Kitchen Brigade Explained: The hierarchy of professional kitchens

 

In the world of professional kitchens, efficiency, clarity and teamwork are everything. The concept of the brigade de cuisine (also referred to as the “kitchen brigade” or “kitchen hierarchy”) provides exactly that, a structured system that assigns clear responsibilities across team members so the kitchen hums like a well-oiled machine.

In this post you will learn:

• What the brigade de cuisine is and where it came from
• Why the kitchen brigade system matters today
• A breakdown of the typical roles in the kitchen hierarchy
• Tips for managers to use this system effectively

By the end you will have a robust reference for how a professional kitchen organises its team, useful if you’re managing F&B operations, staffing a restaurant, training new team members or simply want to speak the same language as your kitchen crew.

 

What is the brigade de cuisine?

The term “brigade de cuisine” comes from French, literally “kitchen brigade”. The system was popularised by legendary chef and restaurateur Auguste Escoffier (1846-1935), who borrowed the idea of a military brigade’s clear chain of command and applied it to a restaurant kitchen.

Escoffier’s insight: if you give each cook a defined station, distinct tasks and clear reporting lines, you can scale up production, ensure consistency and maintain quality, even in large hotels or banquet kitchens.

The brigade system divides the kitchen into a hierarchy of roles, each responsible for specific functions (for example sauces, fish, vegetables, cold dishes) so that workflows are streamlined and the food service becomes predictable. Though many modern kitchens have adapted or simplified the model, the underlying principle of clarity of role, structure, and accountability remains very relevant.

 

Why the kitchen brigade still matters

Even if you don’t run a classic fine-dining restaurant, the kitchen brigade system offers tangible benefits:

• Efficiency: With each person knowing their role, tasks don’t overlap needlessly.
• Consistency: The same station prepares the same kind of food each time, building routine and quality.
• Training & progression: The ladder from junior cook to station chef to sous chef to head gives a clear career path.
• Scalability: Especially in high-volume operations, the structure supports many dishes going out simultaneously without chaos.
• Accountability: With defined roles, if something goes wrong (timing, quality, plating) you can quickly locate the root station.

That said, modern kitchens often blend or eliminate certain roles (for example, dedicated fish-butcher roles may be redundant in some smaller kitchens) and may adopt flexible staffing depending on volume and menu. From a management perspective, understanding this system means you can map your staffing more intelligently: which roles you need full time, which you can combine, where to cross-train, and how to communicate expectations clearly.

 

Inside the brigade: roles and responsibilities in the kitchen hierarchy

A professional kitchen runs like an orchestra and every chef plays a part. The brigade de cuisine is built around a clear hierarchy, with each level responsible for a specific part of the culinary process.

At the top stands the Chef de Cuisine or Head Chef. They set the vision: designing menus, sourcing ingredients, managing staff, and ensuring consistency across every dish. Working closely beneath them is the Sous-Chef, the second-in-command who keeps the kitchen moving smoothly and coordinates the different stations during service.

Below them come the Chefs de Partie or station chefs. Each of these specialists oversees a particular area of production:

• The Saucier handles sauces, stews, and sautéed dishes, one of the most skilled and respected roles in the brigade.
• The Poissonnier prepares fish and seafood, ensuring perfect freshness and timing.
• The Rotisseur takes charge of roasts and grilled meats, while the Friturier manages fried foods.
• The Entremétier is responsible for vegetables, soups, and starches, and the Garde-Manger creates cold dishes like salads, pâtés, and charcuterie.
• In pastry sections, the Pâtissier oversees desserts, pastries, and baked goods.

Supporting these stations are the Commis, junior cooks who assist and learn under each chef, and apprentices or stagiaires, who are just beginning their professional journey. At the foundation of it all is the Plongeur or kitchen porter, the unsung hero keeping the kitchen clean and organized, ensuring everyone can perform at their best. This hierarchy might sound traditional, but it’s what keeps even the busiest service running like clockwork.

 

Why adapting the system matters for modern restaurants & hotels

As a hospitality manager or F&B professional, you will often face different operational models: small bistro vs hotel banquets vs fine-dining flagship. Here’s how the brigade system adapts:

• Smaller kitchens: Roles are often combined. For example, the Saucier may also handle fish (Poissonnier) or grill (Grillardin). The head chef might double as expeditor.
• High-volume / chain hotels: Emphasis may shift from haute cuisine names to functional titles (Lead Cook, Line Cook, Prep Cook) but the principle of station / hierarchy remains.
• Banquet operations: The structure helps line up mass dish production: each station is a line in the assembly, making large volumes manageable.
• Staff development: It gives a roadmap for career progression (Commis → Chef de Partie → Sous Chef → Chef de Cuisine) which helps retention, training and motivation.
• Communication & clarity: When all staff understand who’s in charge of what station, who reports to whom, and how food flows, there’s less duplication, fewer errors and better service consistency.

 

Tips for implementing or refining your kitchen brigade system

Here are actionable tips for managers or team leads to get the most out of the system:

1. Map your kitchen workflow: Define each station, what it produces, who runs it, who reports to whom. Label stations clearly.
2. Match roles to menu: Your menu drives which stations you need. If you don’t serve much fish, you may not need a dedicated Poissonnier.
3. Ensure cross-training: Team members should understand adjacent stations so you can flex staffing during busy service or absenteeism.
4. Communicate the chain of command: Make sure everyone knows who is responsible for what. This reduces confusion, especially during service peaks.
5. Keep job descriptions simple and clear: For each role (e.g., Chef de Partie – sauté station), list primary tasks, key skills, and reporting lines.
6. Use the system for training & career paths: Show junior staff how they can move up the ladder as this helps motivation and retention.
7. Review and update regularly: As menus change, staffing levels evolve or technology shifts (e.g., more pre-prepped items), adjust the station structure accordingly.
8. Foster teamwork across stations: The brigade is about interdependence, stations must communicate and coordinate. For example, the Garde-Manger may need to sync with Entremétier or Saucier on timing.

 

The brigade beyond the kitchen

While the brigade de cuisine was designed for chefs, its core philosophy extends far beyond the back of house. The same ideas, clear structure, communication and accountability, are essential across every department in hospitality.

Front-of-house teams often run their own version of a brigade. The Maître d’hôtel leads service just as the Chef de Cuisine leads the kitchen, supported by Chefs de Rang (section waiters) and Commis de Salle (junior servers). In luxury dining, this hierarchy ensures that every guest receives seamless service, one person manages the table, another brings dishes, another refills wine, all in quiet coordination.

For hospitality managers, understanding this interconnected structure helps bridge communication between kitchen and service teams. When both sides share a “brigade mindset,” the entire operation functions more cohesively, menus align with service timing, feedback loops shorten, and guest experiences improve dramatically.