Tips
Quality and Taste - KEEP IT FRESH!
You don't need expensive ingredients to create delicious food, and cheaper ingredients don't have to be frozen or flavourless. The key is using fresh ingredients, seasoning, and tasting every single dish before serving. If it isn't delicious, if you wouldn't eat it yourself, don't serve it. Keep the customers coming back for more.
Keep It Simple
The most frequent mistake we come across is overly extensive menus, trying to cater to all tastes. This causes poor turnover of product, a higher purchase price (due to lack of product consolidation), wastage and unnecessary pressure in the kitchen at peak service. Keep it simple, fresh and within the standards that your kitchen team can realistically maintain. Don't over promise and under-deliver.
Portion Control
Watch what is coming back on the plate and going in the rubbish - costing you money. Adjust your portions, set the standard and keep it consistent.
Service
Unite your front of house service team with your kitchen brigade, to improve communication and knowledge. The service team needs to understand the content of every dish (and learn the correct pronunciation), and know the higher GP items, so they can confidently make recommendations and up sell.
The Kitchen Brigade
Based on the French millitary system, the original kitchen brigade hierarchy was developed by Chef Georges Auguste Escoffier at The Savoy London in the 19th Century.
In Australia, we tend to follow a more simplified version with the most common positions being:
Executive Chef
Usually a multi outlet venue, overseeing all kitchen operations and responsible for controlling the budget and standards.
Executive Sous Chef
Usually a multi outlet venue, supporting the Executive Chef
Chef de Cuisine
Meaning: Head of the Kitchen,
now also known as Head Chef
Sous Chef
Formerly Sous-Chef de Cuisine, meaning under-chef of the kitchen,
second in command to, and assistant of the Chef de Cuisine/Head Chef.
Chef de Partie
Senior chef, responsible for a particular production station within the kitchen. Each station may also have its own title such as:
Saucier - sauces & sautée;
Poissonnier - fish;
Garde Manger - cold foods;
Entremetier - vegetables, soups, egg dishes other dishes without meat;
Rôtisseur - roasted/braised meats;
Grillardin - grilled food;
Friturier - fried food;
Tournant - relief chef on any station;
Boucher - butcher;
Pâtissier - pastry chef (often runs their own separate kitchen at a senior level).
Demi Chef (de Partie)
A more recent role, usually in larger kitchens when more than one chef is required per station.
Commis Chef
Entry level, qualified chef.
Apprentice
Attending college, and training on the job, performing basic tasks.
Kitchenhand/cook
Performs basic tasks, no formal training.
Kitchen Porter
Originally the Plongeur (dish washer) and sometimes combined with a Marmiton (pot and pan washer), responsible for keeping the kitchen clean and tidy, removing rubbish and washing up.
Expediter/Aboyeur
Takes the orders from the restaurant, announces them to the relevant kitchen work stations and checks the quality of the meal going out. Sometimes responsible for garnishing the plate.
