What is a Line Cook and the Responsibilities That Come With the Job?

Fire, a term used to get ready to starting anhelp but it does happen. Waitstaff asking you how
order that the waiter just placed in. The guestmuch longer, chef telling you to fire one more
have probably been waiting for at least tenthing from another order, your saute cook is a
minutes from the time that they first sat downlittle behind, it's been almost an hour since this
at their table, and are now waiting for that mealchaotic mess started and your wondering when
that the kitchen staff will prepare.will it end. Temperatures rise on the front line and
The front line in the kitchen is where most of theI don't mean the burners.
food is fired. It is divided and usually consists of aAfter all is said and done, there are no complaints,
saute section, a broiler, a grill, a deep fryer, ano one waiting long for their meal, guests are
salamander, cold reach-ins or drawers, and hothappy, a few compliments, waitstaff got their
water wells. One that works on this line, whichtips, line cooks getting ready to clean the line, and
may consist of 2 to 3 even 4, depending on themaking a list of the prep that needs to be done
size of the restaurant or the menu, are called linewhen they return the next day. Everyone gets a
cooks. Sometimes the chef likes to get in on thepat on the back, job well done. That is the
action.reward and one of the goals of the front line
As a line cook you need to be prepared, youcook.
need to know the menu, all the different recipes,Guest satisfaction is the priority of the front line
have all your tools on hand, have all yourcook. The quality of the meal is your number one
ingredients in the menu on the line, and of courseconcern along with presentation. All the ingredients
you need the skills of cooking.must be fresh, every cook must be on the same
Being mentally prepared, by far, is one of thepage as far as the recipes go, there needs to be
most important ingredient a line cook should have.consistency making sure that what you cooked
One must be able to concentrate on the task attoday, will taste the same tomorrow or next
hand over all the hustle and bustle in the kitchen.week. This is what brings in repeat customers,
the chef would be calling out orders, waitstaff arethis is what a restaurant focuses on and depends
asking all kinds of questions, you maybe workingon. The line cook along side the rest of the
on maybe three or more things at once, andkitchen staff strive to do this daily. As a line cook
timing is crucial, everyone on the line must be inyou need to take pride in your job, because if
sync. With all these distractions one must keep hisyou do, that pride will certainly reflect on the
composure. Getting stressed, or angry doesn'tmeals you prepare.