

In smaller kitchens, one chef might manage multiple stations.

In short: Station chefs are specialists making sure each element on your plate is perfect.

🥄 Commis Chef (Junior Cook)

The Apprentices.
Usually fresh culinary grads or early-career cooks.
Work directly under a Chef de Partie.
Handle prep, simple cooking tasks, and learn how to move, think, and cook like a pro.

In short: Commis are kitchen rookies building muscle memory and speed.

🍳 Kitchen Porter (Plongeur) and Dishwashers

The Hidden Backbone.
Keep dishes, pots, and kitchen tools clean and ready.
Often assist with basic prep: peeling vegetables, portioning food.
Essential for hygiene and kitchen flow.

In short: Without them, the kitchen grinds to a halt.

🧹 Stewarding Team

In large hotels or resorts, the stewarding department:

Handles deep cleaning.
Manages trash, recycling, and chemical safety.
Supports kitchens behind the scenes, day and night.

In short: Stewarding teams make sure the kitchen remains safe, compliant, and operational.

👥 Modern Kitchens: How the Hierarchy Has Evolved

Today’s kitchens are often:

Smaller
More flexible
Cross-trained

You might find chefs juggling multiple stations or sharing responsibilities in more casual or creative environments. Food trucks, small bistros, and open kitchens tend to favor tighter, more fluid team dynamics.

Still, the principles of hierarchy — clear leadership, mutual respect, responsibility — remain vital.

⚖️ Why Respecting the Hierarchy Matters

Service Speed: Knowing exactly who does what avoids miscommunication.
Food Safety: Clear roles prevent cross-contamination and accidents.
Training and Growth: Allows younger chefs to learn in an organized way.
Creativity: A stable system frees the team to focus on innovation without chaos.

Hierarchy doesn’t exist to feed egos — it exists to protect the team and the guest experience.

📝 Conclusion

The kitchen hierarchy isn’t some old, outdated idea — it’s a survival system honed over centuries. Whether you’re plating Michelin-star dishes or flipping burgers at a pop-up, understanding and respecting the hierarchy makes you a stronger, smarter, more dependable cook.

And the best part? Every great chef today once started as a commis.

Embrace the ladder — and climb it with pride. 💪

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