| Culinary careers are surprisingly complex and varied. If | | | | right-hand person. He or she often plays the more |
| you ask anyone who has been through cooking | | | | direct role in overseeing staff and giving orders. |
| school, they'll tell you that this process required them | | | | Saucier: Sauciers are chefs who specialize in sauces, |
| to make big decisions about what they wanted to do | | | | whether it be pasta sauces, seafood marinades, or |
| with their careers. They had to decide which types | | | | anything else that fits into this category. While this |
| of food they wanted to primarily work with, and | | | | may seem like a relatively unimportant job, sauciers |
| they had to determine which specific skills they | | | | would beg to differ. Sauces are what give food its |
| wanted to have to supplement their abilities. And in | | | | flavor, and if it's not done well, you jeopardize the |
| many cases, the most qualified chef in one type of | | | | whole meal. |
| cuisine is completely clueless in another type. | | | | Poissonier: This term comes from the French word |
| If you've had a lot of fine dining experiences, you | | | | poisson, meaning fish. Thus, you can probably guess |
| may be wondering about all these chef terms that | | | | what the poissonier's speciality is. Yes, he or she |
| you've heard. Or if you're looking forward to a | | | | focuses on fish, plus seafood in general. |
| high-class meal in your future, maybe you want to | | | | Rotisseur: The rotisseur in a kitchen is in charge of |
| know about these terms to that you'll know when | | | | roasted, broiled, and braised meats. They're the ones |
| the time comes. Whatever your reason, it's very | | | | who know how to make those steaks taste perfect. |
| useful to know all these chef terms. | | | | But they're also experts on how to flavor meat. Ask |
| Here are the main ones. You'll notice that the names | | | | a rotisseur about her philosophy on barbecue, and |
| are in French. That's because this is how you'll | | | | she'll be able to talk your ear off for hours. |
| primarily hear them in cooking circles. If you're not | | | | Entremetier: Enteremetiers focus on many types of |
| familiar with French pronunciation, be sure to pay | | | | side dishes, especially vegetables dishes, soups, and |
| close attention to how others pronounce these | | | | egg dishes. |
| words. | | | | Patissier: The patissier is the pastry chef, focusing |
| Chef de cuisine: The chef de cuisine is the executive. | | | | primarily on pastries and desserts. In culinary schools, |
| He or she is the one who is in charge of everything. | | | | this is by far the most in-demand specialty, as |
| Most of the celebrity chefs that you've heard of are | | | | everyone loves dessert. |
| chefs de cuisine. They design the dishes, oversee | | | | Cook: If you peak into a kitchen, even at a fine |
| staff, and make sure that everything is done | | | | dining restaurant, you're likely to see some workers |
| properly. | | | | who have not been through the training required to |
| Sous chef: The sous chef is basically the assistant | | | | become a chef. These are the cooks. Many chefs |
| manager of the kitchen-the chef de cuisine's | | | | have at least one or two cooks working under them. |