Types of Chefs, Training, and Career Opps

The contemporary kitchen, from institutional to fine restaurant, runs according to a strict hierarchy in which the chef plays a key role. Heirarchical assignments differ, but in most upscale American and European kitchens the nomenclature and roles are determined by the Brigade System, originally a French creation. Typical roles begin at the top with Executive Chef, followed by Sous Chef, followed again by Senior Chef. Prep roles trickle down through the ranks of cooks, each of which may be solely responsible for one aspect of the menu, such as sauces, baked goods, fried foods, fish, and desserts, to name a few. A traditional fancy French kitchen would have a complete rank and file of chefs, cooks and prep workers.

But the brigade system does not determine all the possible chef jobs. Institutional and casual restaurants have their own demands when it comes to chefs and in the last decade or so you’ve witnessed the rise in celebrity chefs.

If you’re considering pursuing a culinary career, it’s important you understand the various types of job positions commonly held by professional chefs.

• Executive Chef, also known by the term Chef de Cuisine, is the professional pinnacle to which many chefs only aspire. You in a role as Executive Chef would be in charge of the kitchen. You would direct the responsibilities of assistant chefs and be the creative persona planning, creating and approving the dishes as well as the menu.
• Sous Chef, or Assistant Chef, is the right-hand to the Executive Chef. As a Sous Chef you direct multiple assistant chefs, cooks and kitchen staff as well as figure into the culinary creation of dishes and menu.
• Senior Chef, formally called Chef de Partie, usually is assigned one particular menu specialty in which he or she excels. As Senior Chef you might also direct the prep work of minor kitchen staff and assistant cooks in your area.
• Demi Chef is very similar to Senior Chef. Customarily you would specialize in one particular type of dish and perhaps direct the prep work of staff key to your specialty. A good example would be sushi chefs.
• Pastry Chefs may be solely responsible for creation of the dessert menu. They may also work in concert with bakers, chocolatiers and others with very specialized dessert and pastry roles. Pastry chef colleges focus exclusively on training for this delicious job position.

‘Chef’ Versus ‘Cook’

A simple distinction between chef and cook:

• A chef is trained to master culinary forms, but also to provide creative innovation in menu, preparation and presentation.
• A cook is trained to master forms of food preparation, but usually takes close direction from a chef.

Other Types of Chefs

The modern culinary world has exploded with job possibilities and chefs no longer are tied to traditional kitchens. Here are a few types of chefs jobs you’ll find that fall outside the formal brigade system:

• Celebrity chefs, the likes of Wolfgang Puck and Emeril Lagasse, have been key in popularizing the culinary world. Personalities such as these must possess fearless culinary skills and present a fresh and charismatic personality that drives them to celebrity status.
• Private or Personal Chefs might be found earning big bucks in private household kitchens where the money to buy such culinary finery is no object.
• Research Chefs work at developing nutritionally balanced and innovative menus and dishes for large institutions or organizations and businesses that sell food products.