What is Back of House?

Dec 02, 2021

Every successful restaurant needs top-notch back of house staff to ensure everything in the kitchen and the backend of the restaurant runs smoothly. The back of the house (BOH), encompasses all the behind-the-scenes areas that customers will not see. This acts as the central command center in a restaurant where the food is prepared, cooked, and plated before making its way to the customer’s table. If you work well in a team, are a good communicator and a fast-paced hard worker, working in the back of house is perfect for you. 

 

Roles in Back of House Staff
Kitchen manager - One of the first people you see in the back of house is the kitchen manager. The kitchen manager is responsible for all back of house restaurant operations. They hire employees, ensure the restaurant is up to code with food safety and hygiene, and even step in to help when the kitchen is busy.

Executive Chef - The executive chef is a central figure of the back of house and works closely with the kitchen and general managers. Also known as the head chef, they create the menu and maintain any changes, including all specials and seasonal dishes. They also oversee ordering food for the restaurant and often manage sous chefs and line cooks.

Sous Chef - The sous chef is the next in charge after the executive chef. The two work very closely and often create the menu together. The sous chef is usually in charge of scheduling the staff, supervising the kitchen workers, training new staff, and maintaining kitchen organisation.

Line Cook - There are often multiple line cooks in the back of house. This is the most common position in the kitchen, and the line cooks each have a specific position in the back of house restaurant operations. They often divide their work by station, such as sauté chef, fry chef, or grill chef, or by type of food, such as sauces, seafood, or pastry.

Prep Cook - The prep cooks do what their name suggests: They prepare the food. They do many of the routine tasks such as washing and chopping vegetables and prepping ingredients. They may also be responsible for less complicated assembly, such as salads and dressings.

Kitchen Caller - The caller is the person who places the orders to the cooks and is a critical connection between the front of house and back of house. They are well-versed in how long each menu item takes to prepare and tell the chefs what to work on and when. Sometimes the executive chef acts as the caller during peak busy times.

Food Runner - It’s the food runner’s job to transport meals from the kitchen to customer’s tables rapidly and accurately. Acting as the point of contact between FOH and BOH staff. Food runners might also assemble appetisers, refill water glasses, and clear plates when diners are finished eating.

Dishwasher - Last but not least is the dishwasher. The dishwashers operate the cleaning equipment and are responsible for cleaning the dishes and glasses to help turn over the dining room quickly. They also wash the pots and pans and silverware.

 

What skills do I need to be a front of house staff?
These are the desirable skills to have to be a candidate for a Back of House role:

• Good communication skills
• Ability to work in a fast-paced environment
• Work well with others in a team 
• Good at multitasking
• All back of house staff should wear clean uniforms and aprons while on the job. 

To be successful as back of house staff, you should be a good communicator, work well in a team and adapt to fast-paced environments. 

 

See here on our website for BOH positions availble NOW!