How Do You Manage An À La Carte Kitchen?
As diners become more interested in individual food choices, à la carte restaurants grow in popularity. With a large selection of entrées, side dishes, salads and desserts, an à la carte kitchen must be managed with a high degree of professionalism to ensure that all items are available at all times. Decide how many cooks and assistants you will need. In a large kitchen, a separate baker and pastry chef prepare the day’s baked goods and desserts. However, if you have a small clientèle, the baker may fill both positions. Choose a head cook or sous chef as the defining voice in the kitchen. Along with a line chef, the sous chef will determine the quality of the food. Hire the best person you can afford for the job. Add line cooks, prep cooks, a pantry cook and assistants as kitchen space and your customer base allows. Schedule the baker and pastry chefs to arrive early to begin the preparation of the day’s dessert selections and to bake the bread products. Often, the baker unlocks the à
