Kitchen Workflow and Service

Auguste Escoffier formalized the kitchen brigade system in the late 19th century, organizing the kitchen like a military unit. The executive chef (chef de cuisine) oversees operations. The sous chef is second in command. Station chefs (chefs de partie) run specific stations: saucier (sauces and sautéed items), poissonnier (fish), grillardin (grill), garde manger (cold preparations), and pâtissier (pastry). Modern restaurants often combine roles—a single cook might handle both grill and sauté—but the principle remains: every task has an owner, and communication follows a clear chain.