What is Hotel Kitchen Organization?

Ahmet Ozdemir- Coord. Executive Chef 

 

The Hotel Kitchen consists of different kitchen sections within itself. Hotel kitchens, which are managed within the authority given to the kitchen chef by the hotel management, have a structure with a certain discipline, cleaning and hygiene, and hierarchy rules. The duties of all personnel working in the Hotel Kitchen are described below as the main headings.  

 

Note: 

I would like to point out that I registered the same definition on the " wikipedia " website as " hotel kitchen organization " on August 01, 2021 . But since I've posted it here, I think it might be copyright deleted from the wiki. I feel comfortable with the thought that my work will be useful for those who want it in gastronomy and tourism...  There is no harm in sharing my official website by stating the source .

 

1  Bibliography

2  Kitchen Chefs

2.1  Sauce Chef

2.2  Hot Section Chief

2.2.1  Hot Cooks

2.2.2  Soup Cook

2.2.3  Griller

2.2.4  Warm Helpers

2.2.5  Hot Apprentices

2.2.6  Staff Cook

2.2.7  Night Cook

2.2.8  Substitute Cooks

2.2.9  Vegetable Masters

2.2.10  Hot Diet Cook

2.3  Cold Section Chief

2.3.1  Appetizer Cooks

2.3.2  Cold Diet Cook

2.3.3  Cold Aids

2.3.4  Fish Cooks

2.3.5  Decorators

2.3.6  Cold Apprentices

2.4  Pastry Kitchen Chef

2.4.1  Pastry Master

2.4.2  Dessert Master

2.4.3  Baklava Maker

2.4.4  Bread Maker

2.4.5  Ice Cream Master

2.4.6  Pastry Shop Assistants

2.4.7  Pastry Shop Apprentices

2.5  A la Carte Chef

2.5.1  A la Carte Cooks

2.5.2 A  la Carte Auxiliaries

2.5.3 A  la Carte Apprentices

2.6  Butcher Chief

2.6.1  Butcher Masters

2.6.2  Butcher Assistants

2.6.3  Butcher's Apprentices

2.7  Breakfast Kitchen Chef

2.7.1  Breakfast Masters

2.7.2  Breakfast Helpers

2.7.3  Breakfast Apprentices

2.8  Banquet Kitchen Chef

2.8.1  Banquet Masters

2.8.2  Banquet Aids

2.8.3  Banquet Apprentices

2.9  Field Chief

2.9.1  Housekeepers

2.9.2  Plate Dishwashers

2.9.3  Boiler Dishwashers

2.9.4  Garbage Spills

2.9.5  Buffets

 

Hotel kitchens, restaurant kitchens, Fast Food Kitchens, Catering Kitchens, Airline Kitchens, Ship Kitchens and industrial kitchens operate with a certain hierarchical order and sequence. The only thing that does not change in all kitchen types is that the kitchen organization is entirely under the initiative of the kitchen chef. In the Hotel Kitchen Organization, each kitchen section in the kitchen has a chef and is subordinate to the head chef, that is, the kitchen chef. Here, the duties and responsibilities of the employees in the kitchen sections of the hotel kitchens, which are among the most detailed kitchens, are mentioned.

 

''Note: The definitions given in this study (Hotel Cuisine Organization) are taken into consideration for the standards of five-star hotels with international tourism standards and serving 12 months of the year.

 

====Kitchen Chef====

 

(Chef Head) The person who has all the responsibility in the kitchen in the hotel business is called the Kitchen Chef. The kitchen chef should be someone who can communicate comfortably as he should have knowledge and skills about all parts of the kitchen. The duties and responsibilities of each kitchen chef in the cuisines in the world of gastronomy are different. 

 

The responsibilities of the kitchen chef, who is the most important person in kitchen management, must also have management knowledge such as the management of the kitchen, planning, organizing, directing, influencing and controlling. As he should be in continuous development in the culinary profession, he should also follow the changes in the world of gastronomy in his field.

 

The main duties of the kitchen chef are:

 

 Choosing the kitchen staff to work with,

 Making the work schedules of the kitchen staff,

 To arrange the weekly and annual leaves of the kitchen staff,

 To provide communication between the kitchen and other parts of the business,

 Ordering the materials needed by the kitchen,

 Editing the menu types,

 Creating new food recipes,

 To ensure the complete implementation of kitchen hygiene rules,

 Controlling the food related organizations in the business,

 To ensure the complete implementation of hygiene rules in the kitchen.

 To carry out the dialogues between the other parts of the business and the kitchen,

 To constantly follow the innovations and renew itself.

 

====sauce chief====

 

He is the closest person to the kitchen chef. He is also the head of the hot kitchen section. After the kitchen chef, he is the most authorized person in all kitchen departments. In the absence of the kitchen chef, all responsibilities belong to the sauce chef. He is responsible for the preparation of all hot sauces used in the main kitchen and the cooking of meat dishes. 

 

The sauce chef (assistant chef), who can prepare all the main hot dishes and sauces, should have a professional background in which sauces will be compatible with different dishes. In the Tourism and Hospitality sector, sauce chefs are generally chosen from among the chefs of the kitchen departments and those who have knowledge and experience in every department in the kitchen.

 

====Hot Section Chief====

 

In the culinary profession, he is one of the cooks who is closest to the title of chief cook (kitchen chef) in the hotel kitchen organization in the professional sense. Responsible for preparing hot meals in the main kitchen. makes the division of labor to the personnel under his responsibility and checks whether the kitchen department employees do their duties. Prepares daily work reports in line with the demands of the company he works for and delivers them to the person he is responsible for. One day in advance, he examines the menus of the next day, prepares the list of needs and submits them to the relevant person after they are approved by the kitchen chef. When the sauce chef is not present, he fulfills the duties and responsibilities of the sauce chef.

 

====Hot Cooks====

 

There are weekly and daily menus given to all departments by the kitchen chef. Special meals were given to the masters (cooks) in charge of the departments with special recipes. Every day, the division of labor is made to the department employees by the hot section chief. They are responsible for performing the tasks assigned to the masters in the distribution of duties. At the same time, they direct their assistants to bring dry supplies and materials from cold storage in line with their needs. Hot section kitchen cooks ensure that all hot meals are ready at the specified times for open buffets and related organizations. 

 

====Soup Cook====

 

He is responsible for preparing all the soups in the menu given to him by the Hot Section Chief, completely and on time. He assigns assistants and apprentices in the department for the materials and soup preparations needed for the preparation of soups. 

 

====Grill====

 

He is in constant contact with the butcher shop. He gives the list of meat types he has prepared about the types of meat he needs to the butcher chef one day in advance. It seasons the meat it receives according to the "meat seasoning" content in accordance with the standards given to it before, and ensures that it rests sufficiently. It cooks all the meat that needs to be grilled according to the relevant organizations during the buffet hours and during the day and ensures that it is ready on time. It keeps the cooked meat hot on a counter called "[[bain-marie]]" so that it does not get cold.

 

====Hot Helpers====

 

In the hot kitchen section specified in the hotel kitchen organization, they are responsible for making the preliminary preparations of all the ingredients that the hot chef and hot masters will use in the meals.

 

====Hot Apprentices====

 

They carry all kinds of tools and equipment to be used in the hot section kitchen during the day. For example; pots, pans, ladles, colanders, strainers, blenders and related food processors. In the hot kitchen section specified in the hotel kitchen organization, the hot chef, hot masters and hot assistants are responsible for bringing all the materials to be used in the preliminary preparation from the dry food warehouses and cold storage warehouses to their departments. At the same time, they help first the assistants and then their masters in meal preparations. They are responsible for all kinds of order and cleaning of the hot section. 

 

====Staff Chef====

 

All personnel in tourism and hotel management are classified according to the relevant departments and act in an orderly manner. One of them is that the staff working in the hotel eat at the restaurants allocated to them at the specified times. Although hotel staff eat in separate restaurants, they eat the same food. Large tourist facilities have cooks and kitchen sections that only cook for the staff. The name of this kitchen is the staff kitchen. 

 

The food menu of the staff kitchen is prepared weekly by the kitchen chef. Staff meal menu usually consists of 3 or 4 items. These; It consists of soup, main course, salad or rice and a drink. Sometimes dessert can replace the 4th product. The master who makes all these dishes is called the staff cook. The staff cook is only responsible for staff meals. Breakfast, lunch and dinner are served in the staff cafeteria every day.

 

====Night Cook====

 

The Night Cook is one of the most important employees in the kitchen organization. It is in the kitchen during the night when the kitchen chef and sauce chef are not in the kitchen. The Night Chef is not the only person working in the main kitchen of the hotel. Breakfast kitchen staff, meals going to room service and cleaners are under the responsibility. If I need to specify exactly, night cook means the chef of the kitchen and his authority is in the status of section chefs (kitchen section chefs).

 

One of the other duties of the Night Chef is to make the preliminary preparations of the meals to be made in the hot kitchen in the morning.

 

====Reserve Cooks====

 

In the hotel kitchen organization, there are deficiencies in the work divisions and weekly work programs. These deficiencies are caused by weekly leaves, annual leaves and sick leaves and the like. Substitute Chefs replace the missing masters in the work programs prepared by the kitchen chef together with the sauce chef. The number of substitute cooks is proportional to the total kitchen staff.

 

Substitute Chefs are selected from experienced cooks close to the chefs of the kitchen department and they have a much broader knowledge and experience than normal cooks. This is because they can sometimes replace cold cooks and sometimes hot cooks. They have the knowledge to replace even the chefs of the kitchen department at certain times of the year. They are responsible for all the work that he is doing until the main duty owner arrives in the kitchen staff that are vacated due to different reasons.

 

They are the cooks who take their weekly or annual leave in the kitchen or who work instead of the cooks who cannot work due to illness or similar reasons.

All departments in the kitchen must be self-taught.

 

====Vegetable Masters====

 

Extremely important "hygiene" measures have been taken against the risk of "contamination" in touristic hotels and urban hotel kitchens with international tourism standards, one of which is the kitchen called vegetable shop or vegetable production. Among the kitchen sections, this kitchen, where the HACCP rules are applied, located at the kitchen entrance, includes Kitchen Units that are used to wash and clean vegetables.

 

Vegetable masters (Vegetable Masters) in charge of the kitchen organization are not exactly in the status of a master or cook. Considering the wages they have received, they are equivalent to assistant cooks in the status of journeyman. One day later, all vegetables and salad groups to be used in the main kitchen sections are cleaned in the vegetable shop under completely hygienic conditions. The cleaned products are dried in the relevant food processors and distributed by the vegetable growers to the departments in need. The kitchen staff who fulfill all these responsibilities are called vegetable masters (vegetarians).

 

====Hot Diet Cook====

 

In the kitchens of five-star hotels with international tourism standards, where all kinds of services focused on guest satisfaction and human health are considered, there may be hotel guests who require special attention due to a temporary or certain inconvenience. Considering such situations, there is a kitchen staff called Hot Diet Chef in the hotel kitchen organization. He is completely dependent on the kitchen chef and is in daily contact with the hotel doctor.

 

Depending entirely on the guest service principles of the hotel business; The cook who prepares the meals that require different cooking techniques, taking into account both the diet meals requested by the guest and the doctor's advice, is called Hot Diet Chef. Hot Diet Cook; It prepares non-standard food products such as special main courses, soups, hot meals without salt or spices or garnishes, herbal teas in desired sizes and according to the desired standard. They are the hot food and beverage groups they are responsible for. The cook who works in the main kitchen and meets all these demands is called a Hot Diet Chef.

 

Note: Depending on the number of guests of the hotel, there may not be two staffs as Hot Diet Chef and Cold Diet Chef by the hotel management. In some hotel businesses, this task can only be given to a more skilled and knowledgeable master.

 

====Cold Division Chief====

 

In the hotel kitchen organization, the sauce chef and the Cold Section Chief, who is attached to the kitchen chef, is especially responsible for cold appetizers (cold appetizers). The Cold Section Chief is in charge of managing the Appetizer Cooks, Cold Diet Cooks, Cold Assistants, Fish Cooks, Cold Apprentices in his department. It is also responsible for sending the daily and weekly food menus given by the kitchen chef to the open buffets at the specified times. 

 

At the same time, he is responsible for preparing the relevant menus and banquets, protocols and catering organizations held in different restaurants within the hotel. The Head of the Cold Section is also responsible for checking all kinds of behavior, personal cleaning and whether the tasks given in the work section are carried out as desired. He is in constant contact with the other department chiefs (section chiefs) in the main kitchen and consults on current developments.

 

====Appetizer Cooks====

 

They work under the Cold Section Chief, one of the kitchen section chiefs. They ensure that the cold dishes given to them by the Cold Section Chief are ready on time. Appetizer cooks (cold cooks) among themselves according to their skills; They are divided into classes as appetizers, olive oil masters, mirror makers, salad makers, sauce makers and buffet sellers. Everyone is responsible for doing their own work.

 

Cold department employees fulfill their responsibilities by helping each other within a team mentality. They make use of their cold assistants and cold apprentices to prepare the meals belonging to the cold kitchen section. The most successful and active of the cold masters is the one after the cold chef and is in charge of managing the cold kitchen section and liaising with the kitchen chef when the Cold Section Chief is not present. The number of employees in the cold kitchen section may vary depending on the guest density and size of the hotel. (In a city hotel of 1000 people, this number can be 6 people)

 

====Cold Diet Cook====

 

The Cold Diet Chef originates entirely from the guest satisfaction and human health-oriented service principles of the hotel business. It serves by preparing cold food for hotel guests who require special attention in the kitchens of five-star hotels, which have international tourism standards, where all kinds of comfort and health services are considered. The Cold Diet Chef works under his own kitchen section chief and can meet face-to-face (face-to-face) with the hotel doctor, dietitian or hotel guest requesting a special meal to avoid misunderstandings when necessary.

 

The Cold Diet Chef, who works with the meticulousness of a doctor, is responsible for both the cold diet meals requested by the guest and the foods that should be prepared taking into account the doctor's advice. Food and beverages in the area of ​​expertise; non-standard olive oil dishes, vegetable dishes prepared with special cooking techniques, cold soups, herbal cold teas, compotes and other foods and beverages in desired sizes and according to the desired standard. The cook who works in the cold section of the main kitchen and meets all these demands is called a Cold Diet Chef.

 

Note: This kitchen staff may not be available in every five-star hotel. In some hotel businesses, this task may be given to only a master who is more skilled and knowledgeable in cold, hot and sweet foods.

 

====Cold Helpers====

 

It consists of trainees trained in gastronomy and culinary arts, or future chef candidates who have started the culinary profession as "reasonably[4]". According to the culinary hierarchy, they depend first on their cold masters and cold masters. When necessary, they can also contact the cold department chief in case of non-standard situations in the tasks assigned to them. They are responsible for presenting the preparation list given to them by the cold specialists to the relevant master in a timely manner. They benefit from the services of their cold apprentices in the preliminary preparations they will make, and they direct their cold apprentices to bring-and-take jobs in line with their needs.

 

====Fish Cooks====

 

Cold Fish Cooks are subordinate to the Cold Section Chief. In hotel open buffets, cold dishes related to seafood are the most popular products that require dexterity to prepare. They are in charge of preparing open buffet mirrors consisting of shrimp and squid varieties, pate varieties consisting of seafood, smelt fish cooked in smoke ovens, and seafood that can be eaten cold in special dinner organizations. 

 

One of the most important jobs in their responsibilities is to decorate open buffet mirrors by processing them with seafood like a work of art. They prepare delicacies such as fish salads, pickled fish, lakerda, and kipper, which are offered to hotel guests, especially at open buffets, in desired sizes as specified in the menus given to them by their chefs. They benefit from the help of cold assistants and cold apprentices in their work.

 

Note: This kitchen staff may not be involved in the kitchen organization of every five-star hotel. It is related to the initiative of the hotel management and the kitchen chef and the service areas provided by the hotel business.

 

====Decorators====

 

Hotel open buffets have decorations with different patterns made of melons, watermelons and pumpkins. At the same time, on the cold appetizers, there are food decorations made of vegetables such as cucumber, orange, carrot, and flower and similar patterns. These food decorations are not put up for consumption by hotel guests using open buffets. It was made by the decor masters working in the cold section of the main kitchen in order to make the buffet look nice to the guests during the meal time (average 2 hours) from the hotel open buffets.

 

Decor masters prepare decor for dishes that will go to room service. Cold decor masters make decorations from solid oils, styrofoam foam, plaster, ice and similar products according to the dishes and open buffets they will decorate.

 

====Cold Apprentices====

 

They are responsible for ensuring all kinds of order in the cold part, which is one of the main kitchen sections. Cold section apprentices first do the fetching work of their chief (cold section chief), then their cold masters (cold workers) and cold assistants. Among their most important duties, they come to the department they are responsible for and examine the food menus before the work starts in the morning and leave the pots, cauldrons, pans, ladles, colanders, strainers, chopping boards and knives that their masters may need on the work benches or cooking units where they will be used.

 

After the cold masters arrive, they leave all dry food, vegetables, meat varieties and delicatessen groups from dry food warehouses and cold storage warehouses to the work benches of their masters in their departments, again according to the lists in the food menus. They start the preliminary preparations by taking into account the tasks given by their masters. Some preliminary preparations to start the preparation of cold dishes; It can be peeling onions, peeling potatoes or chopping vegetables, boiling the chopped vegetables, bringing ice, filling the spice containers, cleaning the buffet mirrors, carrying the buffet plates that will be needed, separating the decorative vegetables.

 

====Patisserie Chef====

 

In the organization of the hotel kitchen, the chef of the patisserie kitchen (department) is one of the most important part chefs. Since making sweets and pickles in Turkish culinary culture and Turkish culinary history requires a separate skill and skill, those with superior abilities can become pastry or dessert makers. The patisserie, which has a more systematic and programmed work compared to other kitchen departments, requires a proportionally more careful craft in managing the kitchen.

 

As the chef of the patisserie kitchen; He is responsible for the discipline and organization of Pastry Master, Dessert Master, Baklava Maker, Bread Master, Ice Cream Master, Pastry Shop Assistants, Patisserie Apprentices. He is in charge of ensuring that the dessert and fruit group given to him by the Chef (kitchen chef) is fully ready at the specified times. He is in constant dialogue with the other department chefs and is informed about the current developments in the main kitchen. It enables the preparation of not only desserts but also fruit varieties in open buffets.

 

Another aspect of the difficulties of managing the patisserie kitchen, which is one of the main kitchen departments, is working with exact garages. Some types of desserts, cakes and cookie doughs can take on shapes or tastes outside of what they should be when even a few grams of missing or excess ingredients are used. For this reason, not only the working masters, but also the chef must be very careful and constantly monitor the employees while making the patisserie kitchen products.

 

====Cake Master====

 

He is responsible to the pastry chef and is responsible for preparing the list of cakes to be made on time in line with his work schedule. These; sponge cakes (wet cake bread), cakes and cookies, grissini (crunchy bread sticks), cake varieties, tartlets, fruit salads and similar varieties. He works to help other masters working in the patisserie kitchen department in constant contact.

 

It is responsible for preparing and sending all pastry products to the cake cafe, dessert buffets and special dining organizations (banquet, protocol, wedding, group meals, etc.) in the hotel. While preparing the pastry products, which is his duty, he benefits from the services of the pastry shop assistants and apprentices in his department. Before starting to work or while working, he organizes his assistants by giving a list of the works and materials he needs by making a division of labor.

 

====Dessert Master====

 

In five-star hotels with international tourism standards, dessert lists are usually given to the main kitchen sections of the cuisines on a weekly basis. It ensures that the materials needed daily according to the number of people are transported to the section where it belongs by the assistants and apprentices next to the hotel. Dessert mastery is an angel that requires much more attention and superior skill than the masters working in other kitchen departments.

 

Among the things that the dessert master should do in the patisserie kitchen section; Dumpling varieties, pumpkin dessert, milk desserts and similar desserts are available. The patisserie kitchen is responsible for keeping all the desserts requested by the chef on time and completely. He follows the current developments in gastronomy and culinary arts and negotiates with his chef to reflect the innovations on the dessert menu, ensuring that new preparations are made.

 

====Baklava maker====

 

He is one of the most important masters working in the hotel kitchen organization. Although he is affiliated with the Pastry Kitchen Chef, he can establish a connection with the kitchen chef when necessary. He is the most important master in the Patisserie Kitchen. Baklava is a profession that requires a lot of skill and skill. At the same time, it requires attention and more devotion than necessary to prevent the dough from drying out, both in terms of the temperature of the area you are working on and timing. 

 

In a hotel kitchen, the baklava maker is only concerned with his own work and preparations compared to other masters. In the Patisserie Kitchen, he may be in a superior position in terms of skill ability compared to other masters. At the same time, he is one of the closest names to the Patisserie Cuisine Chef. Among the duties of the baklava master is the master who is responsible for making all the desserts made of layered dough. These; Baklava, Pistachio Baklava, Şöbiyet, Cimcik Baklava, carrot slice, Walnut Baklava, Anatolian motif, Pistachio Mussel Baklava, Pistachio Mosaic Baklava, Saray Burma Dessert, Nightingale Nest...

 

In the hotel kitchen or other cuisines, the baklava maker is responsible for preparing the baklava lists given to him at the required time, completely and completely.

 

==== Bread Master====

 

Bread masters don't just make bread. In the hotel kitchen organization, there are bread buffets consisting of only bread varieties, especially in open buffets. In these bread kiosks, breads are made from many kinds of grains. These; It consists of varieties such as Buckwheat Bread, Mixed Grain Bread, Oat Bread, Whole Wheat Bread, Rye Bread, Flatbread, Yufka Bread, Sourdough Bread, Whole Wheat Bread, Corn Bread, Tandoori Bread. Not all types of bread are baked in the same ovens. Special baking techniques are used for some breads. (Example; phyllo bread)

 

The bread master, who is one of the masters working in the patisserie kitchen, is one of the kitchen departments in the main kitchen of the hotel, and is subordinate to the patisserie chef. He is responsible for preparing the daily and weekly bread lists given to him by his chef, completely and completely at the desired time. He benefits from the help of pastry shop assistants and apprentices (kitchen busboys, interns) in the bread preparations. The bread master is also responsible for preparing diet breads for special guests at the hotel.

 

Bread masters in line with the decisions of the hotel management and kitchen chef; may also be held responsible for making pastries, pastries, hot breakfast breads or croissants. In this additional assignment, the number of guests of the hotel and the intensity of the special dinner organization may be effective. In the history of Turkish cuisine and in the Ottoman palace cuisine, the head of the bread masters was called "Habbazin-i Hassa". 

 

==== Ice Cream Master====

 

He is one of the most important masters working in the patisserie kitchen. It produces ice cream varieties that are also needed by pastry shops and cafes serving within the hotel business. The ice cream and ice cream dessert lists given by the pastry chef are the issues he considers in the production of ice cream. He has assistants and apprentices who only serve him (Sometimes kitchen busboys or interns). Among the kitchen sections in the main kitchen of the hotel, there are also different types of cuisine. One of them belongs to the ice cream master (ice cream shop).

 

The fact that it only has a kitchen section of its own is to ensure that ice cream varieties flavored with special flavors and various aromas are not affected by other tastes and smells. Kitchen tools and utensils, knives and various food processors used in the section where the ice cream master works cannot be moved or moved to be used in other kitchen sections. Due to this sensitivity, many hotel kitchens have a special dishwashing room for the patisserie kitchen and all the materials belonging to this section are washed and dried and put in their places in the section.

 

Some of the products made by the ice cream master; pistachio ice cream, caramel ice cream, chocolate ice cream, fresh fruit ice cream varieties, pine gum ice cream and ice cream varieties with special request products. The duties of the ice cream maker are not just to make ice cream. While the ice creams are served to the guests, the ice cream maker also makes the sauces to be put on them. In line with the demands of the patisserie chef, desserts containing ice cream (parfait) can sometimes be among his duties. Ice cream machines with different features are used in making ice cream (frozen dessert varieties).

 

==== Patisserie Helpers====

 

It is selected from the most intelligent and skilled in the main kitchen sections and kitchen types within the hotel kitchen organization. In the selection of Pastry Shop Assistants, those studying in gastronomy and culinary arts can sometimes be preferred. Working in the patisserie kitchen requires more attention, skill and practical intelligence than the assistants working in other kitchen departments. The weights used in ice cream varieties may cause the product to be completely spoiled, even the smallest deficiency or excess. Products that combine in an area where the required room temperature is not available may cause spoilage and bacterial growth.

 

They are responsible for ensuring that all the ingredients in the patisserie kitchen inventory list do not go out of the section. Located in the patisserie kitchen; They assist masters such as Pastry Master, Dessert Master, Baklava Maker, Bread Master, Ice Cream Master by being with them while making any product. They listen to their masters carefully and they have to immediately give a tool or equipment that the master may need during his work. When necessary, they are always by the side of the masters who need help by dividing the work among themselves.

 

==== Patisserie Apprentices====

 

They are assigned by the masters and pastry shop assistants in the patisserie kitchen section. Pastry Shop Apprentices (şagirt) are mostly used in bring-and-take jobs. Their main jobs are; peeling fruit, squeezing fruit juice, preparing or cleaning the kitchen equipment to be used in product preparation. In the morning, before entering the kitchen, the masters examine the food menus and carry all the materials that the masters may want from the main warehouses (dry food storage, cold storage and freezers) to the patisserie kitchen section. They ensure that no fixtures belonging to their own kitchen sections go out of the section. In the production of some special products, they control the temperature of the kitchen section or the accuracy of the materials that the masters may want.

 

They check that all materials and foodstuffs to be used in the product to be made are complete and complete and inform the assistants and masters. In case of accumulation of garbage or material residues in the kitchen sections, they inform the cleaners and field workers and ensure the arrangement of the area. They ensure that the products made are correctly stocked in the relevant cabinets. During the open buffet hours, they carry out the transportation of the products belonging to their departments to the buffets so that they are presented to the guests correctly. During the service of the open buffets, they ensure that the finished products pointed out by their masters are completed or renewed. In particular, they act in accordance with the instructions of their assistants and masters, with the backup and additions of fruit buffets.

 

==== A la Carte Chef====

 

The hotel kitchen organization depends on the sauce chef. When the sauce chef is not available and when necessary, he can contact the chef (private organizations). It is responsible for preparing all kinds of meals requested by the hotel guests for the à la carte restaurant and room service during the day. Employees next to him; The number of A la Carte Chefs, A la Carte Assistants, A la Carte Apprentices varies (the number of hotel guests is a factor). à la carte masters; They can be grillers, salad makers, decorators, dessert and fruit plate masters. 

 

Since it is an à la carte cuisine, it is very common for a master to have experience in a few departments. This may be due to the hotel management's principles regarding personnel management. A la Carte Cuisine Chef is authorized in the à la carte kitchen in the main kitchen and in other à la carte kitchens within the hotel (for example, Turkish cuisine, Italian cuisine, Asian cuisine). Details such as the working order of all à la carte kitchens, food menus and menus of the day are under their responsibility. 

 

In the à la carte kitchens, the preparation of special drinks can sometimes be included among their duties (wine and cheese presentation, caviar platter). In some hotel kitchens, the griller works as the Head of the A la Carte Kitchen. This hierarchical order is at the discretion of the kitchen chef, according to the number of hotel rooms.

 

Note: He is also the chef of kitchen types such as pool bar, beach bar, snack bar in seasonal hotels. In some hotels, the number of à la carte kitchens may be more than the indoor and outdoor areas served by the hotel.

 

==== A la Carte Cooks====

 

A la Carte Chefs work in accordance with the rules in the definition of a la carte restaurant. A la carte restaurants serve with the same logic, whether in the hotel or in the city. A la carte cooks working under the A la Carte Kitchen Chef in the hotel kitchen organization are paid higher wages than other cooks because their work is intense and demanding. They adhere to the à la carte menu approved by the hotel management by their chefs. The richness of the à la carte menu options, which vary according to the service concept of the hotel, indicates the intensity of their work.

 

According to the à la carte restaurant concept they have worked with; The staff of the à la carte cooks, consisting of cold cook, fryer, griller, dessert and fruit seller, consists of 4-6 people, depending on the size of the restaurant. In some restaurants, this number may increase depending on the intensity of the work. In their work, they benefit from the help of à la carte assistants and à la carte apprentices working in the à la carte cuisine department. The most important principles; It can be said that it is the goal of serving the best quality food to the restaurant guests as soon as possible, taking into account the special standards requested.

 

The cooks working in the à la carte kitchen are faced with the miniature version of a large main kitchen structure. They have to be in contact with each other every minute. Because one of the most important details in the feature of these kitchens is that all the dishes of any table should come out at the same time and go to the table at the same time without waiting. The reason for this is to ensure table integrity. In other words, when 4 people who are going to talk business sit at the same table, as an example; Assuming that meatballs, fish, steak and sauteed meat are requested, all of these dishes will be prepared at different times, as will be done by different cooks, but will be served at the same time.

 

A la carte cooks, who are managed and directed by the A la Carte Kitchen Chef, in a coordinated manner, have to pay great attention to the aesthetic and special presentations on the dinner plates. Because both guest satisfaction and the tip to be left after the meal are important for them.

 

==== A la Carte Auxiliaries====

 

A la Carte Assistants are mostly chosen from people who have studied or graduated from the gastronomy and culinary arts department. Because working in à la carte kitchens and helping à la carte cooks require extra skills and practical intelligence, as well as the ability to act quickly. Sometimes while watching the work of the masters, being able to think about the materials that they may need after a few seconds and extending the materials they need without asking the master can win a reward.

 

Before the service time comes, they enter the kitchen where they are assigned before the à la carte cooks and check the ingredients in the cabinets of the cold, hot, grill and dessert sections. They complete the materials that are not sufficient for the service hour with the help of their a la carte apprentices. They carry pans, pots and similar materials to be used in stoves and other sections to the areas where they should be. They put the sauces and garnishes to be used at the service time in the salad cabinet and hot bain-marie.

 

In the majority, every à la carte cook has at least one assistant. By examining the a la carte menus and the menu of the day, they carry the missing meat varieties from the butchery kitchen, which is one of the main kitchen sections in the hotel kitchen organization, to the à la carte kitchen. They make the necessary preparations for the meat to be seasoned by the à la carte cooks. They tell the special exceptions that should be communicated to the waiter and busboys in the service department before the service hour comes (example: soup of the day, dish of the day, dishes that are not available, etc.).

 

When à la carte cooks come to the kitchen, they give information about the types of dishes and ingredients that are not available for different reasons. During the service in the kitchen all day long, they are with their masters and do the work they direct. When they cannot afford the given jobs, they seek help from their a la carte apprentices. They ensure that the work is not interrupted by completing the materials that are missing in the cabinets during the service.

 

==== A la Carte Apprentices====

 

They take orders from their à la carte assistants and masters, but are subordinate to the à la carte kitchen chef. They do all kinds of bring-and-take business in the area they are responsible for. They enter the kitchen before all the employees working in the à la carte kitchen. They are responsible for transporting the materials and foodstuffs that each master and chef working in their own kitchen departments may need to the relevant departments. In such cases, there is a to-do list given to them by their chefs in the evening.

 

 

When there are impurities and filled garbage that may arise during work and in abnormal situations, they inform the field chief and the cleaners and ensure that the relevant areas are cleaned. At the same time, they are responsible for all kinds of order and cleaning of the kitchen, as well as providing the materials they want in business matters of their superiors. In order to be a good cook in the future, they take notes and try to learn by following the work done. If one of the assistants in the department they have worked for is missing, they can be promoted to assistant with the initiative of the kitchen chef, in line with the recommendation of the chef of the à la carte cuisine, who is the most skilled of the à la carte apprentices.

 

==== Butcher Chief====

 

It is in close dialogue with the chefs of the kitchen departments in the hotel kitchen organization and is dependent on the kitchen chef (head chef). It gives written reports on the functioning of the daily and weekly work in line with the decisions of the hotel management and the kitchen chef. Working with and responsible for; Butcher Masters (meat, carcass maker, mincer, bone maker, lamb, etc.) Butcher Assistants are also responsible for the division of labor of Butcher Apprentices and their behavior, cleanliness and discipline.

 

In the main kitchen, they are not responsible for open buffets like other chefs, and they do not come face to face with hotel guests much. Five-star hotels with a large number of rooms do not buy a small amount of meat by kilo. In general, small and bovine animals come in the form of carcass meat (skinned, giblets and whole). Guide the butcher masters in the butcher shop for proper meat removal (steak, tenderloin, ribeye, chop, flank steak, t-bone steak, brisket, etc.).

 

It checks that the carcass meat, including the poultry that comes into the kitchen, is optimally removed by the cooks. Located in the butchery; It ensures that the meats processed in freezers, deep freezers, rest cabinet, cold storage cabinets, daily meat cabinets are stored in accordance with the book. When we consider special organization meals in a 1000-person hotel with à la carte restaurants, 500 kg per day. Meat is processed on.

 

The chef of the butchery kitchen keeps statistical data such as how much of all processed meat is in which cabinet and daily usage. Considering at least 3 days ahead, the necessary orders are approved by the kitchen chef. (Every incoming meat must be rested for at least 24 hours in order to have the required softness) Under the responsibility of the butcher chef, some meats are rested for much longer periods at the desired coldness degrees (for example, aged steak & Dry Aged)

 

==== Butcher Masters====

 

In professional hotel kitchens, whole meats are prepared according to the varieties needed in the main kitchen sections. Meat varieties are mainly; cubed meat, boiled meats, grilled meats, aged steaks, roasted meats, minced meat, lamb cutlets, lamb tandoori, lamb chops and much more. Butcher masters; They are divided into three classes as calf, lamb and poultry. Each master is responsible for the work to be done in his field.

 

Butcher masters under the responsibility of the Butcher's Chief

 

====Butcher Helpers====

 

====Butcher's Apprentice====

 

===Breakfast Kitchen Chef====

 

In the hotel kitchen organization, like other kitchen department chefs, it depends on the kitchen chef. It is in charge of presenting the breakfast varieties in the list specified to the hotel guests in open buffets. He checks to what extent the assistants and apprentices working with him do their duties. Provides daily and weekly reports to the kitchen chef. He is in contact with the chefs of the kitchen section about the developments. 

 

===Banquet Kitchen Chef===

 

Responsible for serving the meals in the dinner organizations to be held at the hotel. It depends on the chef. It is in charge of ensuring that the prepared meals are served to the guests as requested (tabledot, open buffet or personalized service). He acts in accordance with a plan given to him by the kitchen chef.

 

====Banquet Masters====

 

====Banquet Helpers====

 

====Banquet Apprentices====

 

===Square Chief===

 

Responsible for all the cleanliness and orderliness of the main kitchen. He is in charge of managing and directing the dishwashers, cleaners, garbage disposals and kiosks. It gives daily and weekly reports depending on the kitchen chef.

 

====Cleaners====

 

====Plate Dishwashers====

 

====Boiler Dishwashers====

 

====Garbage Spills====

 

====Buffets====

 

Note: 

I would like to point out that I registered the same definition on the " wikipedia " website on 01 August 2021 as a hotel kitchen organization .

 

Important note:

 I am writing these articles so that  Turkish Culinary Culture and Turkish Cuisine  can come to better standards in Turkey and in the world  . Sharing my knowledge. Information is beautiful and multiplies as it is shared... You can copy it, you can also share it on social networks or other sites. But please do this by  citing the source  , do not share it as your own article...

 

Ahmet Ozdemir

Coord. Executive Chef 

International Restaurant and Cuisine Consultant

Ottoman and Turkish Cuisine World Volunteer Ambassador