A Chef de Partie is a position usually found in larger restaurants and hotels. The Chef de Partie is responsible for each major area of cooking in the kitchen. Thus, the Chef de Partie can be a specialist in several of the different aspects of the cooking process that go on within the kitchens of a restaurant.

A Chef de Partie is also referred to as a ‘Station Chef’ or as a ‘Line Cook’. He is responsible for the area of food production in the kitchen. Often enough, there are several Chefs de Partie who work in rotation within the same kitchen. Within themselves as well, the Line Cooks can also be divided into a hierarchy starting with the position of the ‘First Cook’, the ‘Second Cook’ and so on.

A Chef de Partie can be assigned to any one of the number of different stations that are present within a kitchen. Each of these areas or stations may specialize in the preparation of a particular item on the restaurant’s menu.

A Chef de Partie can be a station chef of different areas of food processing or cooking. In that case, his designation will depend on the area of cooking that he is in charge of and specializes in. These different positions and stations are:

1. Saucier or Sauce Chef: This is the chef responsible for making the sauces and the sautes. This is the highest position of all the stations.
2. Boulanger: This is the chef in charge of baking the bread.
3. Confiseur: This is the chef in charge of cooking the candy.
4. Poissonier or Fish Cook: This is the chef in charge of cooking the fish.
5. Friturier: This is the chef in charge of all the deep frying cooking activities.
6. Grillardin: This chef is in charge of all the grilling activities in the kitchen.
7. Pantry Chef or Garde Manager: This chef is in charge of the cold foods like salads, salad dressings, pates, cold hors d’oeuvres, and such buffet items.
8. Potager: This chef is in charge of making the soups.
9. Rotisseur or Roast Cook: This chef is in charge of the different roasting related activities in the kitchen.
10. Entremetier or Vegetable Cook: This cook prepares the vegetables, soups, eggs and so forth. In many kitchens, these duties may also be sub-divided amongst the Vegetable Cook, the Fry Cook, and the Soup Cook.
11. Tournant: This is a very interesting position. Called a ‘Swing Cook’ or a ‘Relief Cook’ this chef has the special ability to work on any station in the restaurant as and when required. Usually, the person working on this post is working towards becoming a Sous Chef.

As a Chef de Partie, you can expect to make around $20,000 to $34,000 annually as your salary. However, larger organizations and restaurants may have a higher salary range as well.

As a Chef de Partie, one can expect to work in different areas of food processing within the kitchen – it can even be based on your preferred choice of the specific aspect of cooking that can guide you.

Want to learn how to cook international dishes where they originated? How about traveling to a particular country to learn about their cuisine? If your answer is a yes, then international cooking schools are just what you are looking for!

If you love international cuisines and fancy learning how to cook up those wonderfully mouthwatering dishes right where they originated, then traveling to that country to learn that cuisine is just the perfect solution for you! This way, not only do you get to travel to that country, but you also learn the authentic and classic methods of cooking those particular dishes! Isn’t it the best way to learn how to cook a particular dish?

There are several international cooking schools which conduct courses where you learn how to cook international dishes in the most authentic fashion. These institutes conduct courses that may span over a one-day course to a three month course in these international cuisines. There are also weekend course options which you can consider if a full-time course option is not suitable for you. If you are looking for a proper degree course, you can also think about joining these international culinary schools for a Bachelors degree course which typically lasts for 2 years.

All of these courses are very hands-on and teach you everything about cooking – right from the basics. Typically, you begin with learning about how to shop for the ingredients. Then you learn about the different methods and ways of creating the local culinary delicacies right from scratch. This enables you to learn the methods of cooking up different dishes right at the place where they originated and were perfected. So you have a more authentic knowledge of international cuisines.

The courses where you travel abroad to learn the different cuisines also gives you a broader perspective and an international outlook and exposure to the different styles of cooking and cuisines. All of this will, no doubt, add to your portfolio and create an interesting resume for your professional career in the culinary arts.

You can attend cooking schools in London, or cooking schools in Paris to learn about traditional English cuisine or traditional French cuisine respectively. Some international cooking schools also offer cooking courses that take place in countries like Italy and Spain – where you can live in these exotic locales, sample the local delicacies and learn how to make these dishes in a more authentic fashion.

So go ahead and take your culinary talents to another level! Attend an international culinary school – travel abroad to learn how to cook authentic international cuisine.

In the kitchen the chef is the boss. And before you get to be the boss, you have to work under him – working as the sous chef. So, what is being a sous chef all about?

In a typical restaurant kitchen, there is a hierarchy of the staff which cooks. The Main or Head Chef is the person who is in charge of all the things related to the kitchen. This includes creating menus, managing and scheduling, payroll management for the kitchen staff, placing orders for supplies and so forth. However, every Executive or Head Chef always has a trusted and reliable second-in-command. And that is the Sous Chef.

The word ‘sous’ means ‘under’ in French. So a Sous Chef is one who works under the Head Chef or the Chef de Cuisine. Typically, a Sous Chef is responsible for filling in whenever the Head Chef is off duty. He can also help the other chefs in the kitchen with their duties. A Sous Chef is that person who takes charge of all the things in the kitchen which come under the management of the Executive Chef. He is like the Head Chef in training.

If you want to be a Head Chef one day or if you want to own and run your own restaurant one day, then working as a Sous Chef is exactly what will prepare you for doing so. Mostly, it is a position which goes largely unnoticed because the Head Chef is the one getting all the glory. However, he Head Chef solely depends on you doing your part thoroughly for him to get to that glory. Meanwhile, you also have to be in charge of the staff under you. You are the one who they come to when they are under any kind of stress and trouble. In case any of the other Chefs don’t show up, or something goes wrong, you are the one standing in for them. You are also in charge of training staff for working in the kitchen. In short, the position of the Sous Chef is pretty much Middle Management.

In your position as the Sous Chef, you are in charge of ensuring that everything in the restaurant kitchen runs efficiently and smoothly. You are the one who is creating the behind-the-scenes magic which ensures that the restaurant runs like a well oiled machine. As a Sous Chef, you will be the first to come in and the last one to leave the job. A good Sous Chef is someone who is graceful, efficient and supportive. A good Sous Chef is clean and knowledgeable about the cuisine. An excellent Sous Chef is a good communicator and an effective organizer – and is someone who thrives on meeting deadlines. In short, a perfect Sous Chef is that juggler who enables all the culinary magic in the kitchen.

To become a Sous Chef, you will have to start with a degree in culinary arts by attending one of the man culinary schools worldwide. Then you have to start working in a restaurant. Typically, you will work your way up the corporate ladder – based on your talents and skills. Most of the skill sets of a Sous Chef are pretty much learnt on-the-job. So you will have to prove your mettle and learn the different aspects of the job in order to become a Sous Chef. While you work your way up, you can also work towards becoming a Certified Sous Chef – when you complete at least 5 years working at the entry level.

If you think that you are up for the challenge, and if you think that one day with your talents you can see yourself moving up from the post of the Sous Chef to the Chef de Cuisine, then this is just the right career option for you!