The head chef remains at the top of the hierarchy in restaurant kitchens without an executive chef. Like an executive chef, this person controls every aspect of the kitchen. They are responsible for creating menus, controlling kitchen costs, and managing kitchen staff. The second place in the kitchen hierarchy is a sous chef or an assistant chef.
The sub-chefs act as assistants to the master chef and work under his direction. Your responsibilities may include monitoring kitchen inventory, assigning staff schedules, and supervising the cleaning, training, and organization of kitchen staff. Although they are more involved in the kitchen than their superiors, sub-chefs can step in as master cooks when necessary. A kitchen curator is a junior chef who is still in the process of learning.
Most chefs start here as trainees. This position is suitable for entry-level individuals who are still in school or are just starting their careers. The executive chef is at the top of the kitchen hierarchy; his role is mainly managerial. Executive chefs usually manage the kitchens of several establishments and are generally not directly responsible for cooking.
One, different kitchens can combine several types of chefs or even separate a station into several seasons, each with a chef. The legendary chef Georges-Auguste Escoffier brought order to 19th century European kitchens by creating the Brigade System, the cooking system still in use today. Depending on the restaurant and on the person himself, like the CEOs of the business world, the head chef usually leaves much of the daily operation of the kitchen to people who are lower in the hierarchy, such as the sous chef. This chef specializes in a certain type of menu and teaches other chefs how to prepare this menu.
In addition to the menu, the executive chef is responsible for ensuring that the kitchen runs smoothly by supervising the other chefs. Chef de Cuisine is the traditional French term and, although it is slightly more common in European kitchens, head chef is the most commonly used title in the world. More of a practical chef than an executive chef, the assistant chef supervises all other chefs, including teaching them, correcting techniques and cooking as needed.
