Job Description
Commis Chef
I
like explaining to people about atypical summer internship I picked up a year
ago over a summer. Many of my peers at the Marshall School of Business looked
for summer internships at either large banks or prestigious consulting firms. When
I explain that I worked as a Commis Chef, many people get puzzled of what
exactly it means. Do you know? If yes, then you are among a small group of
people. If not, please enjoy reading this job description.
A
Commis Chef is a person, who performs food preparation work and basic
cooking under the supervision of Head Chef. The reason many people don’t
see us is that we spend most of our time in the back of kitchens.
There
are three descriptions that help to sum up the responsibilities of a Commis
Chef:
·
Preparing
ingredients
·
Operating
kitchen equipment
·
Preparing
food
Preparing
Ingredients
This is a vital step that needs to
be completed accurately and quickly
·
Portioning,
chopping, and storage
·
Washing
and peeling fruits and vegetables
·
Weighing
and measuring mixed ingredients
For
example, I spent most of my time either chopping or storing food items. Given
that the restaurant was located in Russia, I had to chop tens of pounds of Russian
staple food ingredient – potato. Preparing ingredients is one of the most important
steps in a kitchen because it provides the foundation for all dishes.
Operating
Kitchen Equipment
·
Operate
ovens, stoves, grills, microwaves, and fryers
·
Test
food if it has been properly cooked
Here’s
an example: I also needed to make sure that all of the kitchen equipment is set
up and works properly. This is another crucial step because I wanted to make
sure to have all the necessary equipment ready for the Head Chef. The Head Chef
would then go ahead and cook food to perfection.
Preparing
Food
·
Cooking
basic food according to recipes and restaurant-based standards
·
Preparing
cold food
For
instance, a Head Chef is usually the person, who completes the main steps of
cooking dishes. As a Commis Chef, I wanted to make sure that some of the first
basic steps, such as defrosting or setting up a kitchen table, were done for
the Head Chef to do the rest of the job.
Hey Bulat! Thats awesome that you want to go into the culinary industry. That has been a huge dream of mine but I was just always too scared to take the leap. Do you cook at home? Also what was your reason for cooking? I did it because I loved creating a masterpiece that was devoured in less than 20 minutes. Last question I promise, do you have an odd obsession of watching Gordan Ramsey videos like me?
ReplyDeleteHi Bulat, I think chefs are amazing for people who love food like me. My dad is also a chef and it can be physically draining if kitchen gets busy. I hope you pursue this career successfully!
ReplyDeleteHey Bulat! Working as a chef must be a hectic career, I really respect the passion you have for good food. What kind of dishes do you like preparing the most? What are your favorite restaurants in LA? What's Siberian cuisine like? All the best for your journey :)
ReplyDeleteHey Bulat, I found it very interesting and brave of you to take an internship outside your field of study. I really respect your open mindedness and willingness to experience new things. After watching endless hours of youtube food videos, I have always wanted to learn how to cook properly so your post really fascinated me. What was your favorite dish at the kitchen/restaurant you interned in?
ReplyDeleteHey Bulat, I did not expect to read about your time as a chef when I first opened this blog post. However, after reading your description, working as a Commis Chef seemed very rewarding. Picking to work in an industry outside of your field of study can be daunting but it is essential for learning new and important skills. I am sure there will be people throughout your life that you impress with your cooking abilities (nothing impresses quite like food).
ReplyDeleteHey Bulat, being a chef is an incredible job! I am so jealous of your abilities considering I am unable to cook anything that requires more than microwave preparation. What is your favorite dish to make? I would love to learn some new recipes and try my hand at making them (hopefully without burning my apartment down.
ReplyDeleteHey Bulat! I really enjoyed talking with you about this position in class when we edited each other's job descriptions. You did a great job giving examples of your experience, and it seems like you learned a lot as a Commis Chef. Do you plan to work in the culinary industry in the future?
ReplyDeleteMy buddy Adam worked as a chef 2 summers ago, and I was very jealous. The man can cook like no other. It's always great when you find a job that lets you walk away with a hard skill that you keep forever.
ReplyDelete