Kitchen Operations
This department designs, creates and delivers the food offer that is served to customers. Depending on the size of the venue, a kitchen can operate from breakfast right through to serving late night snacks. Most hotels and pubs serve an ‘all day dining’ menu, with peak service periods during lunch and dinner times.
Duties in this department include planning menus and determining related food costs, food cost control and budgeting, purchasing of required food and beverages, developing standard recipes and methods of food production, and preparing and plating food for service.
Kitchen Operations Hierarchy
Back of house -
all the action and activity that occurs ‘behind the scenes’ that customers don’t normally get to see.
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A kitchen hand is a great position for those not quite ready to face the perhaps daunting task of interacting with customers, but still be rewarded with the buzz of working in a busy kitchen. Kitchen hands are responsible for operating the large commercial dishwasher and ensuring chefs have the necessary utensils, equipment and work benches all cleaned and sanitised before, during and after service. There are also some food preparation duties involved. This a great role to take on if you are interested in learning how a kitchen operates, perhaps with a view to becoming an apprentice chef.
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Becoming a chef is a very rewarding experience, and it’s a career that can take you all around the world. A passion for food and an interest in different flavours and cuisines are highly desirable attributes here. A strong work ethic, a creative streak and a love of learning are also essential. An apprenticeship combines ‘on the job’ training and TAFE studies over a four-year period. At the end of the apprenticeship you become a fully qualified chef, a qualification that is recognised internationally.
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Why does it take four years to become a chef? Well, a qualified chef needs a thorough understanding of the inner workings of a kitchen and the equipment. They are also required to learn both classic and modern cooking techniques across many styles of cuisines, and are responsible for maintaining the highest standards of food and kitchen hygiene. Not to mention keeping up with food trends, understanding the seasonality of produce, managing food and operating costs and monitoring the quality and consistency of the food being produced.
Why become a chef? Well, there is no other job like it! It’s not just the love of food, there is also the enjoyment in the ‘science’ of cooking, and the camaraderie of working in a team of like-minded people in a very high paced and thrilling environment.
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Larger kitchen teams are often called ‘brigades’ and follow the French ‘brigade system’ in structure. This Chef de Partie is typically responsible for a certain section or station within a busy kitchen, for example, grilling, frying, cold foods or butchery production and reports to the Sous Chef.
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The Sous Chef is ‘second in charge,’ reporting to the Executive Chef. They assist the Executive Chef with key tasks and responsibilities, but are more ‘hands on’ with the day to day running of the hotel’s kitchens. As such, maintaining standards by ensuring all kitchen staff have the knowledge and skills they need to effectively do their jobs is a key focus for the Sous Chef.
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A Head Chef is responsible for the entire operation of the kitchen. This effectively means running a business within the business. The Head Chef is responsible for creating menus, the recruitment, training and development of kitchen staff, managing the financial performance of the kitchen and overseeing food quality, consistency and hygiene practices. The Head Chef also works closely with the front of house team to assist in improving knowledge about the menu, helping to understand and cater to customer dietary restrictions, and creating open lines of communication to ensure a seamless mode of operation between kitchen and front of house.
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The Executive Chef (sometimes called the Chef de Cuisine) is the most senior role in a hotel kitchen. Actually, the person in this role is often responsible for establishing standards and overseeing the seamless production of food across multiple kitchens, meaning it’s likely they don’t actually have time to do much ‘hands on’ cooking! High food costs spell ‘bad news’ for hotel kitchens, so effective staff training, budgeting and menu development, using seasonal produce, are key responsibilities of this role.
