French cuisine
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French cuisine is the
Knowledge of French cooking has contributed significantly to Western cuisines. Its criteria are used widely in Western cookery school boards and
History
Middle Ages
In French medieval cuisine, banquets were common among the aristocracy. Multiple courses would be prepared, but served in a style called service en confusion, or all at once. Food was generally eaten by hand, meats being sliced off in large pieces held between the thumb and two fingers. The sauces were highly seasoned and thick, and heavily flavored mustards were used.
Pies were a common banquet item, with the crust serving primarily as a container, rather than as food itself, and it was not until the very end of the
Meals often ended with an issue de table, which later changed into the modern dessert, and typically consisted of
The ingredients of the time varied greatly according to the seasons and the church calendar, and many items were preserved with salt, spices, honey, and other preservatives. Late spring, summer, and autumn afforded abundance, while winter meals were more sparse. Livestock were slaughtered at the beginning of winter. Beef was often salted, while pork was salted and smoked. Bacon and sausages would be smoked in the chimney, while the tongue and hams were brined and dried. Cucumbers were brined as well, while greens would be packed in jars with salt. Fruits, nuts and root vegetables would be boiled in honey for preservation. Whale, dolphin and porpoise were considered fish, so during Lent, the salted meats of these sea mammals were eaten.[4]: 9–12
Artificial freshwater ponds (often called stews) held
.Kitchen gardens provided herbs, including some, such as
Sweet-sour flavors were commonly added to dishes with vinegar and
Visual display was prized. Brilliant colors were obtained by the addition of, for example, juices from spinach and the green part of
Gold and
The most well-known French chef of the Middle Ages was Guillaume Tirel, also known as Taillevent. Taillevent worked in numerous royal kitchens during the 14th century. His first position was as a kitchen boy in 1326. He was chef to Philip VI, then the Dauphin who was son of John II. The Dauphin became King Charles V of France in 1364, with Taillevent as his chief cook. His career spanned sixty-six years, and upon his death, he was buried in grand style between his two wives. His tombstone represents him in armor, holding a shield with three cooking pots, marmites, on it.[4]: 18–21
Ancien Régime
Paris was the central hub of culture and economic activity, and as such, the most highly skilled culinary craftsmen were to be found there. Markets in Paris such as Les Halles, la Mégisserie, those found along Rue Mouffetard, and similar smaller versions in other cities were very important to the distribution of food. Those that gave French produce its characteristic identity were regulated by the guild system, which developed in the Middle Ages. In Paris, the guilds were regulated by city government as well as by the French crown. A guild restricted those in a given branch of the culinary industry to operate only within that field.[4]: 71–72
There were two groups of guilds—first, those that supplied the raw materials: butchers, fishmongers, grain merchants, and gardeners. The second group were those that supplied prepared foods: bakers,
The guilds served as a training ground for those within the industry. The degrees of assistant cook, full-fledged cook and master chef were conferred. Those who reached the level of master chef were of considerable rank in their individual industry, and enjoyed a high level of income as well as economic and job security. At times, those in the royal kitchens did fall under the guild hierarchy, but it was necessary to find them a parallel appointment based on their skills after leaving the service of the royal kitchens. This was not uncommon as the Paris cooks' Guild regulations allowed for this movement.[4]: 73
During the 16th and 17th centuries, French cuisine assimilated many new food items from the
Haute cuisine (pronounced [ot kɥizin], "high cuisine") has foundations during the 17th century with a chef named La Varenne. As an author of works such as Le Cuisinier françois, he is credited with publishing the first true French cookbook. His book includes the earliest known reference to roux using pork fat. The book contained two sections, one for meat days, and one for fasting. His recipes marked a change from the style of cookery known in the Middle Ages to new techniques aimed at creating somewhat lighter dishes, and more modest presentations of pies as individual pastries and turnovers. La Varenne also published a book on pastry in 1667 entitled Le Parfait confitvrier (republished as Le Confiturier françois) which similarly updated and codified the emerging haute cuisine standards for desserts and pastries.[4]: 114–120
Chef
The successive updates of Le Cuisinier roïal et bourgeois include important refinements such as adding a glass of wine to fish stock. Definitions were also added to the 1703 edition. The 1712 edition, retitled Le Nouveau cuisinier royal et bourgeois, was increased to two volumes, and was written in a more elaborate style with extensive explanations of technique. Additional smaller preparations are included in this edition as well, leading to lighter preparations, and adding a third course to the meal. Ragout, a stew still central to French cookery, makes its first appearance as a single dish in this edition as well; prior to that, it was listed as a garnish.[4]: 155
Late 18th century – early 19th century
Shortly before the French Revolution, dishes like bouchées à la Reine gained prominence. Essentially royal cuisine produced by the royal household, this is a chicken-based recipe served on vol-au-vent created under the influence of Queen Marie Leszczyńska, the Polish-born wife of Louis XV. This recipe is still popular today, as are other recipes from Queen Marie Leszczyńska like consommé à la Reine and filet d'aloyau braisé à la royale. Queen Marie is also credited with introducing Polonaise garnishing to the French diet.
The French Revolution was integral to the expansion of French cuisine, because it abolished the guild system. This meant anyone could now produce and sell any culinary item they wished.
Bread was a significant food source among peasants and the working class in the late 18th century, with many of the nation's people being dependent on it. In French provinces, bread was often consumed three times a day by the people of France.[5] According to Brace, bread was referred to as the basic dietary item for the masses, and it was also used as a foundation for soup. In fact, bread was so important that harvest, interruption of commerce by wars, heavy flour exploration, and prices and supply were all watched and controlled by the French Government. Among the underprivileged, constant fear of famine was always prevalent. From 1725 to 1789, there were fourteen years of bad yields to blame for the low grain supply. In Bordeaux, during 1708–1789, thirty-three bad harvests occurred.[5]
More important to Carême's career was his contribution to the refinement of French cuisine. The basis for his style of cooking was his sauces, which he named
In his writings, soufflés appear for the first time. Although many of his preparations today seem extravagant, he simplified and codified an even more complex cuisine that existed beforehand. Central to his codification of the cuisine were Le Maître d'hôtel français (1822), Le Cuisinier parisien (1828) and L'Art de la cuisine française au dix-neuvième siècle (1833–5).[6]: 144–148
Late 19th century – early 20th century
These five stations included the garde manger that prepared cold dishes; the entremettier prepared starches and vegetables, the rôtisseur prepared roasts, grilled and fried dishes; the saucier prepared sauces and soups; and the pâtissier prepared all pastry and desserts items.
This system meant that instead of one person preparing a dish on one's own, now multiple cooks would prepare the different components for the dish. An example used is oeufs au plat Meyerbeer, the prior system would take up to fifteen minutes to prepare the dish, while in the new system, the eggs would be prepared by the entremettier, kidney grilled by the rôtisseur, truffle sauce made by the saucier and thus the dish could be prepared in a shorter time and served quickly in the popular restaurants.[6]: 157–159
Escoffier also simplified and organized the modern menu and structure of the meal. He published a series of articles in professional journals which outlined the sequence, and he finally published his Livre des menus in 1912. This type of service embraced the
Le Guide Culinaire deemphasized the use of heavy sauces and leaned toward lighter
Expensive ingredients would replace the common ingredients, making the dishes much less humble. The third source of recipes was Escoffier himself, who invented many new dishes, such as
This period is also marked by the appearance of the
The characteristics that emerged during this period were:
1. A rejection of excessive complication in cooking.
2. The cooking times for most fish, seafood, game birds, veal, green vegetables and pâtés was greatly reduced in an attempt to preserve the natural flavors. Steaming was an important trend from this characteristic.
3. The cuisine was made with the freshest possible ingredients.
4. Large menus were abandoned in favor of shorter menus.
5. Strong marinades for meat and game ceased to be used.[6]: 163–164
6. They stopped using heavy sauces such as
7. They used regional dishes for inspiration instead of haute cuisine dishes.
8. New techniques were embraced and modern equipment was often used; Bocuse even used microwave ovens.
9. The chefs paid close attention to the dietary needs of their guests through their dishes.
10. And finally, the chefs were extremely inventive and created new combinations and pairings.[6]: 163–164
Some have speculated that a contributor to nouvelle cuisine was World War II when animal protein was in short supply during the German occupation.[9] By the mid-1980s food writers stated that the style of cuisine had reached exhaustion and many chefs began returning to the haute cuisine style of cooking, although much of the lighter presentations and new techniques remained.[6]: 163–164
When the French
National cuisine
There are many dishes that are considered part of French national cuisine today.
A meal often consists of three courses, , sometimes with a salad offered before the cheese or dessert.
- Hors d'œuvre
-
Basil salmon terrine
-
potage.
- Plat principal
-
cuisine classiquedish.
-
Steak frites is a simple and popular dish.
- Pâtisserie
-
Typical French pâtisserie
- Dessert
-
Mousse au chocolat
-
Île flottante
Regional cuisine
French regional cuisine is characterized by its extreme diversity and style. Traditionally, each region of France has its own distinctive cuisine.[10]
Paris and Île-de-France
Paris and Île-de-France are central regions where almost anything from the country is available, as all train lines meet in the city. Over 9,000 restaurants exist in Paris and almost any cuisine can be obtained here. High-quality Michelin Guide-rated restaurants proliferate here.[11]
Champagne, Lorraine, and Alsace
Game and ham are popular in
-
Flute of Champagnewine
-
Alsatian Flammekueche
Nord Pas-de-Calais, Picardy, Normandy, and Brittany
The coastline supplies many
Normandy is home to a large population of apple trees; apples are often used in dishes, as well as cider and Calvados. The northern areas of this region, especially Nord, grow ample amounts of wheat, sugar beets and chicory. Thick stews are found often in these northern areas as well.
The produce of these northern regions is also considered some of the best in the country, including cauliflower and artichokes. Buckwheat grows widely in Brittany as well and is used in the region's galettes, called jalet, which is where this dish originated.[11]: 93
-
Crème Chantilly, created at the Château de Chantilly.
-
Belon oysters
Loire Valley and central France
High-quality fruits come from the Loire Valley and central France, including cherries grown for the liqueur Guignolet and Belle Angevine pears. The strawberries and melons are also of high quality.
Fish are seen in the cuisine, often served with a beurre blanc sauce, as well as wild game, lamb, calves, Charolais cattle, Géline fowl, and goat cheeses.
Young vegetables are used often, as are the specialty mushrooms of the region, champignons de Paris. Vinegars from Orléans are a specialty ingredient used as well.[11]: 129, 132
Burgundy and Franche-Comté
Savory specialties accounted in the Cuisine franc-comtoise from the
-
Bœuf bourguignon
-
Escargots, with special tongs and fork
-
Beaujolais wine
-
Comté cheese and vin jaune
-
Gâteau de ménage
Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes
The area covers the old province of Dauphiné, once known as the "larder" of France,[dubious ] that gave its name to gratin dauphinois,[13] traditionally made in a large baking dish rubbed with garlic. Successive layers of potatoes, salt, pepper and milk are piled up to the top of the dish. It is then baked in the oven at low temperature for 2 hours.[14]
Fruit and young vegetables are popular in the cuisine from the
Poultry from Bresse, guinea fowl from Drôme and fish from the Dombes, a light yeast-based cake, called Pogne de Romans and the regional speciality, Raviole du Dauphiné, and there is the short-crust "Suisse", a Valence biscuit speciality.
Lakes and mountain streams in
The
Since the 2014 administrative reform, the ancient area of
-
Condrieu wine
-
Poulet de Bressechicken salad
-
Noix de Grenoble, unusual trilaterally symmetric walnut
-
Beaufort cheeses ripening in a cellar
Poitou-Charentes and Limousin
Oysters come from the Oléron-Marennes basin, while mussels come from the Bay of Aiguillon.
High-quality produce comes from the region's hinterland, especially goat cheese. This region and in the Vendée is grazing ground for Parthenaise cattle, while poultry is raised in Challans.
The region of Poitou-Charentes purportedly produces the best butter and cream in France. Cognac is also made in the region along the river Charente.
: 237Bordeaux, Périgord, Gascony, and Basque country
Bordeaux is known for its wine, with certain areas offering specialty grapes for wine-making. Fishing is popular in the region for the cuisine, sea fishing in the Bay of Biscay, trapping in the Garonne and stream fishing in the Pyrenees.
The Pyrenees also has lamb, such as the Agneau de Pauillac, as well as sheep cheeses. Beef cattle in the region include the Blonde d'Aquitaine, Boeuf de Chalosse, Boeuf Gras de Bazas, and Garonnaise.
Free-range chicken, turkey, pigeon,
The cuisine of the region is often heavy and farm-based. Armagnac is also from this region, as are prunes from Agen.[11]: 259, 295
-
Confit de canard
-
Black Périgord truffle
Toulouse, Quercy, and Aveyron
Gers, a department of France, is within this region and has poultry, while La Montagne Noire and Lacaune area offer hams and dry sausages.
White corn is planted heavily in the area both for use in fattening ducks and geese for foie gras and for the production of
The finest sausage in France is
This region also produces milk-fed lamb. Unpasteurized
The volcanic soils create flinty cheeses and superb lentils. Mineral waters are produced in high volume in this region as well.[11]: 313 Cabécou cheese is from Rocamadour, a medieval settlement erected directly on a cliff, in the rich countryside of Causses du Quercy .
This area is one of the region's oldest milk producers[verification needed]; it has chalky soil, marked by history and human activity, and is favourable for the raising of goats.
-
Roquefort cheese
Roussillon, Languedoc, and Cévennes
Restaurants are popular in the area known as and rouille de seiche.
In the Languedoc jambon cru, sometimes known as jambon de montagne is produced. High quality Roquefort comes from the brebis (sheep) on the Larzac plateau.
The
Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur
The
Honey is a prized ingredient in the region.Seafood is widely available throughout the coastal area and is heavily represented in the cuisine. Goat cheeses, air-dried sausages, lamb, beef, and chicken are popular here. Garlic and anchovies are used in many of the region's sauces, as in Poulet Provençal, which uses white wine, tomatoes, herbs, and sometimes anchovies, and Pastis is found everywhere that alcohol is served.
The cuisine uses a large amount of vegetables for lighter preparations. Truffles are commonly seen in Provence during the winter. Thirteen desserts in Provence are the traditional Christmas dessert,[22] e.g. quince cheese, biscuits, almonds, nougat, apple, and fougasse.
Rice is grown in the Camargue, which is the northernmost rice growing area in Europe, with Camargue red rice being a specialty.[11]: 387, 403, 404, 410, 416 Anibal Camous, a Marseillais who lived to be 104, maintained that it was by eating garlic daily that he kept his "youth" and brilliance. When his eighty-year-old son died, the father mourned: "I always told him he wouldn't live long, poor boy. He ate too little garlic!"
-
Vacqueyras wine
Corsica
Goats and sheep proliferate on the island of Corsica, and lamb are used to prepare dishes such as stufato, ragouts and roasts. Cheeses are also produced, with brocciu being the most popular.
The island's pork is used to make fine hams, sausage and other unique items including (farmer's ham).
Clementines (which hold an AOC designation), lemons, nectarines and figs are grown there. Candied citron is used in nougats, while and the aforementioned brocciu and chestnuts are also used in desserts.
Corsica offers a variety of wines and fruit liqueurs, including Cap Corse, Patrimonio,
French Guiana
French Guianan cuisine or Guianan cuisine is a blend of the different cultures that have settled in French Guiana including European, Indian, Indigenous (Amerindian), Chinese, and Hmong influences.[23][24] Common dishes include fricassés, stews made of awara broth (made from palm pulp), blaff (onions, garlic, celery and basil broth), pimentade (tomato sauce broth) or roast cougnade (grilled fish), and Colombos (meat-based stew and vegetables with curry).[25][24] There are markets in Cayenne selling fresh and prepared foods among other items.[26] Some dishes from Metropolitan France are reimagined using local ingredients such as Gratin de Couac using cassava root in lieu of potato.[27]
-
Achards de légumes
-
Colombo de poulet
-
Fricassée de bœuf au riz créole
Réunion
The cuisine of Réunion is a Creole cuisine (in French, Créole) with a mixture of cooking styles and ingredients. It is strongly influenced by Malagasy cuisine (from Madagascar), as well as other cuisines from East Africa. It also incorporates elements of larger French, Indian and Chinese cuisines, brought by French colonialization and Indian and Chinese immigrants respectively.[28][29] Notable dishes include samosas, bouchons, rougail, and various curries.[30]
-
Plat de la cuisine réunionaise
-
Somasa
-
Saladier de rougail
Martinique
The
Guadeloupe
The cuisine of Guadeloupe includes Caribbean, African, European and Indian influences. Notable dishes includes the fish fritter accra, a savory stuffed donut called bokit, and coconut-based desserts like custard and sorbet.[33] Notably. the spice blend "colombo" or "massalé" is a curry-like mix of pepper, saffron, coriander, cumin and garlic with the flavor profile included by Sri Lankan immigrants.[33][34] The island is also known for rums and includes nine distilleries producing traditional and agricultural rum.[34]
New Caledonia
The cuisine of New Caledonia includes local Kanak, Melanesian, and traditional French cooking styles.[35] A notable local dish is bougna which is a stew composed of starches, taros, sweet potatoes, poingo bananas, yams, and is accompanied by local meat and cooked in coconut milk.[36] Seafood is also common including fish and lobster.[37] Traditional French pastries, breads, and cheese may also be found especially in the capital of Nouméa.[35]
-
Bougna
-
Travail du coco par une femme Kanak
French Polynesia
The
Mayotte
The cuisine of Mayotte includes influences from European France, Portugal, the Arab world, and India.[40] Common food includes rice as a daily staple staple mixed with root vegetables, plantains, fresh and dried fish, and milk from grated coconuts and meat. Notable dishes include Chahoula ya nadzi, rice boiled in water or coconut milk generally served for large meals and makarara a festive fried cake that is prepared into rolls of dough made of flour and coconut milk.[41][42]
-
Pilao
-
Romazava
Specialties by season
French cuisine varies according to the season. In summer, salads and fruit dishes are popular because they are refreshing and produce is inexpensive and abundant. Greengrocers prefer to sell their fruits and vegetables at lower prices if needed, rather than see them rot in the heat. At the end of summer, mushrooms become plentiful and appear in stews throughout France. The hunting season begins in September and runs through February. Game of all kinds is eaten, often in elaborate dishes that celebrate the success of the hunt. Shellfish are at their peak when winter turns to spring, and oysters appear in restaurants in large quantities.
With the advent of deep-freeze and the air-conditioned
Foods and ingredients
French regional cuisines use locally grown vegetables, such as pomme de terre (
French regional cuisines use locally grown fungi, such as truffe (
Common fruits include oranges, tomatoes,
.Varieties of meat consumed include poulet (
Eggs often eaten as: omelettes, hard-boiled with mayonnaise, scrambled plain, scrambled haute cuisine preparation, œuf à la coque.
Herbs and seasonings vary by region, and include
Fresh fruit and vegetables, as well as fish and meat, can be purchased either from supermarkets or specialty shops. Street markets are held on certain days in most localities; some towns have a more permanent covered market enclosing food shops, especially meat and fish retailers. These have better shelter than the periodic street markets.
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Herbes de provence
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Champignon de Paris
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Haricots verts
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Poulet de Bresse
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Blé (Wheat)
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Black Périgord truffle
Structure of meals
Breakfast
This section needs additional citations for verification. (July 2020) |
Le petit déjeuner (breakfast) is traditionally a quick meal consisting of tartines (slices) of French bread with butter and honey or jam (sometimes
There are also savoury dishes for breakfast. An example is le petit déjeuner gaulois or petit déjeuner fermier with the famous long narrow bread slices topped with soft white cheese or boiled ham, called mouillettes,[45] which is dipped in a soft-boiled egg and some fruit juice and hot drink.
Another variation called le petit déjeuner chasseur, meant to be very hearty, is served with pâté and other charcuterie products. A more classy version is called le petit déjeuner du voyageur, where delicatessens serve gizzard, bacon, salmon, omelet, or croque monsieur, with or without soft-boiled egg and always with the traditional coffee/tea/chocolate along fruits or fruit juice. When the egg is cooked sunny-side over the croque-monsieur, it is called a croque-madame.
In Germinal and other novels, Émile Zola also mentioned the briquet: two long bread slices stuffed with butter, cheese and or ham. It can be eaten as a standing/walking breakfast, or meant as a "second" one before lunch.
In the movie
Lunch
Le déjeuner (lunch) is a two-hour mid-day meal or a one-hour lunch break [verification needed]. In some smaller towns and in the south of France, the two-hour lunch may still be customary [verification needed]. Sunday lunches are often longer and are taken with the family.[46] Restaurants normally open for lunch at noon and close at 2:30 pm. Some restaurants are closed on Monday during lunch hours.[47]
In large
Dinner
Le dîner (dinner) often consists of three
Beverages and drinks
In French cuisine, beverages that precede a meal are called
- Apéritifs
The apéritif varies from region to region:
- Digestifs
Digestifs are traditionally stronger, and include Cognac, Armagnac, Calvados, eau de vie and fruit alcohols.
Christmas
A typical
Food establishments
History
The modern restaurant has its origins in French culture. Prior to the late 18th century, diners who wished to "dine out" would visit their local guild member's kitchen and have their meal prepared for them. However, guild members were limited to producing whatever their guild registry delegated to them.[52]: 8–10 These guild members offered food in their own homes to steady clientele that appeared day-to-day but at set times. The guest would be offered the meal table d'hôte, which is a meal offered at a set price with very little choice of dishes, sometimes none at all.[52]: 30–31
The first steps toward the modern restaurant were locations that offered "restorative"
In 1782
English | French | Description |
---|---|---|
Restaurant | More than 5,000 in Paris alone, with varying levels of prices and menus. Open at certain times of the day, and normally closed one day of the week. Patrons select items from a printed Guide Michelin rates many of the better restaurants in this category.[11] : 30
| |
Bistro(t) | Often smaller than a restaurant and many times using chalk board or verbal menus. Wait staff may well be untrained. Many feature a regional cuisine. Notable dishes include : 30 | |
Bistrot à Vin | Similar to AOC wines. The foods in some are simple, including sausages, ham and cheese, while others offer dishes similar to what can be found in a bistro.[11] : 30
| |
Bouchon | Found in Lyon, they produce traditional Lyonnaise cuisine, such as sausages, duck pâté or roast pork. The dishes can be quite fatty, and heavily oriented around meat. There are about twenty officially certified traditional bouchons, but a larger number of establishments describing themselves using the term.[53] | |
Brewery | Brasserie | These establishments were created in the 1870s by refugees from |
Café
|
Primarily locations for coffee and alcoholic drinks. Additional tables and chairs are usually set outside, and prices are usually higher for service at these tables. The limited foods sometimes offered include pommes frites) when in season. Cafés often open early in the morning and shut down around nine at night.[11] : 30
| |
Salon de Thé
|
These locations are more similar to cafés in the rest of the world. These tearooms often offer a selection of cakes and do not offer alcoholic drinks. Many offer simple snacks, salads, and sandwiches. Teas, hot chocolate, and chocolat à l'ancienne (a popular chocolate drink) are offered as well. These locations often open just prior to noon for lunch and then close late afternoon.[11]: 30 | |
Bar | Based on the American style, many were built at the beginning of the 20th century (particularly around World War I, when young American expatriates were quite common in France, particularly Paris). These locations serve cocktails, whiskey, pastis and other alcoholic drinks.[11]: 30 | |
Estaminet | Typical of the Nord-Pas-de-Calais region, these small bars/restaurants used to be a central place for farmers, mine or textile workers to meet and socialize, sometimes the bars would be in a grocery store.[55] Customers could order basic regional dishes, play boules, or use the bar as a meeting place for clubs.[56] These estaminets almost disappeared, but are now considered a part of Nord-Pas-de-Calais history, and therefore preserved and promoted. |
Restaurant staff
Larger restaurants and hotels in France employ extensive staff and are commonly referred to as either the kitchen brigade for the kitchen staff or dining room brigade system for the dining room staff. This system was created by
Section | French | English | Duty |
---|---|---|---|
Kitchen brigade | Chef de cuisine | Head chef | Responsible for overall management of kitchen. They supervise staff, and create menus and new recipes with the assistance of the restaurant manager, make purchases of raw food items, train apprentices and maintain a sanitary and hygienic environment for the preparation of food.[11]: 32 |
Sous-chef de cuisine | Deputy Head chef | Receives orders directly from the chef de cuisine for the management of the kitchen and often represents the chef de cuisine when he or she is not present.[11]: 32 | |
Chef de partie | Senior chef | Responsible for managing a given station in the kitchen where they specialize in preparing particular dishes. Those that work in a lesser station are referred to as a demi-chef.[11]: 32 | |
Cuisinier | Cook | This position is an independent one where they usually prepare specific dishes in a station. They may be referred to as a cuisinier de partie.[11]: 32 | |
Commis | Junior cook | Also works in a specific station, but reports directly to the chef de partie and takes care of the tools for the station.[11]: 32 | |
Apprenti(e) | Apprentice | Many times they are students gaining theoretical and practical training in school and work experience in the kitchen. They perform preparatory or cleaning work.[11]: 30 | |
Plongeur | Dishwasher | Cleans dishes and utensils and may be entrusted with basic preparatory jobs.[11]: 32 | |
Marmiton | Pot and pan washer | In larger restaurants, takes care of all the pots and pans instead of the plongeur.[11]: 33 | |
Saucier | Saucemaker/sauté cook | Prepares hors d'œuvres, completes meat dishes and in smaller restaurants may work on fish dishes and prepare sautéed items. This is one of the most respected positions in the kitchen brigade.[11] : 32
| |
Rôtisseur | Roast cook | Manages a team of cooks that roasts, broils and deep fries dishes.[11]: 32 | |
Grillardin | Grill cook | In larger kitchens this person prepares the grilled foods instead of the rôtisseur.[57]: 8 | |
Friturier | Fry cook | In larger kitchens this person prepares fried foods instead of the rôtisseur.[57] | |
Poissonnier | Fish cook | Prepares fish and seafood dishes.[11]: 33 | |
Entremetier | Entrée preparer | Prepares soups and other dishes not involving meat or fish, including vegetable dishes and egg dishes.[11]: 32 | |
Potager | Soup cook | In larger kitchens, this person reports to the entremetier and prepares the soups.[57] | |
Legumier | Vegetable cook | In larger kitchen this person also reports to the entremetier and prepares the vegetable dishes.[57] | |
Garde manger | Pantry supervisor | Responsible for preparation of cold hors d'œuvres, prepares salads, organizes large buffet displays and prepares charcuterie items.[11] : 30
| |
Tournant | Spare hand/ roundsperson | Moves throughout kitchen assisting other positions in kitchen. | |
Pâtissier
|
Pastry cook | Prepares desserts and other meal end sweets, and in locations without a boulanger also prepares breads and other baked items. They may also prepare pasta for the restaurant.[11]: 33 | |
Confiseur | Prepares candies and petit fours in larger restaurants instead of the pâtissier.[57] | ||
Glacier | Prepares frozen and cold desserts in larger restaurants instead of the pâtissier.[57] | ||
Décorateur | Prepares show pieces and specialty cakes in larger restaurants instead of the pâtissier.[57]: 8–9 | ||
Boulanger | Baker | Prepares bread, cakes and breakfast pastries in larger restaurants instead of the pâtissier.[11]: 33 | |
Boucher | Butcher | Butchers meats, poultry and sometimes fish. May also be in charge of breading meat and fish items.[57] | |
Aboyeur | Announcer/ expediter | Takes orders from dining room and distributes them to the various stations. This position may also be performed by the sous-chef de partie.[57] | |
Communard | Prepares the meal served to the restaurant staff.[57] | ||
Garçon de cuisine | Performs preparatory and auxiliary work for support in larger restaurants.[11]: 33 | ||
Dining room brigade | Directeur de la restauration | General manager | Oversees economic and administrative duties for all food-related business in large hotels or similar facilities including multiple restaurants, bars, catering and other events.[11]: 33 |
Directeur de restaurant | Restaurant manager
|
Responsible for the operation of the restaurant dining room, which includes managing, training, hiring and firing staff, and economic duties of such matters. In larger establishments there may be an assistant to this position who would replace this person in their absence.[11]: 33 | |
Maître d'hôtel | Welcomes guests, and seats them at tables. They also supervise the service staff. Commonly deals with complaints and verifies patrons' bills.[11]: 33 | ||
Chef de salle | Commonly in charge of service for the full dining room in larger establishments; this position can be combined into the maître d'hotel position.[57] | ||
Chef de rang | The dining room is separated into sections called rangs. Each rang is supervised by this person to coordinate service with the kitchen.[11]: 33 | ||
Demi-chef de rang | Back server | Clears plates between courses if there is no commis débarrasseur, fills water glasses and assists the chef de rang.[57] | |
commis de rang | |||
Commis débarrasseur | Clears plates between courses and the table at the end of the meal.[11]: 33 | ||
Commis de suite | In larger establishments, this person brings the different courses from the kitchen to the table.[11]: 33 | ||
Chef d'étage | Captain | Explains the menu to the guest and answers any questions. This person often performs the tableside food preparations. This position may be combined with the chef de rang in smaller establishments.[57] | |
Chef de vin | Wine server | Manages wine cellar by purchasing and organizing as well as preparing the wine list. Also advises the guests on wine choices and serves the wine.[11]: 33 | |
Sommelier | |||
chef sommelier | In larger establishments, this person will manage a team of sommeliers.[11]: 33 | ||
chef caviste | |||
Serveur de restaurant | Server | This position found in smaller establishments performs the multiple duties of various positions in the larger restaurants in the service of food and drink to the guests.[11]: 33 | |
Responsable de bar | Bar manager | Manages the bar in a restaurant, which includes ordering and creating drink menus; they also oversee the hiring, training and firing of barmen. Also manages multiple bars in a hotel or other similar establishment.[11]: 33 | |
Chef de bar | |||
Barman | Bartender | Serves alcoholic drinks to guests.[11]: 33 | |
Dame du vestiaire | Coat room attendant who receives and returns guests' coats and hats.[11]: 33 | ||
Voituriers | Valet | Parks guests' cars and retrieves them when the guests leave.[11]: 33 |
See also
- Cuisine of Quebec
- Acadian cuisine
- Cajun cuisine
- French Americans
- French Canadians
- French paradox
- Larousse Gastronomique
- Le Répertoire de la Cuisine
- List of French cheeses
- List of French desserts
- List of French dishes
- List of French restaurants
- List of French soups and stews
- List of restaurants in Paris
References
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{{cite web}}
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"Brasseries have the advantage of offering uninterrupted service all day, seven days a week, and of being open for the after-theatre crowd, whereas restaurants are closed two and a half days of the week." - ^ "Les Estaminets - Taverns". www.leershistorique.com. Archived from the original on 3 March 2016. Retrieved 6 July 2017.
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Further reading
- Patrick Rambourg, Histoire de la cuisine et de la gastronomie françaises, Paris, Ed. Perrin (coll. tempus n° 359), 2010, 381 pages. ISBN 978-2-262-03318-7
- Bryan Newman, "Behind the French Menu",
External links
- France stages first-ever Gastronomy Day Radio France Internationale in English