Filed under: culinary arts
Finding a position as a chef in Dallas is no easy feat. Not all Dallas chef jobs are the same. Below is a description of the various types of Texas jobs for chefs along with restaurants who hire from time to time.
Line Chef
A line chef, most commonly referred to as a line cook, does not oversee an entire kitchen, but rather one particular area of the kitchen. For example, these types of chefs will focus on butchering or grilling. A line cook will be required to know everything about their particular. Many chain restaurants and family restaurants such as T.G.I Fridays and Brick House Tavern & Tap in Dallas hire line chefs.
Commis
This is an entry-level position that is overseen by a line cook. Before you can become a higher-level chef you have to gain experience using a knife, food preparation, and plating. Most all executive chefs start out as a commis. The International Continental is just one example of a Texas establishment that employs a commis.
Pastry Chef
Pastry chef jobs in Dallas are offered in a range of places including wedding cake bakeries such as Opulent Cakes and golf courses such as Brookhollow Golf Course. A seasoned pastry chef understands all the production requirements that go into a large pastry order or detailed confections. Usually, a pastry chef will attend one of the Dallas colleges that offer a patisserie and baking program since this area is so specialized. In a restaurant kitchen or other large kitchen, a pastry chef is also a line chef since he or she oversees one particular area of food production.
Sous Chef
A sous chef works under an executive chef in a kitchen. Most large kitchens require a sous chef, but many fine dining establishments with complicated menus will also fill sous chef jobs. In Dallas, the Omni Hotel employs sous chefs, but there are many other hotels and restaurants that require this position be filled too.
Executive Chef
An executive chef oversees all operations in a kitchen. From hiring and training staff to ordering ingredients to developing a menu, executive chefs have many responsibilities. Not all executive chefs cook every day, but many do. In most cases, an executive chef will cook during busy times and for large events. This role is required in most restaurant kitchens as well as in other types of food service businesses.
In addition to the chef jobs listed above, there are other specialty chef jobs offered in Dallas. Positions such as garde mange (a line chef responsible for cold foods, i.e., salads) and a saucier (a line chef responsible for sauces) are just two examples of other specialty chef jobs.
This article is presented by Le Cordon Bleu Institute of Culinary Arts Dallas. Le Cordon Bleu Institute of Culinary Arts Dallas offers Le Cordon Bleu culinary education classes and culinary training programs in Dallas, Texas. To learn more about the class offerings, please visit Chefs.edu/Dallas for more information.
The jobs mentioned are examples of certain potential jobs, not a representation that these outcomes are more probable than others. Le Cordon Bleu Institute of Culinary Arts Dallas does not guarantee employment or salary.