It Takes Many Chefs To Staff A Kitchen
There are many types of positions held by a chef, for example executive chef jobs. Chefs are employed in a variety of environments, not just restaurants. Here we will examine the responsibilities of three different chef positions (sous, sushi and executive chef jobs)
An executive chef is one who leads a staff to prepare food in a given environment or situation. Executive chef jobs are very demanding and require the skills of a seasoned chef with a top chef recipe. The executive chef is responsible for all food that leaves his or her kitchen. The executive chef must be able to handle multiple tasks simultaneously with professional attitude, character and appearance. The executive chef is also responsible for managing the other chefs in the kitchen. One of the chefs supervised by the executive chef; is the sous chef.
Many people may ask “What is a sous chef?”The sous chef job description would include being the second in command; just under the executive chef. In fact, once employed as a sous chef for a period of time, a person is poised to move into the role of executive chef. Many employers may require that you have spent time as a sous chef in order to prepare for the demands of being an executive chef.
- Other duties of a sous chef include:
• Administrative duties such as ordering.
A great deal of a sous chef’s job description involves administrative duties assigned by the executive chef. The executive chef relies on the sous chef to perform these duties and accuracy is paramount.
• Managing and supervising other junior chefs and kitchen staff.
Interns in an apprentice program may be assigned to the sous chef for training purposes. The sous chef may need good diplomatic and communication skills in order to handle disciplining kitchen staff under their charge.
• Accurate preparation of cuisine and the ability to check the quality of them before they leave the kitchen.
• The ability to catch errors and correct them before they become a problem is very important.
The sushi chef in a kitchen may be assigned to the sous chef for supervision. A sushi chef is responsible for the preparation of Japanese cuisine that usually includes raw or fermented fish and seafood rolled in rice and seaweed. The preparation is considered and art form and presentation is important. This can be learned at the best culinary schools. The prepared sushi dishes should have a distinct and pleasing appearance when plated for serving. The sous chef or executive chef approves the dish prior to it leaving the kitchen and reaching the patron.
The executive chef, the sous chef and the sushi chef; are all integral parts of a kitchen. They are employed in several different venues, but predominantly in restaurants, commercial kitchens, cruise ships, hotels and casinos.
For those desiring executive chef jobs, a great deal of time training and preparation is needed. You should not expect to gain employment as an executive chef immediately upon graduation from culinary school. You will need to gain experience (a lot) and be a proven performer with mastery of all culinary skills; before you can even begin to think about a position as an executive chef. While the executive chef has ultimate responsibility for everything and everyone in a kitchen; the pay and rewards may well make achieving this position worthwhile for you.
