partiejobz's Journal

Chef de partie jobs: what’re the various tasks/ responsibilities?

There's a wide selection of jobs available in the catering industry - one of them being a chef de partie job. With an annual turnover close to £4 million in the UK, the catering industry is a popular career selection for both young and old. Chef de partie jobs in particular give the individual a selection of food areas in which he/she would like to specialise.

What is a chef de partie?

A chef de partie can also be referred to as a ‘station chef’ or possibly a ‘line cook’ responsible for a certain production area in the kitchen. In bigger establishments each chef de partie may have many cooks and assistants, nevertheless in many kitchens the chef de partie takes care of their designated tasks on their own. Chef de partie jobs are often split up into a hierarchy of their own starting with ‘first cook’ and ‘second cook’ and so on.

Chef de partie job titles range from the following:

Sauté-chef (saucier): This specific chef de partie job puts the individual in charge of sautéed items and their sauces. It's the most stratified positions of all the different stations.

Fish chef (poissonier): In this station the chef de partie makes any food with fish. He/she might also do the fish butchering as well as fish sauces. This chef de partie job can often be combined with the sauté chef position.

Roast chef (rotisseur): In the position as roast chef, the chef de partie will make roasted or braised meats together with their appropriate sauces.

Grill chef (grillardin): This particular chef de partie job could be combined with roast chef, where the individual will prepare all sorts of grilled food.

Fry chef (friturier): Just like a grill chef, this position can also be combined with the role as roast chef. In this chef de partie job, tasks consist of preparing all fried items.

Vegetable chef (entremetier): A vegetable chef preps hot appetisers, soups, vegetables, pastas as well as starches. In a full system of chef de partie jobs however, there'd be a separate potager who would prepare the soups, whilst the legumier would prepare the vegetables.

Roundsman (tournant): This specific chef de partie job can also be referred to as swing cook. A roundsman can take on any specific role on any station whenever is required.

Pantry chef (garde manger): Chilled courses including salads and cold appetisers are prepared by the pantry chef. In this certain chef de partie job the individual can also prepare patés along with other charcuterie items.

Butcher (boucher): The individual will butcher meats, poultry and fish in this chef de partie job. They can also be responsible for breading the meats and fish.

Pastry chef (patissier): In this chef de partie job the individual will make baked goods which include pastries, cakes, biscuits, macaroons, chocolates, breads as well as desserts. A pastry chef can also specialise in cakes only in patisseries or bakeries where they might make wedding, cupcakes, birthday as well as special occasion cakes. In larger sized restaurants this specific chef de partie job is sometimes given the chance to supervise their own separate workforce in a different kitchen.

Training and qualifications

There is no fast track to getting a chef de partie job. It requires dedication, skill, and also experience - most individuals start off as a kitchen aide initially.

Catering job apprenticeship: It’s wise to make an application for an apprenticeship at the age of 16 when you’ve done your GCSEs. This is how the vast majority of people that have chef de partie jobs have started - as food preparation workers before they are able to advance further. Responsibilities involved will naturally require less skill and limited responsibility compared to a chef de partie, but as you advance you'll be given more responsibilities as well as higher-skilled duties to undertake.

Culinary Arts School: Another (and better) method in which it is possible to secure a chef de partie job is by enrolling at a Culinary Arts school. The duration of courses at these types of schools range anywhere from around several months to as long as 4 years if not more, depending on the course you take up. This sort of formal training gives you higher chances of getting a chef de partie job as opposed to no previous formal training.

Food Hygiene Certificate: In a chef de partie job, it is almost certain that you’ll be in immediate contact with foodstuff. Therefore, this means that you’ll have to get yourself a food hygiene certificate. This shows your employer that you've learned all about and grasped the basics of food hygiene in the kitchen area.