| Detail | For this role |
|---|---|
| Department | Restaurants and Food Service |
| Level | Mid level |
| Reports to | Sous Chef |
| Direct reports | Demi Chef de Partie, Commis Chef |
| Experience | 3 to 6 years in kitchens with section experience |
Chef de Partie job description template
Copy this job description, replace the text in square brackets and post it on your careers page or a job portal.
Job title: Chef de Partie
Department: Restaurants and Food Service
Reports to: Sous Chef
Location: [City], [office, branch or site]
About the role
A Chef de Partie runs one section of the kitchen, such as grill, sauce, tandoor or cold kitchen. They prepare and cook the dishes of their section to standard, lead the commis under them, and keep the section ready and clean. The role is the specialist of its station. A good Chef de Partie delivers their section dishes consistently and on time, controls waste and portion, trains commis, and keeps mise en place tight through service.
Key responsibilities
- Prepare and cook the dishes of the assigned section to standard.
- Set up and maintain mise en place for the section before service.
- Lead and train the commis working in the section.
- Control portion, quality and wastage in the assigned section.
- Keep the section clean and food safe through service.
- Send dishes to the pass on time during service.
- Manage stock and indents for the section ingredients daily.
- Follow recipes and plating standards set by the chef.
- Support other sections when the kitchen is under pressure.
Requirements
- Diploma or certificate in culinary arts
- Food safety awareness
- Hands on section cooking experience
- 3 to 6 years in kitchens with section experience
KRAs and KPIs for a Chef de Partie
Key result areas for the appraisal form, each with a KPI you can measure every month or quarter.
| Key result area | How to measure it |
|---|---|
| Section quality | Section dishes meet the recipe and plating standard |
| Timing | Section dishes sent to the pass within ticket time |
| Wastage | Section food wastage held within target |
| Mise en place | Section fully prepped and ready before every service |
| Hygiene | Section hygiene maintained with no critical finding |
| Commis development | Commis in the section improving on skill checks |
Skills and tools
Tools used day to day: Section equipment, KOT and kitchen display, Recipe cards, Temperature logs, Weighing scale.
Reporting line and career path
Next roles: Sous Chef, Senior Chef de Partie, Continental Chef
Interview questions for a Chef de Partie
- How do you set up mise en place for your section?
- How do you keep your section dishes consistent through a rush?
- How do you train a commis on your station?
- How do you control portion and waste in your section?
- How do you keep your station clean and food safe during service?
- How do you cope when your section gets slammed with tickets?
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What does a Chef de Partie do?
A Chef de Partie, or CDP, runs one section of the kitchen such as grill, sauce or tandoor. They prepare and cook that section dishes to standard, lead the commis under them, keep mise en place ready, control waste and portion, and send dishes to the pass on time. It is the station specialist role.
What is the difference between a Chef de Partie and a Sous Chef?
A Chef de Partie runs one section. A Sous Chef supervises all the sections, runs the pass and deputises for the head chef. The CDP owns a station; the sous chef owns the whole line. A strong CDP is often the next in line to become a sous chef.
How do you become a Chef de Partie?
Start as a commis, learn a section deeply, and prove you can run it to standard under pressure. A culinary diploma helps but section experience matters more. Employers look for consistency, speed, portion and waste control, and the ability to train commis on the station.