Brigade System Kitchen Hierarchy and Organization Escoffier developed
Brigade System Kitchen Hierarchy and Organization
Escoffier developed the Brigade to organize Professional Kitchen scientifically
Auguste Escoffier: King of Chefs
Escoffier Kitchen Brigade System Then and Now
Escoffier Kitchen Brigade System Then and Now For those of you interested in how professional kitchens operate to get food out to your table especially when the heat is on and the orders are coming in fast and furious, you have to look back in history to the great Auguste Escoffier.
Escoffier devised the system he called the Brigade de Cuisine: It created a hierarchy for all the positions in the kitchen. Most kitchens today use a similar system based on Escoffier’s ideas.
“Back in the Old Days…”
Before Escoffier created the Brigade System, kitcen were in a sense, an extension of the medieval guild system: • Labor was divides accorded to Trades and Skills • In the kitchen, overlap of tasks were taken for granted and time management was not a concern • Food was often left unrefrigerated for hours, even days. • As Europe entered the Modern Age, the Middle Class began to develop.
Because the Middle Class (Bourgeoise) had to earn their money and displayed their wealth differently than the old Aristocracy: • Demanded that Food Service was Timely and Well Managed • Sought to have meals that could be eaten in less time than the old Royal Banquets • Chefs began to alter their own practices in order to cater to the Nouveau Riche
What was needed was a system by which culinary tasks were codified and delegated to specific workers in the kitchen. Enter Escoffier and his Brigade de Cuisine. • Escoffier realized that if he could pare the time at table down from six hours to only one or two, the middle class could work a full day and spend their money at a fine hotel restaurant.
Escoffier modeled his Brigade system on the military hierarchy. • This system was based on a strict chain of command a separation and delegation of tasks to a host of different kitchen workers. • The traditional brigade system is specialized almost to the point of dysfunction. • In the brigade, every man has a job and there is a job for every man. Just as in the military, the chain of command is never broke, and the kitchen is always cooking.
Prior to Escoffier and his Brigade system, a cook in one part of the kitchen could be doing the exact same task as another cook without knowing it or really questioning it. • Escoffier eliminated the duplication and redundancy of labor.
If a cook was working on a task, that cook was doing it for all the kitchen. Rather than having nine cooks peeling potatoes for seven separate dishes, at different times: He consolidated the task to one position. This could reduce labor and waste.
Members of the Brigade The general hierarchy is as follows, with each position directly responsible to the position above his. • Chef de Cuisine –This chef is in charge of the entire kitchen. He prepares menus, purchases foods and directs everything that goes on in his kitchen. • Sous Chef de Cuisine –Sous means” Under” in French. The sous chef is the chef de cuisine’s deputy chef. He takes his orders directly from the chef de cuisine and acts in his place if he is not present.
Chef de Partie –There is no one chef de partie. A chef de partie is in charge of a particular station in the kitchen. Each chef de partie might have one or more cuisiniers, commis or apprentices working directly under him.
• Cuisinier –The cuisiniers are cooks. They are responsible for preparing specific dishes at a specific station. • Commis -the commis, or junior cooks, also work a specific station, but they are generally responsible for taking care of the tools on that station. They report directly to the chef de partie.
• Apprentice – An apprentice might work a specific station, eventually. • They are usually gaining work experience and help with cleaning and prep work. • At the start of his apprenticeship, an apprentice might even find himself washing dishes
The Stations There were many stations in the kitchens of Escoffier’s time. Each station was run by a chef de partie who reported to the sous chef. The stations listed below are still seen, in whole or combined with other stations, in modern commercial kitchens.
• Saucier – the saucier is the sauté cook—the guy who flips stuff in pans. He’s also the guy who makes the sauces. • Rotisseur – the rotisseur is the chef in charge of roasts. In Escoffier’s day, he also supervised the following two positions. • Grillardin – this is the “grill man, ” the guy in charge of making sure all grilled meats come out perfectly cooked and timed correctly for quick service • Friturier – the friturier is the fry cook—he’s the one frying your French fries as well as any other deep fried items—oysters, catfish, tempura. If it comes out of the fryer, it’s the friturier’s job.
• Poissonier – this is the fish cook—the poissonier is in charge of all fish and seafood preparations—from sautéing to poaching • Entremetier – this chef de partie is in charge of entrees, literally the “entrance” to the meal. In today’s kitchen, we consider entrees to be the “main course, ” but in Escoffier’s day, the entrée was a lighter, starter course. In the traditional brigade system, the entremetier supervised the first two courses which guest received. • Potager – the soup guy. The potager was in charge of making soups. In this position, it was one of his jobs to use up any leftover scraps that might otherwise go to waste. A good potager could save a kitchen a bundle of money in food cost.
• Garde Manger – In the traditional brigade system, the garde manger chef was in charge of all cold preparations, from gazpacho to charcuterie, from salads to pates. It was the garde manger’s charge to virtually eliminate food waste by finding uses for food scraps His true craft came from presenting them in ways that were pleasing both to the palate and the eye. • Patissier – This is the pastry chef. It is the pastry chef’s job to create and present all dessert items. In the Escoffier kitchen, the patissier also supervised an ice cream cook (glacier), and candy cook (confiseur) and the cook charged with making large show pieces (decorateur) as well as the boulangier. • Boulanger – the boulangier is the baker. It was his job to prepare breads and breakfast pastries.
Patissier
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