Garde Manger Chef Job Overview A Garde Manger Chef is a kind of cook being frequently placed on the enrty-level positions on a line. He functions to prepare all the components of cold appetizers ranging from the salads and cheese plates to antipasti platters and terrines. There are already two types of positions a garde Manger Chef may take. One is a garde manger cook in a restaurant and the other is a garde manger cook in a hotel.
Education, Knowledge and Training Required
Basically, being a cook is a vocational type of work that needs either no formal training from school or a formal training from a culinary school. A diploma in Culinary Arts may be needed plus a couple of on the job training, with a certain number of hours inclusive depending on the institution where the applicant was enrolled, or a degree in Hotel, Restaurant and Institution Management majoring in Culinary Arts. A degree in Hotel, Restaurant and Institution Management major in Culinary Arts is a good credential as compared to the former in a sense that management of the kitchen at the least is considered an expertise, in addition to simply cooking. The promotion to a managerial or a higher level position of a degree holder is faster as compared to a non degree holder, who was just trained on the job by the seniors themselves.
Skills and Abilities
Generally, the skills that are needed in this job are artistic skills, technical skills and time management skills. A chef should also be keen in using all the five senses to make sure that the food is palatable, fresh, good smelling, enticing, rich in flavors, adequate in texture, and properly served and plated. A garde manger chef should know how to distinguish between a fresh food supply and a non fresh ones. Also, it is a must that he knows how what to expect in every dishes as to its characteristics. The ability to decorate and plate cold food on cold plate and serve itin good condition taking note of the time period elapsed from cooking to serving are also within what is expected of the chef's expertise.
Duties
The duties of a garde manger chef are many aside from the usual food preparation and food item plating. He is involved in the maintainance of the coldkitchen. He ensures that the cold station is clean at the end of the night and that all the left over supplies are stored safely and properly for the use of the following day. He is also responsible for performing their own inventory of commonly used items, determining the freshness of the items before and within use. He will constantly coordinate with the other chefs and sous chefs and perform tasks collaboratively with them.
Earnings and Job Outlook
The typical pay for a garde manger chef is $10 to $13 on an hourly basis. Most chefs have a lot of opportunities not only in small restaurants but also in different world class fine dining places and hotels. Some are also being hired in cruise lines and some, after gaining more than enough experience in the field, can start a restaurant business on their own.
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