Classic

Saucier/Saute Chef - prepares sauces, stews, hot hors d'œuvres, and sautés food

Poissonier - prepares fish and fish dishes

Grillardin - grill cook. grilled foods, as well as preparing and searing meats that are going to be roasted or braised

Fritutier - fry cook, handles any foods that must be cooked in oils or other animal fats. Like the grillardin, the friturier can handle anything from meats to potatoes to vegetables.

Rotisseur - prepares and sells roast meat, chef who specializes in roasting. Also in charge of preparing any roasted or braised meats. May also be in charge of obtaining meats from local suppliers or arranging deliveries from other retailers.

Portager - making any soups

Legumier - preparing vegetable dishes

Entremets (Portager/Legumier) - vegetable chef in large establishments, sometimes combines with

Garde-Manger - pantry chef, is in charge of most cold dishes. This includes various salads and cold appetizers, such as pate, cheese spreads, or even tartars. The garde manger is also in charge of making any large buffet services look presentable. This is typically done with a variety of decorative vegetables and other food items, particularly when they are carved or molded into unique and artistic designs. Ice carving is a garde manger discipline that sets some specialists apart from their contemporaries. I have an entire textbook devoted to this station.

Tournant - role is designed to move from station to station, assisting with any task. Must have a broad understanding of all stations.

Patissier - pastry chef, is typically one of the most beloved of all the station chefs, particularly for the dishes he is charged with preparing. This station is responsible for creating or preparing baked goods, such as breads and pastries. Sweet breads and croissants are the breakfast bounty of pastry chefs, but sophisticated chocolates and petit fors provide elegant proof that this is an artistic discipline.

Demi-chef (assistant) - works with the station chef to learn the area.

Commis (apprentices) - works with the station chef to learn the area

Modern

Reduces redundancy in modern kitchens

Executive Chef - Chef de Cuisine, is the professional pinnacle to which many chefs aspire. Chef’s are kitchen managers so payroll, food-cost, personnel management, menu creation and essentially everything that happens in the kitchen falls within their scope of responsibility.

Sous-Chef/Executive Sous-Chef - right-hand to the Executive Chef. Sous Chefs manage a staff of assistant chefs, cooks and kitchen workers, as well as creating dishes for the menu.

Area Chefs (in large kitchens) - directs the prep work of kitchen staff and assistant cooks in his or her area

Line Cooks - responsible for preparing menu items to recipe specifications.

Pastry Chef - responsible for developing recipes for and preparing desserts, pastries, frozen desserts, and breads. Often responsible for purchasing.

Assistant/Apprentice - assigned where needed in the kitchen.

Short-Order Cook - responsible for quick preparations in small kitchens. Operates the broiler, deep-fryer and griddle as well as construct sandwiches and sauteed items.

Institutional Cook - works with large quantities of prepared and/or prepacked foods: schools, hospitals, prison.