There are four main levels of chefs - commis chefs, chef de partie, sous chefs, and head (or executive) chefs that a person may progress through.
Although qualified, Commis chefs are likely to be the least experienced chefs in the kitchen. Chefs de partie control sections of the kitchen. Sous chefs (under chef) are the second in command. Executive chefs-also called head chefs and chefs de cuisine, hire and fire the staff, determine costs, revamp and plan the menu, take care of all administrative tasks, interact with the dining room managers, and generally and supervise the overall operation of the kitchen and restaurant.
In smaller, perhaps single unit operations a Chef de Cuisine is all that is needed and the use and the expense of an Executive Chef would be excessive.
(from the ACF website:
http://www.acfchefs.org/certify/crtccc.html)"Understanding Certified Chef de Cuisine (CCC) as Opposed to Certified Sous Chef (CSC)
Probably the most misunderstood certification level is the Certified Chef de Cuisine (CCC). The confusion seems to result from a misunderstanding of the definition of chef de cuisine. This level is not _base_d simply on the number of full time persons supervised, but mainly on the scope of the responsibilities of the position.
By definition, the CCC level refers to "a chef who is the supervisor in charge of food production in a foodservice operation." This could be a single unit of a multi-unit operation, or a free standing operation. He or she is in essence the chef of this operation with final decision making power as it relates to culinary operations. The person in this position must supervise a minimum of three full time people in the production of food.
While it is true that many sous chefs do supervise three or more full time persons in food preparation, the key to the level of CCC is that the person must have final decision making power in their kitchen. Typically, the sous chef reports to another chef who has this final decision making authority. This occurs especially in large multi-kitchen properties such as resorts, convention centers, major hotels, and institutional settings; but may also be appropriate for someone holding the position of executive chef in a small restaurant that has a kitchen staff of less than five full-time persons"
One Example of the Organization of the classical and modern kitchen
1. Executive/Head Chef -- Chef de Cuisine
2. Chefs de partie
... Sous Chef
... Pastry Chef
... Saucier
... Tournant
... Potager
... Poissoner
... Entremetier
... Rotisseur
... Grillardin
... Garde manger
... Patissier
... Baker
... second cook
... short-order cook
........................definitions.....................................
Sous Chef...Second in command
Chef de saucier...Sauce Chef
Chef de potage...Soup Chef
Chef de rotisseur...Roast Chef
Chef de communard...Staff cook
Chef de froitier...Specializes in cold savoury dishes
Chef de poissonnier...Fish Chef
Chef tournant...Relief Chef
Chef de patissier...Pastry Chef
Chef de partie...Section leader
Chef de grillardin...Grill Chef
Line Cooks...the people who actually cook your food
Chef de nuit...Head night cook
Chef de gardemanger...Cold larder Chef
Chef de entremettie...Vegetable Chef
Chef de rang...Head station waiter
Pastry Chef...reigns over the pastry section
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