{"id":298,"date":"2015-07-20T16:40:45","date_gmt":"2015-07-20T16:40:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/opentextbc.ca\/workinginfoodserviceindustry\/chapter\/food-service-positions-and-job-titles\/"},"modified":"2019-09-03T19:00:02","modified_gmt":"2019-09-03T19:00:02","slug":"food-service-positions-and-job-titles","status":"publish","type":"chapter","link":"https:\/\/opentextbc.ca\/workinginfoodserviceindustry\/chapter\/food-service-positions-and-job-titles\/","title":{"raw":"Food Service Positions and Job Titles","rendered":"Food Service Positions and Job Titles"},"content":{"raw":"

Back of House<\/h1>\r\nEfficient kitchens are well-organized kitchens. Most kitchens are organized into [pb_glossary id=\"436\"]stations[\/pb_glossary] or sections, with each responsible for preparing different food or menu items. All the stations together form what is called the [pb_glossary id=\"434\"]line[\/pb_glossary]. Usually, each station on the line has a separate name, but job titles often reflect the experience and the skills of the cook. This can be a bit confusing. For example, in larger establishments the positions of first cook, second cook, and third cook are common, but the skills and qualifications of people with these job titles can vary from restaurant to restaurant, and in some cases may be linked to salary structures within the [pb_glossary id=\"432\"]collective agreement[\/pb_glossary] of a union. As well, many people call themselves a chef when they are in reality a cook in a restaurant or someone who has taken culinary training.\r\n\r\nThe traditional hierarchy of the kitchen is a system called the [pb_glossary id=\"430\"]brigade[\/pb_glossary], created in France in the 19th century by Auguste Escoffier. Although most modern restaurants do not follow the traditional brigade system to the letter, many of the positions in restaurants are still referred to using the French terminology. Read the full listing of job titles in the traditional brigade<\/a> online.\r\n\r\nTable 2 lists job titles from the brigade system that are still in common use and describes how they fit into the modern restaurant structure. Important titles to know are bolded.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Table 2. Kitchen positions<\/caption>\r\n
Traditional Title<\/th>\r\nModern Alternatives<\/th>\r\nDuties<\/th>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
[pb_glossary id=\"440\"]Chef[\/pb_glossary], [pb_glossary id=\"478\"]Chef de Cuisine[\/pb_glossary]<\/td>\r\nKitchen manager<\/td>\r\nIn charge of the whole kitchen<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
[pb_glossary id=\"428\"]Sous-Chef[\/pb_glossary], [pb_glossary id=\"450\"]Executive Sous Chef[\/pb_glossary]<\/td>\r\nNone<\/td>\r\nSecond in command of the kitchen; supervises when the chef is absent<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
[pb_glossary id=\"452\"]Chef de Partie[\/pb_glossary]<\/td>\r\nSection cook<\/td>\r\nIn charge of a section or station<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
[pb_glossary id=\"468\"]Entremetier[\/pb_glossary]<\/td>\r\nVegetable station<\/td>\r\nPreparation of vegetables, starches, and accompaniments<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
Saucier<\/td>\r\nSauce or saut\u00e9 station<\/td>\r\nPreparation of sauces, hot appetizers, and finishing most entr\u00e9es<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
[pb_glossary id=\"466\"]Garde Manger[\/pb_glossary]<\/td>\r\nSalad station, cold kitchen<\/td>\r\nPreparation of cold kitchen items such as salads and cold appetizers<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
Tournant<\/td>\r\n[pb_glossary id=\"464\"]Swing cook[\/pb_glossary]<\/td>\r\nRotates between stations in the kitchen<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
P\u00e2tissier<\/td>\r\nPastry cook\/Pastry chef<\/td>\r\nPreparation of desserts<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
Poissonier<\/td>\r\nFish station<\/td>\r\nPreparation of fish and seafood<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
Grillardin<\/td>\r\nGrill cook<\/td>\r\nPreparation of grilled or broiled items<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
Cuisineur<\/td>\r\nCook, [pb_glossary id=\"462\"]Line cook[\/pb_glossary]<\/td>\r\nPreparation of a wide variety of foods<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
Commis<\/td>\r\nJunior cook<\/td>\r\nPreparation of a wide variety of foods<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<\/tbody>\r\n<\/table>\r\n

Front of House<\/h1>\r\nA similar structure exists in the front of the house, with restaurant and dining room managers having their own teams of servers, hosts\/hostesses, bussers, and bartenders to serve guests. The traditional brigade hierarchy also covered the front of house positions, and is still commonly used in France to this day, but only two have remained in common usage in Canada, namely ma\u00eetre d\u2019h\u00f4tel (or ma\u00eetre d\u2019 for short) and sommelier. Typical front of house positions and responsibilities are listed in Table 3.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Table 3. Front of house positions<\/caption>\r\n
Title<\/strong><\/th>\r\nAlternatives<\/strong><\/th>\r\nDuties<\/strong><\/th>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
Ma\u00eetre d\u2019\/Ma\u00eetre d\u2019Hotel<\/td>\r\nDining room or restaurant manager<\/td>\r\nIn charge of the front of the house<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
Sommelier<\/td>\r\nWine steward<\/td>\r\nResponsible for maintaining wine lists and the ordering and service of wine<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
Server<\/td>\r\nWaiter\/waitress<\/td>\r\nTakes orders, leads service<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
Busser<\/td>\r\nNone<\/td>\r\nSets and clears tables<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
Host\/Hostess<\/td>\r\nNone<\/td>\r\nSeats guests and often processes payment<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
Bartender<\/td>\r\nNone<\/td>\r\nPrepares drinks and beverages<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
Expediter<\/td>\r\nFood runner<\/td>\r\nBrings food to the table from the kitchen<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<\/tbody>\r\n<\/table>","rendered":"

Back of House<\/h1>\n

Efficient kitchens are well-organized kitchens. Most kitchens are organized into stations<\/a> or sections, with each responsible for preparing different food or menu items. All the stations together form what is called the line<\/a>. Usually, each station on the line has a separate name, but job titles often reflect the experience and the skills of the cook. This can be a bit confusing. For example, in larger establishments the positions of first cook, second cook, and third cook are common, but the skills and qualifications of people with these job titles can vary from restaurant to restaurant, and in some cases may be linked to salary structures within the collective agreement<\/a> of a union. As well, many people call themselves a chef when they are in reality a cook in a restaurant or someone who has taken culinary training.<\/p>\n

The traditional hierarchy of the kitchen is a system called the brigade<\/a>, created in France in the 19th century by Auguste Escoffier. Although most modern restaurants do not follow the traditional brigade system to the letter, many of the positions in restaurants are still referred to using the French terminology. Read the full listing of job titles in the traditional brigade<\/a> online.<\/p>\n

Table 2 lists job titles from the brigade system that are still in common use and describes how they fit into the modern restaurant structure. Important titles to know are bolded.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Table 2. Kitchen positions<\/caption>\n
Traditional Title<\/th>\nModern Alternatives<\/th>\nDuties<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n
Chef<\/a>, Chef de Cuisine<\/a><\/td>\nKitchen manager<\/td>\nIn charge of the whole kitchen<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Sous-Chef<\/a>, Executive Sous Chef<\/a><\/td>\nNone<\/td>\nSecond in command of the kitchen; supervises when the chef is absent<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Chef de Partie<\/a><\/td>\nSection cook<\/td>\nIn charge of a section or station<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Entremetier<\/a><\/td>\nVegetable station<\/td>\nPreparation of vegetables, starches, and accompaniments<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Saucier<\/td>\nSauce or saut\u00e9 station<\/td>\nPreparation of sauces, hot appetizers, and finishing most entr\u00e9es<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Garde Manger<\/a><\/td>\nSalad station, cold kitchen<\/td>\nPreparation of cold kitchen items such as salads and cold appetizers<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Tournant<\/td>\nSwing cook<\/a><\/td>\nRotates between stations in the kitchen<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
P\u00e2tissier<\/td>\nPastry cook\/Pastry chef<\/td>\nPreparation of desserts<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Poissonier<\/td>\nFish station<\/td>\nPreparation of fish and seafood<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Grillardin<\/td>\nGrill cook<\/td>\nPreparation of grilled or broiled items<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Cuisineur<\/td>\nCook, Line cook<\/a><\/td>\nPreparation of a wide variety of foods<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Commis<\/td>\nJunior cook<\/td>\nPreparation of a wide variety of foods<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

Front of House<\/h1>\n

A similar structure exists in the front of the house, with restaurant and dining room managers having their own teams of servers, hosts\/hostesses, bussers, and bartenders to serve guests. The traditional brigade hierarchy also covered the front of house positions, and is still commonly used in France to this day, but only two have remained in common usage in Canada, namely ma\u00eetre d\u2019h\u00f4tel (or ma\u00eetre d\u2019 for short) and sommelier. Typical front of house positions and responsibilities are listed in Table 3.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Table 3. Front of house positions<\/caption>\n
Title<\/strong><\/th>\nAlternatives<\/strong><\/th>\nDuties<\/strong><\/th>\n<\/tr>\n
Ma\u00eetre d\u2019\/Ma\u00eetre d\u2019Hotel<\/td>\nDining room or restaurant manager<\/td>\nIn charge of the front of the house<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Sommelier<\/td>\nWine steward<\/td>\nResponsible for maintaining wine lists and the ordering and service of wine<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Server<\/td>\nWaiter\/waitress<\/td>\nTakes orders, leads service<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Busser<\/td>\nNone<\/td>\nSets and clears tables<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Host\/Hostess<\/td>\nNone<\/td>\nSeats guests and often processes payment<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Bartender<\/td>\nNone<\/td>\nPrepares drinks and beverages<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Expediter<\/td>\nFood runner<\/td>\nBrings food to the table from the kitchen<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n
definition<\/span>