In the kitchen of La Degustation Bohême Bourgeoise: We follow the French division of cuisine
A Michelin-starred restaurant in the centre of Prague
The tasting menu presents a seasonal ingredients from select farmers, gatherers and hunters. We place a lot of energy into finding them, and cook to emphasise the individuality of each ingredient.
Our dishes are rooted in traditional cuisine, finding inspiration in the cycles of nature, and the relationships between the ingredients we select. When we prepare game, careful attention is payed to the environment in which the animal lives, what it eats, and how the seasons influence its flavour.
Our sommeliers contemplate and experiment with wine and non-alcoholic food pairings, mixing fruit, vegetables, herbs and nuts into their drinks.
Each chef has a specific role. The kitchen at La Degustation Bohême Bourgeoise has a cast of eight, which is supplemented by service as guests arrive. The concept that the restaurant follows refers to the French division of cuisine, the so-called Brigade de cuisine, invented by chef Georges Auguste Escoffier.
The hierarchy at La Degustation is rather symbolic - no role is secondary and everyone knows the script of their colleagues so that they can all help each other out during the evening. But only after they have completed their own tasks. What are they?
Chef de cuisine
Is the head of the kitchen and the lightning rod to whom the chefs turn for advice and questions, and who is responsible for keeping the kitchen from exploding. The chef de cuisine manages the day's proceedings, plans shifts, prepares menus and determines the order of the dishes.
At La Degustation Bohême Bourgeoise, the chef creates profiles new dishes with a photo, a recipe and a description of how and on what the dish is served. During the day, he helps colleagues in all positions with preparations, and in the evening he reports and checks which dishes are being released.
"The chef should taste every dish being served. In our company, we do this by having the whole menu served and reviewed at the beginning of the evening. Then, during service, we do spot checks," says chef Oldřich Sahajdák. "I watch, I help and I guarantee that everything is working as it should."
Garde manger, or pantry chef
They are in charge of the cold part of the courses. In practice, that means everything that goes on the plate last - or first, if the hot food comes on the cold side. He also orders cold services such as purees for decorating plates, prepares salads and works with herbs, crumbs or dust, drippings or oils.
Saucier, or sauce chef
A highly respected position, standing in their own a corner at La Degustation Bohême Bourgeoise. The person in question is responsible for sauces and broths, creams and mousses. Everything is heated, stirred and poured onto the plate in their pots - there's no rival in flavouring and serving sauces.
Entremetier, or vegetable chef
Concentrates on vegetable dishes and side dishes, delivering vegetable purees, espumas and egg dishes to the plate. "In huge hotel kitchens, the entremetier doesn't do side dishes and vegetables at the same time. The legumier works the vegetables, the soups are made by the potager and so on. In such a team, they have thirty different positions," the chef explains.
Rottiseur, or roast chef
At La Degustation Bohême Bourgeoise, they take responsibility for meat and fish dishes. An expert in cutting, slicing and carving, and has mastered the various techniques necessary for preparing meat and fish specialities. In larger restaurants, the rottiseur is dedicated solely to roasting the meat and shares the work area with grillardin) or a fish expert (poissonnier).
Confisseur/Mignon, or confectioner
At La Degustation, there are two chefs who prepare the first and last courses, including dessert and pastries. These are mostly dishes that guests take in hand - amuse bouche to start, small (and savoury) desserts, petitsfours and/or mignardises to finish. "We don't need a patissier, i.e. a pastry chef. There is only one dessert on the menu and it can be prepared by a confisseur or 'mignonnier'," explains Oldrich.
Patissier vs. pastry chef: while Patissier is responsible for dessert in fine dining restaurants, the term "pastry chef" is more commonly used in ordinary patisseries offering classic desserts.
Padawan, a versatile chef
On hand to help everyone, everywhere. The French parlance would be tournant, but at La Degustation Bohême Bourgeoise they borrowed a character from Star Wars and created a position that is unique in our gastronomy: Padawan. The role of the Padawan is passed on by the chefs. Before the restaurant opens, he helps with whatever needs to be done, and once service begins, he shuts himself up in the cellar, where he tries out new recipes, preserves, pickles, and attends to other activities that require more time. "It's kind of our luxury. Not every restaurant can afford someone who is always inventing and preparing something," Olda admits.
Teammates on set
The division of roles also happens outside the kitchen. On set, the smooth running of each evening is the responsibility of the shift manager, waiters, waitresses and sommeliers. At La Degustation, they are dedicated not only to wine and spirits, but also to non-alcoholic pairings.
There are also positions in service that are shared by wait staff in regular restaurants: Plater, or also a cutlery man, who simply sets and collects the plates so that each table is perfectly prepared for each guest; the role of of the diner is obvious. "Of course, it is also important plongeur, i.e. the person who washes the dishes, cleans up or helps to cut the vegetables," adds Sahajdák.
Four-phase training
Every new chef at La Degustation Bohême Bourgeoise has to undergo a one-month internship with four phases during which it remains to be seen which position is right for him. The first part is is the first part of the apprenticeship. "We put the trainee in the kitchen and let him find out for himself where everyone stands, how things work, how we behave, that we help each other and so on. Someone picks it up in two days, someone needs a week," says Olda.
In the second, observation phase, the newcomer goes through all the positions by standing behind one chef, looking over his shoulder and taking notes. "In the evening we always check what he has written down and if he has understood everything," Olda notes. In the third round comes the decision and the trial part. Once the trainee agrees to the position he is offered, he moves one step ahead, next to the chef, and then spends a week of instruction and testing with him. "In the fourth and final phase, the experienced chef "steps behind the trainee and this time it is he who observes. If someone really wants to do it, we'll train them in a month," Olda points out.
One for all, all for one
At La Degustation, they don't have any favourite or unpopular positions. But most chefs like to move around and don't like to stay in one place for long. The rota for each shift is strictly followed, but so is the unwritten rule that everyone cooks for the whole team and whoever's free to help the others.
The position system has clear advantages. "We could probably do it with fewer people, but we wouldn't enjoy it so much because the quality would be worse and the work would be much more stressful," explains the chef. "It's the same as when you want to build a house. An architect can draw it, but you'll never have a home without a bricklayer, carpenter, electrician or flooring engineer. We still need a gardener and a garden as big as a football field. Maybe even that will work," concludes chef de cuisine Oldřich Sahajdák.
