The Kitchen Brigade

By
Auguste Escoffier
 The Kitchen Brigade System
• A system of organization
• Created by Georges-Auguste Escoffier
• Evidence of brigade-style culinary
arrangements in late medieval France and
English
• The system delegates responsibilities
to different individuals that specialize
in certain tasks.
 Pre-test
Match the title with the position description.

1. Executive Chef a. Relief Cook

2. Sous Chef b. Fish
3. Saucier c. Broiled and Deep Fried
4. Poissoner d. Pastries and Desserts
5. Rotisseur e. Takes orders from wait
6. Grillardin staff and passes them
7. Garde Manger on to cooks
8. Patissier f. Cold Foods
9. Tournant g. Second in Command
10. Expediter h. Sauces, Stews, Stocks
i. Chef in charge
j. Roasted and Braised
Meats
 Executive Chef
• Chef in charge
• Aka: Chef de cuisine
 Sous Chef
• Second in command of production and
staff supervision
• Aka: sous-chef de cuisine
 Chef de partie
• Senior Chef
• Responsible for managing a specific
station in the kitchen where they specialize
in preparing particular dishes
 Demi-Chef
• Those that work in a lesser station than a
chef de partie
 Commis
• Junior cook
• Also works in a particular station but
reports directly to the chef de partie
• Takes care of the tools in that station
 Apprentice
• Students gaining knowledge
• Usually entrusted with preparatory and/or
cleaning work.
 Entremetier
• Prepares soups and other dishes not
involving meat or fish
• Includes vegetable and egg dishes
– Head of potager and legumier
 Potager
• Soup cook
 Legumier
• Prepares vegetable dishes
 Saucier
• Prepares sauces as well as warm hors
d’oeuvres and works the saute.
 Poissoner
• Prepares fish and seafood dishes
 Rotisseur
• Roasting cook
• Manages team that roasts, broils, and
deep fries
 Grillardin
• Grill Cook
• In a large kitchen, this person prepares
grilled foods instead of the rotisseur.
 Friturier
• Fry Cook
• In a large kitchen, this person prepares
fried foods instead of the rotisseur.
 Garde Manger
• Responsible for preparing cold hors
d’oeuvres, salads, sandwiches, etc.
• Also organizes large buffet displays and
charcuterie items
 Patissier
• Prepares desserts and other meal end
sweets
– Position is over Confiseur, Glacier,
Decorateur, and Boulanger
 Confiseur
• Prepares candies and petits fours
 Glacier
• Prepares frozen and cold desserts
 Decorateur
• Prepares show pieces and specialty cakes
 Boulanger
• Prepares bread, cakes, and breakfast
pastries
 Boucher
• Butchers meats, poultry, and sometimes
fish
 Cuisinier
• This position is an independent one where
they usually prepare a specific dish in a
station.
 Tourant
• Relief Cook or extra hand in the kitchen
 Expediter/Aboteur
• Takes orders from wait staff and passes
them on to cooks
 Plongeur
• Cleans dishes and utensils
• Sometimes entrusted with prep work
 Marmiton
• Pot and pan washer
Organization of Modern Kitchen
• The way the kitchen is organized depends
on many factors:
– The menu
– Type of Establishment
• Hotel, Institutional Kitchens, Catering, Quick
service restaurants, carry-out, etc.
– Size of operation
– Physical Facilities and Equipment Available
 In Reality
• The Classical Brigade System would be
replaced by grouping two jobs or more
together.
– One person working the grill, fryer, and
broiler.
• If the task is simplistic, may only require a
chef, two cooks, and two assistants.