Specialise As A Chef De Partie

A kitchen needs to be run with military precision. Because chefs are often working under pressure and with equipment that could cause injury, there is no room for error. A well run kitchen has a team of people in place that are trained to carry out their particular job to perfection. A chef de partie, or station chef, is in charge of a particular area and his job is to ensure his particular task is done properly so that the preparation process runs smoothly.

In large kitchens a chef de partie might also have several assistants – a ‘first cook” and then possibly a “second cook” etc – all of whom would report to him.  A station chef can be a specialist in various areas and some of the station chefs in a big kitchen could include the following:

•  Sauté chef who would be responsible for all sautéed items and their sauce.
• Fish chef – would be responsible for the preparation of fish dishes as well as the appropriate sauces.
• Roast chef prepares roasted and braised meats and their appropriate sauces.
• Grill chef is in charge of all grilled foods.
• Fry chef prepares all fried items and this position is sometimes combined with the roast chef
• Vegetable chef will prepare hot appetizers and soups, vegetables, pastas and sauces
• Pantry chef is responsible for preparing cold foods including salads, cold appetizers and pâtés.
• Pastry chef prepares baked goods, pastries and deserts.

As a fairly major player in the smooth running of a kitchen, a chef de partie needs to have both experience and some sort of qualification. At the Prue Leith Chefs Academy students can study to be a chef de partie and then go onto to specialise in their particular field. This culinary institute offers various diplomas which will give students a fantastic grounding on which they can build and develop their particular culinary skill. For more information on what culinary courses are offered at the Prue Leith Chefs Academy, click here and follow the links.