brigade system by Escoffier

Georges Auguste Escoffier (28 October 1846 – 12 February 1935) was a French chef, restaurateur and culinary writer who popularized and further refined French Cooking methods during the turn of the 19th-20th century. Escoffier is considered a legend amongst chefs in the professional culinary world and is most remembered for his leading role in the development of French Cuisine.

Escoffier's three major contributions to treasure chest of French Cuisine include:

• the modernization and further simplification of the elaborate cooking techniques and methods of Antoine Carême, who had systematized the tenets of French Haute Cuisine

• publishing Le Guide Culinaire, a culinary textbook and collection of some 5,000 recipes intended to be used toward the education of the younger generation of cooks. The first edition was printed in French in 1903 and was used by Chefs and professional kitchen staff. This seminal culinary text book has been reprinted a number of times over the past century and is still used today in the culinary industry.

• and the accomplishment we are most interested in: the development of the Classical Brigade System of kitchen organization in which responsibilities are assigned to different individuals that specialize in certain tasks.

According to Wayne Gisslen's Professional Cooking Sixth Edition:

"This reorganization divided the kitchen into departments based on the kinds of foods produced. A station chef was placed in charge of each department. In a small operation the station chef might be the only worker in the department. But in a large kitchen, each station chef might have several assistants"

Members of the Classical Brigade include:

1. Chef (Chief)- The person in charge of the kitchen, in larger establishments this person has the title of Executive Chef. This person is responsible for all aspects of food production.

2. Chef de cuisine (Kitchen chef)- Present in large establishments in which several kitchens are operating in different locations. The chef de cuisine reports to the executive chef.

3. Sous-chef de cuisine (Under chef de cuisine) - This position is in charge of production, receives orders directly from the chef de cuisine for the management of the kitchen and often represents the chef de cuisine when he or she is not present.

4. The Chef de partie (Station chef) is in charge of a given station in the kitchen where they specialize in preparing particular dishes.In smaller kitchens and restaurants several station jobs are often handled by one individual. The most important station chefs include:

• Saucier (Saucemaker/Sauté cook)- prepares sauces, warm hors d'oeuvres, completes meat dishes and in smaller restaurants may work on fish dishes and prepares sautéed items. This job is considered one of the most respected positions in the kitchen brigade.

• Rôtisseur (Roast cook) - Manages a team of cooks that roasts, broils and deep fries dishes including the job titles:
-> Grillardin (Grill cook) - In a larger kitchen this person prepares the grilled foods instead of the rôtisseur.
-> Friturier (Fry cook) - In larger kitchens this person prepares fried foods instead of the rôtisseur.

• Poissonnier (Fish cook) - Prepares fish and seafood dishes.

• Entremetier (Entrée preparer) - Prepares soups and other dishes not involving meat or fish, including vegetable dishes and egg dishes
-> Potager (soup cook) - In larger kitchens this person reports to the entremetier and prepares the soups.
-> Legumier (Vegetable cook) - In larger kitchen this person also reports to the entremetier and prepares the vegetable dishes.

• Garde manger (Pantry supervisor) - Responsible for preparation of cold hors d'oeuvres, prepares salads, organizes large buffet displays and prepares charcuterie items.

• Tournant (relief cook/ swing cook) - Moves throughout kitchen assisting other positions in kitchen

• Pâtissier (Pastry cook) - Prepares desserts and other meal end sweets and for locations without a boulanger also prepares breads and other baked items. They may also prepare pasta for the restaurant. Divisions in larger kitchens include:
-> Confiseur - Prepares candies and petits fours in larger restaurants instead of the pâtissier.
-> Glacier - Prepares frozen and cold desserts in larger restaurants instead of the pâtissier.
-> Décorateur - Prepares show pieces and specialty cakes in larger restaurants instead of the pâtissier.
-> Boulanger (Baker) - Prepares bread, cakes and breakfast pastries in larger restaurants instead of the pâtissier.

• Boucher (Butcher) - butchers meats, poultry and sometimes fish. May also be in charge of breading meat and fish items.

• Plongeur (Dishwasher) - Cleans dishes and utensils and may be entrusted with basic preparatory jobs.
-> Marmiton - (Pot and pan washer) In larger restaurants takes care of all the pots and pans instead of the plongeur.

• Expediter or Aboyeur (Announcer/ expediter) - Takes orders from dining room and distributes them to the various stations. This position may also be performed by the sous-chef de partie.

• Communard - Prepares the meal served to the restaurant staff. In smaller establishments this job is often completed by the Chef de Cuisine or Sous Chef.

• Garçon de cuisine - Performs preparatory and auxiliary work for support in larger restaurants.

5. Cuisinier (Cook) - This position is an independent one where they usually prepare specific dishes in a station. They may also be referred to as a cuisinier de partie.

6. Commis (Junior cook) - Also works in a specific station, but reports directly to the chef de partie and takes care of the tools for the station.

7. Apprenti(e) or Stagier (Apprentice) - Many times they are students gaining theoretical and practical training in school and work experience in the kitchen. They perform preparatory work and/or cleaning work.

The size of the classical brigade may be reduced by combining two or more positions where the workload allows.

Some large establishments depend on the division of labor amongst a large team encompassing all, if not multiples, of the above positions. Most modern operations, though, are smaller than this. A medium sized operation may employ a Chef de cuisine, a sous chef, a pantry cook and a few helpers. Smaller kitchens may only have a Working Chef, in charge of operations not large enough to have an executive chef; Line cooks, who prepare or finish hot a la carte items during service in a restaurant; and Short Order Cooks, responsible for foods that are quickly prepared to order (sandwiches, salads, broiled and fried foods etc..)

Lastly, let it be said that the term Chef is reserved for one who is in charge of a kitchen or part of a kitchen. The title must be earned by experience in preparing food and managing a staff and in planning production.

Skills can be grouped into three general Categories:

1. Supervisory: management and supervisory skills, thorough knowledge of food production and the in's and out's of the kitchen are required for those aspiring to be an executive chef, head chef, or working chef. These leadership positions require understanding organizations and motivating people, planning menus, cost control, budget management, and purchasing food supplies and equipment.

2. Skilled and Technical: The backbone of the kitchen are the cooks who's hands produce the dishes served to the customers. These cooks must have knowledge and experience in cooking techniques, especially those in their own department.

3. Entry Level: these jobs usually require no particular skills or experience. Entry level workers in the profesional cooking industry usually begin washing vegetables and preparing salad greens. As their knowledge and experience growns they may rise through the ranks of the above kitchen brigade.

Many of the worlds top executive chefs began scrubbing potatoes in a kitchen corner. Beginning in an entry level position and working ones way up with experience is the traditional method of advance in this industry. Students who have studied and learned well should be able to work their way up more rapidly than beginners. This provides the incentive of the various Culinary Schools and Academys of the world.