Kitchen History and Organization

• Flanders - first known kitchen separated from the living area during the 13th century, also known as Belgium
• Storage Horizontal Boards - developed to be display dressers in the 15th century, where these dressers became an indicator of social rank.
• The Colonial Kitchen - was equipped with perhaps the only heat source in the home, a hearth, and it served as the focus of the family activity.
• Kitchen in 18th Century - was typically large and often included a 6-foot wide and 4-foot-deep walk-in fireplace.
• The Modern Kitchen - Two major trends from the 19th and 20th centuries influenced the modern kitchen.
• The Victorian Kitchen - The range, sink and table were all free-standing pieces.
• The Beecher Kitchen - Open shelving was shallow to permit only one row of food items, and bins for flour and other products were planned into the design.
• The Plumbed Sink - in the late 19th century, it was developed in kitchen households to focus on cleanliness, and innovations and developments during the industrial revolution.
• Standardization : 1900s - More efficient kitchen was introduced in this era.
• The Laboratory Look - with their continuous workspace and closed storage, looked very much like a laboratory designed for one person.
• Food Service Organization - an organization with a structure set up to achieve specific goals.
• George-Auguste Escoffier - a French chef and known as the father of 20th century cookery.
• Brigade de Cuisine - kitchen team of employees under this type of food service organization
• Classic Kitchen Brigade Position

  • Chef de cuisine
  • Sous chef
  • Chef de partie
  • Demi chef
  • Commis
  • Apprentice
• Modern Kitchen Brigade Position

  • Sauce chef/saucier
  • Fish cook/poissonier
  • Entremetier
  • Soup cook/potager
  • Leguimer
  • Roast cook/rotisseur
  • Broiler cook/grillardin
  • Pantry chef/chef garde manger
  • Pastry chef/patissier
  • Relief, swing, or round cook/tournant
  • Expeditor
• prepares all non-dessert cold foods

  Pantry chef/chef garde manger
• capable of handling any station

  Relief, swing, or round cook/tournant
• Marie-Antoine Careme - world's first celebrity chef, originally sketched the chef's uniform in 1822; "Le Maitre d'Hotel Francais"
• The White Hat (Touche Blanche) - The height of the hat symbolizes how experienced a chef is. The taller the hat, the more experience he has.
• Chef's Coat - The reason a chef's uniform is white is to represent influence and an authoritative presence.
• Chef's pants - usually has black or white hounds tooth patterned pants because it hides stains and spills very well.
• Apron - provides added protection against the spills and splashes that often occur in the kitchen.
• The Neckerchief - it helps absorb the moisture from sweat to enhance comfort in hot kitchens.