Line Cook Responsibilities: 6 Tips for Success as a Line Cook

A line cook is responsible for preparing restaurant food in a timely fashion on a kitchen assembly line—which organizes the assembly of a meal from start to finish. A line cook is alternatively known as a station chef, line chef, or chef de partie. They recreate dishes designed by their head chef. A line cook is a part of the kitchen brigade system, a hierarchical system of organizing kitchen staff by specific station and responsibility.

Some of a line cook’s responsibilities include:

• Prep work: Line cooks are in charge of food preparation, including chopping vegetables, butchering meat, and preparing sauces. A prep cook or a commis chef may also help with this task.
• Cooking: Line cooks are responsible for preparing food by sautéing, grilling, baking, or frying.
• Maintain cleanliness: Line cooks are required to keep their stations clean in accordance with food safety regulations. At the end of each shift, a line cook is responsible for cleaning their station.
• Carrying out the head chef’s orders: The line cook is responsible for following the directions of the head chef. They are expected to stick to the chef’s vision for any given dish.

A line cook is one of the most demanding jobs in the restaurant industry because of its speed and volume of work, but sticking to a few tips can help set you up for success in the role.

1. 1. Communicate clearly. Strong lines of communication between all kitchen staff are essential when filling high-volume orders in a restaurant. Line cooks are responsible for passing information through their workstations. Stay alert and pay attention to your chef de cuisine, sous chef, or expeditor, who serves as the liaison between the kitchen staff and the wait staff.
2. 2. Show up early. As the line cook, you must portion your ingredients and maintain necessary supplies based on your assigned recipes before your shift gets going. Arriving early gives you a leg up. Practice mise en place, a French phrase that means "everything in its place,” which refers to equipping and organizing ingredients at your station for later use. Collect and organize the appropriate tools needed for your workstation before your shift. These habits will save time during your shift.
3. 3. Get into a rhythm. Timing is essential for a successful cooking line. While managing your workstation, be mindful of the rhythm of orders coming in and going out. Organize your ticket orders sequentially, and work with the food expeditor to keep dishes moving.
4. 4. Know your menu. Work closely with your executive chef or sous chef to understand the intricacies of the appetizers, entrées, and desserts on the menu. Familiarize yourself with every ingredient. Practice cooking methods and techniques like sautéing, roasting, blanching, and braising.
5. 5. Clean often. Keep a clean workstation throughout your shift. Maintaining good hygiene practices is essential for food safety. Wash your hands often. Consider wearing gloves or a hairnet. Keep a sanitized rag nearby to clean your station regularly between dishes.
6. 6. Consider going to culinary school. Attending a culinary school can give you a leg up when trying to rise the ranks of the kitchen brigade system, though a GED or high school diploma is typically the only requirement for the position. Consider starting with classes in the culinary arts at a local community college. If school is not for you, there are still plenty of options to grow in your skills without formal education. For example, on-the-job training is an effective way to learn the skills needed to become a better line cook.

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