Walk into a busy professional restaurant kitchen during dinner service and it can look chaotic.
Orders are being called out. Pans are moving across burners. Fryers are running. Prep cooks are restocking ingredients. Plates are being assembled. Dishwashers are sending clean equipment back into the kitchen.
Despite all of that movement, well-run commercial kitchens usually have a very clear chain of command.
This structure is commonly known as the kitchen hierarchy or brigade de cuisine.
The traditional system organizes kitchen employees into specific levels and stations so everyone knows:
- Who they report to
- What station they are responsible for
- Who makes decisions during service
- Who is responsible for food quality
- Who prepares ingredients
- Who cooks each part of an order
At the top is usually an executive chef or chef de cuisine. Below that are sous chefs, station chefs, line cooks, prep cooks, and other specialized kitchen employees.
At the bottom of the formal hierarchy are positions such as kitchen porters and dishwashers, although these employees are still absolutely essential to keeping the restaurant operating.
This guide explains the typical hierarchy of a restaurant kitchen from the executive chef all the way down to entry-level kitchen positions, what each job does, and how the traditional French brigade system compares with a modern restaurant kitchen.
What Is the Kitchen Hierarchy?
The kitchen hierarchy is the organizational structure used to divide responsibility inside a professional kitchen.
A traditional version might look like this:
- Executive Chef
- Chef de Cuisine or Head Chef
- Sous Chef
- Chef de Partie or Station Chef
- Line Cook
- Commis Chef or Junior Cook
- Prep Cook
- Kitchen Porter
- Dishwasher
Not every restaurant has every one of these positions.
A small 40-seat restaurant may have one head chef, one sous chef, three line cooks, a prep cook, and a dishwasher.
A luxury hotel or large fine-dining restaurant may have dozens of cooks with highly specialized positions.
The Traditional Brigade de Cuisine
The modern kitchen hierarchy has roots in the brigade de cuisine, a system associated with French chef Auguste Escoffier.
The idea was to organize a large kitchen almost like a military unit.
Instead of every cook doing everything, each person would have a specific job.
One chef might handle sauces.
Another might handle fish.
Another might prepare cold dishes.
Another might run the grill.
Clear responsibilities helped large kitchens serve many customers efficiently while maintaining consistency.
Restaurant Kitchen Hierarchy at a Glance
| Level | Typical Position | Main Responsibility |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Executive Chef | Overall culinary direction and kitchen management |
| 2 | Chef de Cuisine / Head Chef | Runs the individual restaurant kitchen |
| 3 | Sous Chef | Second-in-command and daily operations |
| 4 | Chef de Partie | Runs a specific station |
| 5 | Line Cook | Cooks menu items during service |
| 6 | Commis Chef | Junior cook learning a station |
| 7 | Prep Cook | Prepares ingredients before service |
| 8 | Kitchen Porter | Supports cleaning, organization and basic kitchen work |
| 9 | Dishwasher | Washes dishes, cookware and kitchen equipment |
1. Executive Chef
At the top of a large kitchen organization is usually the executive chef.
The executive chef may not spend every minute of every service standing over a sauté pan.
At this level, the job becomes heavily focused on leadership and management.
An executive chef may be responsible for:
- Creating the overall menu
- Developing recipes
- Hiring kitchen leadership
- Setting food-quality standards
- Managing food costs
- Working with suppliers
- Planning kitchen labor
- Controlling waste
- Training chefs
- Maintaining consistency
- Selecting kitchen equipment
In a hotel, restaurant group, resort, casino, or multi-unit operation, an executive chef may oversee several kitchens or dining concepts.
Does Every Restaurant Have an Executive Chef?
No.
In a small independent restaurant, the person called the executive chef may also be the head chef and may cook directly on the line every night.
In other restaurants, the title may not be used at all.
The restaurant may simply have a head chef.
What Equipment Decisions Does an Executive Chef Make?
Executive chefs are often heavily involved when a restaurant purchases major commercial equipment.
They may decide how much:
- Burner capacity
- Refrigeration
- Prep space
- Fryer capacity
- Griddle space
- Oven capacity
the kitchen needs.
Restaurant operators planning a cooking line can compare commercial restaurant ranges at Nishi Enterprise, while additional cold storage can be planned through the commercial refrigeration collection.
2. Chef de Cuisine or Head Chef
The chef de cuisine, usually called the head chef in English, is responsible for running a specific restaurant kitchen.
In some restaurants, executive chef and chef de cuisine are effectively the same job.
In a larger organization, they can be separate positions.
For example:
A hotel executive chef might oversee:
- A steakhouse
- A breakfast restaurant
- A banquet kitchen
- Room service
Each restaurant may then have its own chef de cuisine.
What Does the Head Chef Do?
A head chef may be responsible for:
- Running service
- Supervising sous chefs
- Checking food quality
- Training cooks
- Managing kitchen scheduling
- Ordering food
- Managing inventory
- Controlling food waste
- Maintaining recipes
- Ensuring the kitchen is ready for service
If a dish keeps coming out incorrectly, the head chef ultimately needs to solve the problem.
Executive Chef vs. Head Chef
| Executive Chef | Head Chef / Chef de Cuisine |
|---|---|
| May oversee multiple kitchens | Usually runs one kitchen |
| More strategic and managerial | More involved in daily kitchen operations |
| May develop company-wide menus | Executes the menu in one restaurant |
| Often involved in budgets and purchasing | Often directly supervises service |
Again, smaller restaurants frequently combine these roles.
3. Sous Chef
Below the head chef is usually the sous chef.
The word "sous" means "under" in French, so the sous chef is essentially the chef directly underneath the head chef.
The sous chef is typically the second-in-command of the kitchen.
What Does a Sous Chef Do?
The sous chef often handles much of the day-to-day management.
Responsibilities may include:
- Running the line during service
- Assigning cooks to stations
- Checking mise en place
- Tasting sauces and prepared food
- Training new cooks
- Managing breaks
- Checking closing duties
- Handling problems during service
- Stepping into stations when needed
If the head chef is absent, the sous chef may run the entire kitchen.
The Sous Chef Is Usually Very Hands-On
An executive chef may spend part of the day dealing with suppliers, scheduling, costing, and menu development.
A sous chef is usually much closer to what is happening on the line.
During dinner service, the sous chef may be:
- Calling tickets
- Checking plates
- Helping the sauté station
- Restocking cooks
- Correcting mistakes
- Making sure every station stays together
Can a Restaurant Have More Than One Sous Chef?
Absolutely.
A high-volume restaurant may have:
- Executive Sous Chef
- Morning Sous Chef
- Evening Sous Chef
- Banquet Sous Chef
- Pastry Sous Chef
The larger the kitchen becomes, the more layers of management may be necessary.
4. Chef de Partie or Station Chef
Below the sous chef is traditionally the chef de partie.
This means the chef responsible for a specific part or station of the kitchen.
In a modern American restaurant, a chef de partie may simply be called:
- Station chef
- Lead line cook
- Station lead
Their job is to make sure one particular station is completely ready and operating correctly.
What Is a Kitchen Station?
A station is an area of the cooking line responsible for specific foods or cooking methods.
Common stations can include:
- Sauté
- Grill
- Fry
- Cold station
- Pantry
- Pizza
- Pastry
- Fish
- Tandoor
- Wok
Each station may have its own:
- Cooking equipment
- Refrigeration
- Utensils
- Prep list
- Ingredients
Traditional Chef de Partie Positions
In the classical French brigade, station chefs could have very specialized titles.
Saucier: Sauce Chef
The saucier traditionally handles sauces and may also work with:
- Stocks
- Gravies
- Stews
- Certain sautéed dishes
This is traditionally considered one of the most skilled stations in a classical kitchen.
A sauce station relies heavily on quality commercial cookware, including sauce pots, sauté pans, stock pots, and frying pans.
Poissonnier: Fish Chef
The poissonnier specializes in fish and seafood.
Responsibilities may include:
- Portioning fish
- Cooking seafood
- Preparing fish sauces
- Monitoring seafood quality
Rôtisseur: Roast Chef
The rôtisseur traditionally handles roasted meats and related preparations.
Grillardin: Grill Chef
The grillardin works the grill.
Depending on the restaurant, this person may cook:
- Steaks
- Burgers
- Chicken
- Fish
- Vegetables
Friturier: Fry Chef
The friturier operates the fryer station.
This station may be responsible for:
- French fries
- Fried chicken
- Wings
- Seafood
- Appetizers
Entremetier: Vegetable and Starch Chef
The entremetier traditionally handles vegetables, starches, soups, and certain egg preparations depending on the kitchen.
Garde Manger: Cold Station Chef
The garde manger is responsible for cold food.
This may include:
- Salads
- Cold appetizers
- Charcuterie
- Cold sauces
- Garnishes
Cold stations need convenient refrigerated storage. Restaurants can compare commercial refrigeration and refrigerated prep equipment for ingredients that need to remain close to the station.
Pâtissier: Pastry Chef
The pâtissier runs pastry and dessert production.
The pastry department may produce:
- Cakes
- Tarts
- Pastries
- Custards
- Breads
- Plated desserts
Tournant: Relief Cook
The tournant is a highly versatile cook who can move between stations as needed.
If the grill cook is absent, the tournant may work grill.
If the sauté station suddenly becomes overwhelmed, the tournant may assist there.
Being able to work several stations makes this position extremely valuable.
Modern Restaurants Usually Combine These Positions
Most ordinary restaurants do not employ a separate saucier, poissonier, grillardin, and friturier.
Instead, the modern line may look more like:
- Sauté Cook
- Grill Cook
- Fry Cook
- Pantry Cook
- Expo
One cook may even handle multiple traditional responsibilities.
5. Line Cook
The line cook is one of the most important jobs in almost every commercial restaurant kitchen.
Line cooks are responsible for actually preparing many of the dishes customers order during service.
They usually work at assigned stations.
What Does a Line Cook Do?
A line cook may:
- Set up their station before service
- Check ingredient quantities
- Cook customer orders
- Communicate with other stations
- Maintain food quality
- Restock ingredients
- Clean the station
- Break the station down after service
The Line Is Where the Menu Becomes Food
The head chef may design the menu.
The sous chef may supervise the kitchen.
But line cooks are the people producing plate after plate during the busiest part of service.
A restaurant can have a brilliant menu and still fail if the line cannot execute it consistently.
Example of a Restaurant Cooking Line
Imagine an order enters for:
- Steak
- French fries
- Vegetables
- Salad
Several cooks may work on that single table.
The grill cook prepares the steak.
The fry cook prepares the fries.
The sauté station prepares the vegetables.
The pantry cook prepares the salad.
All four components need to finish at roughly the same time.
That coordination is why communication and hierarchy matter.
Line Cooks Need the Right Equipment at Their Stations
The cooking line must be designed around the menu.
Depending on the concept, line cooks may work with:
- Ranges
- Griddles
- Charbroilers
- Fryers
- Ovens
- Wok ranges
- Tandoors
Restaurants building or expanding their line can browse commercial gas ranges and other restaurant cooking equipment from Nishi Enterprise.
What Is a Tandoor Chef?
Indian restaurants may have a station that does not exist in a traditional French brigade: the tandoor station.
A tandoor chef may be responsible for:
- Naan
- Garlic naan
- Tandoori roti
- Chicken tikka
- Paneer tikka
- Seekh kebab
- Tandoori chicken
In a busy Indian restaurant, this can be one of the most specialized positions in the kitchen.
The cook needs to understand:
- Dough handling
- Skewer placement
- Heat management
- Timing
- Clay-wall bread cooking
Restaurants operating a traditional tandoor station can browse Nishi Enterprise's commercial tandoor ovens and related tandoor equipment.
What Is a Wok Cook?
Chinese and other Asian restaurant kitchens may have highly specialized wok cooks.
A wok cook must manage:
- Very high heat
- Fast cooking times
- Sauce additions
- Ingredient sequence
- Multiple simultaneous orders
The equipment for this type of station is different from a standard sauté range.
Nishi Enterprise carries dedicated commercial wok ranges as part of its restaurant cooking-equipment lineup.
6. Commis Chef or Junior Cook
A commis chef is typically a junior cook working under a chef de partie or more experienced cook.
This position is commonly associated with the traditional brigade system.
A commis chef may:
- Prepare ingredients
- Assist with cooking
- Restock the station
- Learn recipes
- Practice knife skills
- Clean and organize the station
The goal is often to learn enough to eventually operate the station independently.
Commis Chef vs. Line Cook
The terminology varies by restaurant.
In a classical brigade:
Chef de Partie → Commis Chef
The chef de partie leads the station while the commis assists.
In many American kitchens, the term commis is rarely used.
The restaurant may simply have:
- Lead Line Cook
- Line Cook
- Junior Line Cook
7. Prep Cook
Before the dinner rush begins, an enormous amount of preparation has already happened.
That is where the prep cook becomes essential.
Prep cooks prepare ingredients so the line cooks can work quickly during service.
What Does a Prep Cook Do?
Typical responsibilities include:
- Chopping vegetables
- Peeling produce
- Portioning meat
- Making sauces
- Preparing marinades
- Making stocks
- Weighing ingredients
- Labeling containers
- Preparing garnishes
Prep Is What Makes Fast Service Possible
A line cook usually does not have time to stop during a 7 p.m. rush and chop an entire bag of onions.
Those onions should already be prepared.
The same applies to:
- Sauces
- Meat portions
- Vegetables
- Dough
- Garnishes
This preparation is often called mise en place, a French term referring to having the ingredients and tools needed for service organized and ready.
Equipment Used by Prep Cooks
Prep cooks may use:
- Chef's knives
- Cutting boards
- Food processors
- Commercial blenders
- Mixers
- Meat slicers
- Immersion blenders
- Work tables
Nishi Enterprise carries commercial kitchen knives for professional food preparation, along with commercial food-prep equipment such as processors, mixers, grinders, and blenders.
Restaurants also need sufficient physical workspace for prep. Nishi Enterprise's commercial stainless steel work tables provide dedicated surfaces for chopping, portioning, assembling, and staging ingredients.
8. Kitchen Porter
The title kitchen porter is more common in some countries than others.
A kitchen porter is a support employee who helps keep the back of house organized and clean.
Responsibilities can include:
- Cleaning kitchen areas
- Moving supplies
- Taking out trash
- Helping wash equipment
- Cleaning floors
- Putting deliveries away
- Performing basic prep
Some restaurants divide these responsibilities among dishwashers, prep cooks, and utility workers instead of having a formal kitchen-porter position.
9. Dishwasher
The dishwasher is sometimes described as the bottom of the kitchen hierarchy.
That description refers only to organizational rank.
It does not mean the position is unimportant.
In reality, the entire kitchen can grind to a halt if the dish area falls behind.
What Does a Restaurant Dishwasher Do?
The dishwasher may be responsible for washing:
- Plates
- Bowls
- Flatware
- Glasses
- Sheet pans
- Stock pots
- Sauté pans
- Kitchen utensils
- Food containers
The role may also include:
- Taking out trash
- Cleaning floors
- Organizing clean cookware
- Keeping the dish area clean
Why the Dishwasher Is So Important
Imagine the sauté station owns ten pans.
All ten become dirty.
If those pans never return from dishwashing, the cook cannot continue producing food.
The same applies to:
- Plates
- Knives
- Mixing bowls
- Utensils
- Food pans
A great dishwasher keeps equipment circulating back into the kitchen so everyone else can continue working.
Where Does the Expediter Fit Into the Hierarchy?
The expediter, often called expo, is a little different because it is more of a service role than a fixed rank.
The expediter coordinates completed dishes before they leave the kitchen.
Expo may:
- Read tickets
- Call orders
- Coordinate stations
- Check plates
- Add final garnishes
- Make sure an entire table is ready together
Depending on the restaurant, expo might be:
- The executive chef
- The head chef
- The sous chef
- A dedicated expediter
Why Does Expo Matter?
Suppose a table orders:
- One steak
- One pasta
- One chicken dish
- One fish dish
Those items may come from four different stations.
The expediter makes sure they arrive together instead of one person receiving dinner ten minutes before everyone else.
Where Does the Pastry Chef Fit?
In a large restaurant, pastry can function almost like a separate kitchen.
The pastry chef may report to:
- The executive chef
- The chef de cuisine
and may have their own:
- Sous chef
- Pastry cooks
- Bakers
- Assistants
Small restaurants may simply have one cook responsible for desserts.
Where Does the Butcher Fit?
The traditional brigade can also include a boucher, or butcher.
This employee may break down:
- Beef
- Lamb
- Poultry
- Other proteins
Large hotels, butcher-heavy restaurants, and high-volume kitchens are more likely to maintain a dedicated butcher position.
Smaller restaurants may have prep cooks or chefs handle this work.
Commercial butchery and prep require appropriate knives. Restaurants can browse restaurant knives from Nishi Enterprise for chef's knives, boning knives, butcher knives, slicing knives, cleavers, and other commercial styles.
How Does the Hierarchy Work During Dinner Service?
Understanding the job titles is one thing.
Understanding how everyone communicates during a busy service is more important.
A simplified chain might look like:
Executive Chef / Head Chef → Sous Chef → Station Leads → Line Cooks → Junior Cooks
The kitchen relies on short, clear communication.
Example of an Order Moving Through the Kitchen
Imagine table 22 orders:
- One steak
- One salmon
- One pasta
- One salad
The ticket enters the kitchen.
The chef or expediter calls the order.
The grill station begins the steak.
The fish station begins the salmon.
The sauté station begins the pasta.
The pantry station prepares the salad.
Each cook communicates timing.
The expediter watches the entire table.
When everything is ready, all four plates are checked and sent together.
Why Do Cooks Say "Yes, Chef"?
In professional kitchens, cooks often answer instructions with:
"Yes, Chef."
The point is not simply tradition.
It confirms that the instruction was heard.
Imagine a chef says:
"Fire two salmon."
If the fish cook says nothing, the chef does not know whether the order was heard.
A clear response confirms the communication.
Why Does a Kitchen Need a Hierarchy?
A restaurant kitchen is not an ordinary office environment.
During a rush, decisions need to happen in seconds.
A clear hierarchy provides several advantages.
Clear Responsibility
Employees know who is responsible for each station.
Faster Decisions
If something goes wrong, cooks know who needs to decide what happens next.
Better Communication
Orders can move through a predictable chain.
Better Training
Junior cooks learn from more experienced station chefs and sous chefs.
Consistency
Senior chefs establish standards that are followed throughout the kitchen.
Hierarchy Does Not Mean Screaming at Employees
The traditional kitchen has a reputation for aggressive management.
But having a chain of command does not require disrespectful behavior.
A modern kitchen can have:
- Clear leadership
- High standards
- Fast communication
- Accountability
without creating an abusive workplace.
The purpose of hierarchy is organization, not intimidation.
How a Small Restaurant Kitchen Hierarchy Works
A small restaurant may not need ten different ranks.
A realistic small-kitchen structure could be:
- Head Chef
- Sous Chef
- 3 Line Cooks
- 1 Prep Cook
- 1 Dishwasher
The head chef may also work expo.
The sous chef may work a station.
The line cooks may each handle multiple responsibilities.
Example Small Restaurant Kitchen
| Employee | Role |
|---|---|
| Head Chef | Runs kitchen and expo |
| Sous Chef | Leads line and sauté station |
| Cook 1 | Grill |
| Cook 2 | Fryer |
| Cook 3 | Cold station |
| Prep Cook | Daytime preparation |
| Dishwasher | Dish and utility |
How a Large Restaurant Kitchen Hierarchy Works
A large hotel, resort, casino, or fine-dining restaurant may look more like:
- Executive Chef
- Executive Sous Chef
- Chef de Cuisine
- Several Sous Chefs
- Pastry Chef
- Several Chefs de Partie
- Line Cooks
- Commis Chefs
- Prep Cooks
- Kitchen Porters
- Dishwashers
The larger the operation becomes, the more useful specialization becomes.
Kitchen Hierarchy in an Indian Restaurant
An Indian restaurant may adapt the traditional hierarchy around its own cooking techniques.
A larger Indian kitchen might include:
- Executive Chef or Head Chef
- Sous Chef
- Curry Chef
- Tandoor Chef
- South Indian / Dosa Cook
- Fry Cook
- Prep Cooks
- Dishwashers
The exact structure depends on the menu.
The Curry Chef
A curry-focused station may handle:
- Gravies
- Dal
- Paneer dishes
- Chicken curries
- Goat and lamb curries
This station can require substantial burner capacity and large commercial cookware.
Restaurants can browse Nishi Enterprise's commercial cookware collection for sauce pots, stock pots, braziers, frying pans, kadai woks, and other restaurant cookware.
The Tandoor Chef
A dedicated tandoor chef may manage both breads and proteins.
During a busy dinner service, that could mean coordinating:
- Twenty naan orders
- Chicken tikka
- Paneer tikka
- Seekh kebabs
at the same time.
That is why tandoor cooking is often treated as a specialized station rather than simply another general line-cook responsibility.
Nishi Enterprise carries commercial tandoors and tandoor equipment for Indian restaurant kitchens.
The Dosa Cook
South Indian restaurants may have a dedicated dosa station.
A dosa cook needs to manage:
- Batter
- Cooking temperature
- Spreading technique
- Fillings
- Multiple simultaneous orders
Again, the traditional French titles are adapted to whatever stations the restaurant actually needs.
Why Equipment Layout Should Match the Kitchen Hierarchy
The organizational chart and kitchen layout should work together.
If four cooks need to constantly cross paths to reach ingredients, the hierarchy cannot solve the underlying layout problem.
Stations should ideally have the equipment and ingredients they use most frequently close by.
A Sauté Station May Need
- Range burners
- Sauté pans
- Undercounter refrigeration
- Sauces
- Tongs
- Ladles
A Prep Station May Need
- Stainless steel work tables
- Commercial kitchen knives
- Food-preparation equipment
- Ingredient containers
A Cooking Line May Need
- Commercial ranges
- Fryers
- Griddles
- Charbroilers
- Ovens
A Cold Station May Need
- Commercial refrigeration
- Ingredient pans
- Prep surfaces
- Knives
How Do You Move Up the Kitchen Hierarchy?
A typical career path may look something like:
Dishwasher → Prep Cook → Line Cook → Chef de Partie → Sous Chef → Head Chef → Executive Chef
Not everyone follows exactly this route.
A cook may start directly as a prep cook.
A culinary-school graduate may begin as a commis chef.
A very experienced line cook may eventually become sous chef.
But advancement generally comes from proving that you can handle increasing responsibility.
What Does a Cook Need to Learn to Become a Sous Chef?
Being the best cook on one station is not enough.
A sous chef needs to understand:
- Every station
- Timing
- People management
- Food safety
- Inventory
- Training
- Quality control
- Problem solving
What Does a Sous Chef Need to Learn to Become a Head Chef?
The higher someone moves in the hierarchy, the more management becomes part of the job.
A head chef needs to think about:
- Food cost
- Labor cost
- Scheduling
- Purchasing
- Menu engineering
- Hiring
- Equipment
- Restaurant profitability
Cooking skill remains important, but leadership becomes increasingly important too.
Is the Executive Chef Always the Best Cook?
Not necessarily.
An individual line cook may be faster at a particular station because they work it every night.
The executive chef's responsibility is broader.
They need to understand how the entire system works and make sure every cook produces food to the correct standard.
Chef vs. Cook: What Is the Difference?
The terms are sometimes used interchangeably, but traditionally a chef has greater responsibility for leadership, organization, menu development, or supervision.
A cook primarily prepares food.
For example:
- A line cook operates a station.
- A chef de partie leads a station.
- A sous chef leads several stations.
- A head chef leads the kitchen.
Does Every Kitchen Use French Titles?
No.
Most modern restaurants simplify the terminology.
Instead of:
- Poissonnier
- Grillardin
- Friturier
you are more likely to hear:
- Fish Cook
- Grill Cook
- Fry Cook
The principle is still the same.
Each person has a station and someone above them is responsible for coordinating the entire kitchen.
What Is the Most Important Position in the Kitchen?
There is no useful answer that identifies only one position.
The executive chef may make the major decisions, but the restaurant cannot operate without cooks.
The line cooks cannot operate without ingredients prepared by the prep team.
The prep team cannot work efficiently without clean tools and cookware.
The dishwasher helps keep those tools circulating.
A restaurant kitchen works because every part of the system supports the others.
Frequently Asked Questions About Kitchen Hierarchy
Who is at the top of a restaurant kitchen?
The executive chef is usually at the top in a large organization. In smaller restaurants, the head chef or chef de cuisine may be the highest-ranking kitchen employee.
What is below the executive chef?
In a large operation, a chef de cuisine or head chef may report to the executive chef. A sous chef typically sits below the chef responsible for the kitchen.
What is a chef de cuisine?
A chef de cuisine is the chef responsible for running a particular kitchen. The title is often translated or simplified as head chef.
What is a sous chef?
The sous chef is usually the second-in-command of a restaurant kitchen and helps supervise daily operations, cooks, stations, and service.
What is a chef de partie?
A chef de partie is a station chef responsible for one area of the kitchen, such as grill, sauté, fish, pastry, or cold food.
What is a line cook?
A line cook prepares menu items during restaurant service, usually while assigned to a specific cooking station.
What is a commis chef?
A commis chef is a junior cook who typically works underneath a station chef while learning the skills needed to operate that station.
What does a prep cook do?
Prep cooks prepare ingredients before service by chopping vegetables, portioning meat, preparing sauces, making marinades, weighing ingredients, and completing other mise en place.
What is a saucier?
A saucier is a traditional brigade position responsible for sauces and often stocks, gravies, stews, and certain sautéed dishes.
What is a garde manger?
The garde manger works with cold food such as salads, cold appetizers, charcuterie, garnishes, and other chilled preparations.
What is a pâtissier?
A pâtissier is a pastry chef responsible for desserts, pastries, and related baked products.
What is a tournant?
A tournant is a relief cook capable of moving between different kitchen stations when additional help is required.
Where does the dishwasher rank?
The dishwasher is generally an entry-level position near the bottom of the formal kitchen hierarchy, but it is a critical operational role because cookware, utensils, plates, and equipment need to continually return to service.
Where does the expediter fit?
The expediter coordinates orders and completed plates between the kitchen stations and dining room. The role may be performed by a head chef, sous chef, or dedicated expo employee.
Does every restaurant have a sous chef?
No. Very small kitchens may have only a head chef and cooks, while larger kitchens may employ several sous chefs.
Does every restaurant use the brigade system?
Not exactly. Many restaurants use a simplified version with a head chef, sous chef, line cooks, prep cooks, and dishwashers while still following the same basic chain-of-command principle.
What is the hierarchy in an Indian restaurant kitchen?
A larger Indian restaurant might have an executive chef or head chef, sous chef, curry chef, tandoor chef, specialty cooks, line cooks, prep cooks, and dishwashers. The exact structure depends on the menu.
Where can restaurants buy equipment for different kitchen stations?
Nishi Enterprise carries commercial ranges, commercial refrigeration, food-prep equipment, stainless steel work tables, commercial kitchen knives, restaurant cookware, and specialty equipment for professional restaurant kitchens.
Final Thoughts: How the Restaurant Kitchen Hierarchy Works
A professional restaurant kitchen may look chaotic from the outside, but successful kitchens usually operate with a clear structure.
At the top may be the:
Executive Chef
followed by the:
Head Chef or Chef de Cuisine
then:
Sous Chef
followed by:
Chefs de Partie and Station Leads
then:
Line Cooks
followed by:
Commis Chefs and Prep Cooks
with:
Kitchen Porters and Dishwashers
supporting the entire operation.
Large fine-dining restaurants may use highly specialized traditional roles such as saucier, poissonier, garde manger, pâtissier, and tournant.
Most modern restaurants simplify these positions into practical stations such as:
- Sauté
- Grill
- Fry
- Cold station
- Prep
Different cuisines create additional specialized jobs.
An Indian restaurant may have a dedicated tandoor chef and curry chef.
A Chinese restaurant may have an experienced wok cook.
A pizzeria may have a pizza cook responsible for dough, topping, and oven production.
The job titles matter less than the basic principle:
Every employee needs to know what they are responsible for and who is coordinating the kitchen.
The same principle should apply to the kitchen's physical setup.
Line cooks need suitable commercial cooking equipment.
Prep cooks need stainless steel work tables, commercial knives, and food-preparation equipment.
Stations need appropriate commercial refrigeration, while cooks need durable commercial cookware that can handle constant restaurant service.
Indian restaurant kitchens may also need dedicated commercial tandoors and other specialty cooking equipment for stations that do not exist in a traditional European brigade.
A great restaurant kitchen is ultimately a team.
The executive chef may lead it, but the restaurant only succeeds when the sous chefs, station chefs, cooks, prep team, utility employees, and dishwashers all perform their roles together.
