There are a number of specializations you can go into as a chef. There are no rules that say you have to be the executive or sous chef, chronically loaded down with an incredible amount of responsibility. If you are one of those creative cooks who'd rather be a little lower down the ladder but deal with a lot less stress, you can still keep your finger in the pie (so to speak) with one of the following culinary cooking specialties:
Saucier - As might be expected, the saucier is the sauce specialist. As a saucier, you create all the sauces and those dishes that are cooked in sauces. Making from scratch stocks, soups, classic and contemporary sauces, accompaniments, and foods paired with all these are all considered part of your job. Sauces are an essential component in much cooking, so sauciers must be very well educated when it comes to the possible mixtures and combinations of ingredients that compose a fine sauce.
Garde Manger The garde manger creates all the cold food presentations: fruit and vegetable salads, pates, canapy, and hors d'ouevres anything cold for the table. The garde manger chef makes all vinaigrettes and dressings in addition to molded aspics, pickled vegetables, chutneys, and relishes. In some settings, the garde manger chef plays sculptor, as well, by creating ice sculptures ranging from the simple to the elaborate to decorate party or buffet occasions.
Entremetier The entremetier prepares, cooks, and presents all types of vegetables, pasta, rice, and egg dishes. As an entremetier your rice must never stick to the pot and your spaghetti must be cooked perfectly al dente. Vegetable side dishes perfectly prepared and impeccably presented to accompany entries make you an important link in the"food chain" of culinary arts.
Patissier As a patissier, you are the creator of all baked desserts and other confections: cakes, pies, tortes, tarts, cookies, and candies. Creativity must be expressed not only in the taste, but also in the decoration of all types of dessert and pastry dishes. The perfect pie crust is your forte, and fudge, for you, never fails.
These are a just a few of many other culinary positions out there in the world of food, but all professional cooking positions require the following traits:
- stamina
- excellent sense of smell and taste
- creativity
- math skill
- good with details
- patience
- good teamwork abilities
- organizational skills
So if you love to cook and possess all these characteristics, there awaits for you many excellent opportunities as a specialized chef. These positions don't carry quite the prestige as does the head or executive chef, yet the final (and most critical) responsibilities of wherever you work do not lie at feet of these positions, either. But make no mistake: although specialty chefs may not be held ultimately responsible for any major faux pas, they are still expected to create and produce at the top of their expertise. Otherwise, as they say in the business, Your goose will be cooked.
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