The Intense Artistry of a Professional Kitchen
Examining the Culture of the Hospitality Industry
Behind the scenes of your favorite restaurants and food trucks alike lies a symphony of organized chaos, discipline, and a team of dedicated individuals working relentlessly to bring you your exquisite meal. In this article, we will delve into the chaotic and often misunderstood world that is the professional kitchen.
Every kitchen has a hierarchy that is known as the brigade system. Did you think that everybody was running around like a chicken with its head cut off for no reason? It’s actually a very organized system. Let's take a look.
At the center of every professional kitchen is the brigade system. This is the hierarchical structure that was set in place in the late nineteenth century by Georges Auguste Escoffier, also known as the emperor of chefs. The kitchen brigade is ideally a well-oiled machine that is led by a fearless captain known as the executive chef. Each member of the brigade has specific roles and responsibilities. Everybody from the Chef down to the dishwasher, each position plays a vital role in maintaining order, discipline, and efficiency in the kitchen.
A professional kitchen is an adrenaline-fueled environment where time is a precious commodity. It can be a very intense and fast-paced environment. This fast-paced nature demands that you can think quickly on your feet with the ability to multitask all while staying neat and organized with impeccable time management.
From handling multiple orders to organizing and overseeing the plating of dishes chefs have to be able to perform under a crushing amount of pressure while maintaining creativity and efficiency.
If you are working in a professional kitchen your ingredients must be revered and respected so technique is paramount. Chefs spend years and in some cases a lifetime refining and honing their skills to ensure that they can use the ingredient in the proper way, extracting the best flavor, and we can’t forget to make it look pretty as well.
Mise en place or having everything in place is the systematic preparation of the ingredients that you are going to use at your station, ideally, this is all setup and ready to go before service. This should be meticulously followed to ensure a seamless workflow. Sometimes this doesn’t happen the way it should and this is when your kitchen and customers alike can become a bit cantankerous.
The intensity of a professional kitchen can foster a unique camaraderie among the team. Often long hours, intense rushes, demanding customers, and yes demanding chefs tend to create strong bonds among the kitchen staff. Mutual respect and trust are essential in order for morale to remain high. Chefs and cooks alike learn to rely on each other, communicate effectively, and collaborate seamlessly to work together for the common goal of delivering an exceptional dining experience.
The modern-day professional kitchen can be and often is a great place for creativity and innovation. Despite the adherence to tradition and technique, chefs are often times inventing new methods to cook classic ingredients or creating new dishes altogether. Chefs are constantly pushing boundaries, experimenting with flavors, textures, and presentations.
We draw inspiration from global cuisine, seasonal produce as well as recipes and techniques that have been handed down from generation to generation. This continuous pursuit of innovation guarantees that the kitchen remains a dynamic space where culinary artistry can continue to evolve.
The culture of a professional kitchen is a fascinating blend of discipline, creativity, and teamwork. It is a world where passion and dedication converge, producing gastronomic delights that tantalize the senses.
From the intense pressure to the respect for ingredients, and the camaraderie among chefs to the constant drive for innovation, the professional kitchen is a vibrant world that exemplifies the artistry and precision that is culinary craftsmanship. The next time you savor a meticulously prepared dish, remember the intricate culture that lies behind it and appreciate the culinary wizards who bring it to life.