Saucier

If you’re an impudent child your mother might say, “Don’t be saucy.” If you’re a skilled Saucier, however, she’ll probably say, “Please do!”

That’s because “saucy” is another word for “sassy” — except in the kitchen, when it’s another word for “delicious.” In that case, “saucy” doesn’t just describe your attitude or your dinner. If you’re the aforementioned Saucier, it also describes your profession.

Indeed, a Saucier is quite literally “saucy.” After all, it’s French for “Sauce Cook.” All word play aside, therefore, it’s your job to cook sauces. What kind? All of them. The kitchen’s highest-ranking Line Cook — and its third highest ranking Chef, behind only the Executive Chef and Sous Chef — you’re in charge of white sauces and brown sauces, spaghetti sauces and pestos, cheese sauces and meat sauces, barbecue sauces and butters, not to mention all manners of gravy, salsa, salad dressing and dessert topping, plus hors d’oeuvres, stocks, soups and stews. In other words: If it’s a hot appetizer, a liquid or a condiment, you make it.

To do so, you’ll need extensive culinary knowledge of ingredients, mixtures and chemical reactions; a fine palate that’s sensitive to seasoning; impressive manual dexterity; and biceps that are big enough to mix, whisk and whip the day away.

In addition to preparing sauces, your duties may include creating and testing new recipes and cooking made-to-order sautéed foods, as well as managing other Line Cooks and assisting them as necessary. Always, however, your job comes back to the sauce (and sometimes the sass).