saucier

A saucier is a cook in a professional kitchen who specializes in preparing sauces, stocks, and related hot preparations. In classical French cuisine and the brigade de cuisine, the saucier is a central station charged with creating and finishing pan sauces that accompany meat, poultry, fish, and vegetables. The position is typically a chef de partie, reporting to the sous-chef or chef de cuisine, and in larger establishments there may be multiple sauciers with varying levels of seniority.

Core responsibilities include making and maintaining stocks and fumets, preparing mother sauces and their derivatives, and crafting pan sauces and reductions. The saucier handles deglazing, flavor development, emulsions, and seasoning adjustments, ensuring that sauces are ready to pair with dishes as timing and plating demand. They also oversee mise en place for sauce stations, supervise junior staff or commis, and coordinate with other kitchen sections to ensure consistency and quality.

Skills and techniques central to the role include a refined palate for balance and seasoning, precise heat control, and proficiency with roux, roux-based sauces, roux derivatives, and emulsified sauces. Knowledge of classic sauces (béchamel, velouté, espagnole, tomato, hollandaise) and advanced finishing methods are important, as is the ability to work quickly under pressure and to scale sauces for high-volume service.

Historically, the saucier was a key position in Escoffier’s brigade system; in modern kitchens, the role may be consolidated into a dedicated sauce station or split among several cooks depending on size and style of operation.