How to Use the Aboyeur Onboarding Template

Why structured aboyeur onboarding matters

The aboyeur is the nerve centre of a professional kitchen. Standing at the pass, they translate front-of-house orders into kitchen actions, coordinate timing across multiple stations, check quality before every plate leaves, and keep the entire brigade moving in sync. When the aboyeur gets it right, service flows. When they don't, the kitchen falls apart.

Yet this is one of the hardest roles to train for, because it sits at the intersection of technical kitchen knowledge, communication skills, and leadership under pressure. A new aboyeur can't learn the job by watching — they need structured, progressive training that builds their understanding of the kitchen's rhythm before they're trusted to control it. Throwing someone onto the pass during a Saturday night service without preparation is a recipe for disaster.

This five-day template takes your new aboyeur from kitchen orientation through to independent coordination. It starts with understanding the systems and people, builds communication and order management skills, adds quality control and service flow management, then progresses to advanced coordination, problem-solving, and team leadership. Each day includes assessment questions and success indicators so you can track whether your new aboyeur is ready for each next step.

Day 1: Foundation and Kitchen Integration

Day 1 is about observation and understanding. Your new aboyeur needs to know the kitchen inside out — every station, every team member, every system — before they start coordinating anything. The pass demands complete situational awareness, and that starts with a thorough grounding in how your specific kitchen operates.

Kitchen Systems and Layout Orientation

Why this matters: An aboyeur who doesn't understand the physical layout and operational systems of the kitchen can't coordinate effectively. They need to know where every station is, how the KDS or ticket system works, and how orders flow from front of house to kitchen and back again.

How to deliver this training:

• Walk every station during prep, not service — your new aboyeur needs to see each section's setup, equipment, and typical workflow without the pressure of live tickets
• Explain the brigade structure in your kitchen: who works where, who reports to whom, and how each station's output feeds into the final plate
• Demonstrate the communication systems: KDS screens, paper ticket rails, verbal call systems, or whatever combination your kitchen uses
• Walk through a typical service from the aboyeur's perspective: how orders arrive, how they're called, how timing is managed, and how plates are checked and dispatched

Customisation tips:

• Large kitchens with multiple KDS screens may need a separate technology walkthrough
• Smaller operations where the head chef doubles as aboyeur should focus on the specific coordination tasks the new starter will take on

Team Integration and Role Clarification

Why this matters: The aboyeur needs the respect and cooperation of every chef in the kitchen. That starts with proper introductions and a clear understanding of each person's strengths, preferences, and communication style. You can't coordinate a team you don't know.

How to deliver this training:

• Make formal introductions at each station — not just names, but what each chef specialises in, how long they've been with you, and any specific working preferences
• Have the new aboyeur shadow the current coordinator (or head chef) during prep and early service to observe how communication flows and decisions are made
• Walk through kitchen policies: food safety procedures, quality standards, allergen protocols, and escalation procedures
• Discuss individual communication preferences — some chefs respond well to direct instructions, others prefer a gentler approach — and explain how the aboyeur needs to adapt

Customisation tips:

• If your kitchen has a mix of experienced and junior chefs, spend extra time explaining how the aboyeur's communication should vary by experience level
• Kitchens with high staff turnover should emphasise how the aboyeur can help with integration of new team members

Basic Coordination Principles

Why this matters: Before your new aboyeur starts calling tickets, they need to understand the principles that make coordination work: timing relationships between cooking methods, visual and auditory cues that indicate readiness, and how to prioritise when multiple orders compete for attention.

How to deliver this training:

• Explain timing relationships using your actual menu: a grilled steak takes eight minutes, a risotto takes twenty — so when do you fire each for a table ordering both?
• Walk through the visual and auditory cues that experienced chefs use: the sound of a sizzle, the colour of a reduction, the smell of bread approaching done — the aboyeur needs to recognise these from the pass
• Introduce your priority system: VIP tables first? Longest-waiting table first? Starters before mains on the same ticket? Make your system explicit
• Discuss the concept of kitchen rhythm — how the pace changes from quiet prep through to full service and back to wind-down

Customisation tips:

• Tasting menu restaurants have a fundamentally different timing model to à la carte — train on your specific service style
• If your kitchen runs a pass with a hot lamp, explain how holding times affect when dishes should be called away

Assessment Questions

Use these questions to check understanding at the end of Day 1. Have a quick conversation with your new starter — this isn't a formal exam, but a chance to identify gaps and reinforce key learning.

How to use these questions effectively:

• Ask in a relaxed setting after service has wound down
• Look for practical understanding — "walk me through what happens when a four-top's order comes in" is better than "tell me about kitchen systems"
• Note areas where additional support is needed and plan to revisit them on Day 2

Success Indicators

By the end of Day 1, your new aboyeur should be demonstrating these behaviours. If any are missing, revisit the relevant training section before moving to Day 2.

Day 1 Notes

Record observations about how Day 1 went — what the new starter picked up quickly, areas needing extra support, and any adjustments to the remaining training days.

Day 2: Communication and Order Management

Day 2 is about voice, systems, and timing. The aboyeur's effectiveness depends on clear communication and systematic order management. Today your new starter practises calling orders, managing tickets, and coordinating timing — the core operational skills of the role.

Clear Communication Techniques

Why this matters: A mumbled call gets missed. An unclear timing instruction leads to a cold starter arriving with a hot main. The aboyeur's voice is their primary tool, and it needs to be clear, confident, and calibrated to the kitchen's noise level.

How to deliver this training:

• Practise voice projection in the actual kitchen environment — not in a quiet office — so the aboyeur learns the volume and clarity needed to cut through extraction fans, sizzling pans, and conversation
• Work on timing communication: "I need mains for table twelve in four minutes" is precise; "mains soon" is useless
• Develop constructive feedback techniques: "That plate needs more sauce on the right side" is actionable; "that doesn't look right" isn't
• Practise adapting communication style for different team members — some chefs want detailed instructions, others want brief confirmations

Customisation tips:

• Open kitchens require a more measured communication style than closed kitchens — guests can hear everything
• If your kitchen includes team members whose first language isn't English, develop clear, simple phrasing that works across language barriers

Order Management Systems

Why this matters: During a busy service, the aboyeur might be managing twenty or more active orders across multiple courses and tables simultaneously. Without a systematic approach to ticket management, orders get lost, timing drifts, and guests wait.

How to deliver this training:

• Walk through ticket prioritisation logic: how to assess which orders need attention now, which can wait, and how to sequence courses for the best guest experience
• Practise multi-station coordination using past service data or mock tickets — call each station with their components and coordinate a simultaneous finish
• Cover modification management: how allergen requests, dietary restrictions, and special instructions flow from front of house to the relevant stations without getting lost
• Teach fire time calculation: working backwards from when the guest should receive their food to when each station needs to start cooking

Customisation tips:

• Restaurants using a KDS should train on the specific screen layout, colour coding, and alert systems your system uses
• If your kitchen handles both à la carte and set menu events simultaneously, practise the specific challenges of dual-service coordination

Service Timing and Coordination

Why this matters: The aboyeur controls the pace of the dining room from the kitchen. Getting timing right means guests receive each course at the ideal moment — not too fast, not too slow. Getting it wrong means starters arrive before drinks, mains go cold at the pass, or tables sit empty for twenty minutes between courses.

How to deliver this training:

• Walk through cooking times for every dish on your current menu — the aboyeur needs this knowledge to calculate fire times accurately
• Explain how prep-to-service timing works: which components can be prepped in advance, which must be cooked to order, and how that affects coordination
• Practise coordinating cold and hot items for simultaneous completion — a cold starter and a hot fish course for the same table require different lead times
• Discuss how timing adjustments work in practice: if the grill section is running behind, the aboyeur needs to hold the garnish station rather than letting cold sides sit under the lamp

Customisation tips:

• Fine dining restaurants with longer tasting menus need aboyeurs who can manage extended timing sequences across eight or more courses
• Casual dining with faster table turns needs aboyeurs who prioritise speed without sacrificing food quality

Assessment Questions

Check these at the end of Day 2. By now your aboyeur should be calling orders clearly and demonstrating an understanding of timing relationships.

How to use these questions effectively:

• Have the aboyeur call a mock order to the kitchen and observe their voice, clarity, and confidence
• Test timing knowledge with scenario questions: "Table six ordered a well-done steak and a pan-fried sea bass — when do you fire each?"
• Note any communication habits that need correcting before they become ingrained

Success Indicators

By the end of Day 2, your aboyeur should be showing growing confidence in communication and order management. If their calling is still hesitant or unclear, schedule extra practice before moving to Day 3.

Day 2 Notes

Record how your aboyeur handled communication and order management training. Note their natural communication style and how it needs to develop for the role.

Day 3: Quality Control and Service Flow

Day 3 adds the quality dimension. An aboyeur who coordinates efficiently but lets substandard plates through the pass isn't doing the job. Today your new starter learns to check every plate quickly and systematically while keeping the flow of service moving.

Quality Control Standards and Techniques

Why this matters: The aboyeur is the last checkpoint before food reaches the guest. Every plate that leaves the pass should meet your presentation standards, portion specifications, and dietary compliance requirements. Missing a quality issue at the pass means it's discovered at the table — and that's a far more expensive problem to fix.

How to deliver this training:

• Walk through your plating specifications for every dish on the current menu: where the protein sits, how the sauce is applied, which garnishes go where, and what the final plate should look like
• Demonstrate temperature checking methods that don't disrupt the flow — a quick hand hover over a plate tells you more than stopping to use a probe on every dish
• Practise portion assessment: the aboyeur should spot an undersized fillet or an overfilled bowl at a glance
• Run through allergen and dietary verification procedures: how to confirm that a "no nuts" order is genuinely nut-free before it leaves the pass

Customisation tips:

• Fine dining operations may need a more detailed quality checking protocol with specific garnish placement standards
• High-volume operations should focus on speed of assessment — the aboyeur needs to check a plate in seconds, not minutes

Service Flow Management

Why this matters: Understanding and managing the rhythm of service is what separates a good aboyeur from one who's just reading tickets. The aboyeur needs to recognise when service is building, when the kitchen is at capacity, and when to speed up or slow down the flow of orders to prevent a bottleneck.

How to deliver this training:

• Explain the natural service patterns in your restaurant: when the first wave typically hits, when the peak occurs, and when it starts to ease
• Teach capacity management: how many covers each station can handle simultaneously, and what happens when you push beyond that limit
• Discuss guest experience timing: how the aboyeur coordinates with front of house to manage the pace of each table's meal, accounting for guests who want to linger versus those on a tight schedule
• Cover staff break coordination: how to manage the pass when a key section chef is on break without service falling behind

Customisation tips:

• Restaurants with a pre-theatre crowd have a compressed service pattern that requires the aboyeur to manage front-loaded demand
• Hotels with room service alongside restaurant service need aboyeurs who can coordinate both simultaneously

Advanced Quality Checking Procedures

Why this matters: As the aboyeur gains confidence, quality checking needs to become faster and more instinctive. The goal is systematic checking that happens at speed — not a choice between quality and pace, but both at once.

How to deliver this training:

• Teach the rapid visual scan technique: a consistent eye pattern that covers plate presentation, garnish, portion, and cleanliness in a single sweep
• Demonstrate temperature verification methods that work without slowing the pass: feeling the base of the plate, observing steam patterns, and knowing which dishes lose heat quickly
• Practise garnish and presentation consistency checking across multiple plates of the same dish — the third risotto of the night should look identical to the first
• Run through allergen verification procedures: checking the ticket against the plate, confirming with the chef who prepared it, and marking the plate clearly for front of house

Customisation tips:

• Kitchens with a wide menu may need to group dishes by quality checking priority — complex plates get more scrutiny than simple ones
• If your operation uses coloured clips or flags for allergen orders, train the aboyeur on your specific marking system

Assessment Questions

Day 3 covers quality and flow management. Use these questions to check that your aboyeur understands how to maintain standards without slowing service.

How to use these questions effectively:

• Show the aboyeur a plated dish and ask them to identify any quality issues — test their eye for detail
• Present a scenario where the kitchen is at capacity and ask how they'd manage the next wave of orders
• Check their allergen verification process by running through a mock order with a dietary restriction

Success Indicators

By the end of Day 3, your aboyeur should be checking plates consistently and showing an understanding of how to manage service flow. If quality checking is still slow or inconsistent, schedule additional practice before Day 4.

Day 3 Notes

Note how your aboyeur handled quality control and service flow. Record whether they're starting to develop the instinctive checking speed that the role demands.

Day 4: Advanced Coordination and Problem Solving

Day 4 introduces the pressure. Your aboyeur has the fundamentals; now they need to handle the complexity, unexpected problems, and leadership demands that arise during real service. This is where training moves from "can they manage tickets?" to "can they run the pass?"

Complex Service Coordination

Why this matters: A real service doesn't unfold in a neat, orderly fashion. Six stations need to land simultaneously for a large table. A VIP arrives unannounced. The dessert section falls behind while the grill is running ahead. Complex coordination is the norm, not the exception, and your aboyeur needs to handle it.

How to deliver this training:

• Set up a multi-station synchronisation exercise: coordinate six or more stations to complete a large table's order simultaneously — this is the aboyeur's core skill test
• Practise managing different service styles at once: à la carte for the main dining room and a set menu for a private event happening simultaneously
• Simulate staffing changes mid-service: what happens to coordination when a section chef leaves for a break or goes home sick?
• Train on using kitchen technology to enhance coordination: KDS alerts, timer functions, and digital ticket management

Customisation tips:

• Kitchens with a separate pastry section should practise the handoff between savoury and sweet coordination
• Restaurants that handle functions alongside regular service need specific training on dual-service management

Problem-Solving Under Pressure

Why this matters: Equipment breaks, staff call in sick, and orders get sent back. The aboyeur is the person who has to find a solution while the kitchen keeps moving. Panic at the pass spreads through the entire brigade — calm, systematic problem-solving keeps the team focused and service on track.

How to deliver this training:

• Simulate an equipment failure: the grill goes down mid-service — how does the aboyeur redistribute orders and adjust timing?
• Practise staffing shortage coordination: if the sauce section is unmanned, which other chefs can cover, and how do you adjust the order flow?
• Run through order mistake recovery: a table's mains were wrong — how do you coordinate a quick re-fire while keeping other tables on track?
• Role-play guest complaint coordination: a dish is sent back — how does the aboyeur communicate this to the kitchen, manage the re-make, and coordinate with front of house on timing?

Customisation tips:

• Kitchens with limited backup equipment should train on specific workarounds for each piece of critical equipment
• High-volume operations should emphasise the speed of decision-making — the aboyeur can't deliberate for two minutes when twenty orders are waiting

Advanced Communication and Leadership

Why this matters: The aboyeur sets the emotional tone of the kitchen during service. A calm, clear aboyeur keeps the team focused. An anxious, erratic one creates chaos. Day 4 is where your new starter learns to lead from the pass, not just coordinate from it.

How to deliver this training:

• Practise stress management communication: how to convey urgency without creating panic — "I need table eight's mains in three minutes, let's go" is motivating; "we're drowning" is demoralising
• Develop feedback delivery skills: how to correct a chef's plating mid-service without undermining their confidence or slowing the line
• Discuss team motivation techniques: recognition during service ("great plate, chef"), managing the energy during quiet periods, and keeping morale up when things go wrong
• Cover conflict resolution: kitchen tensions are inevitable, and the aboyeur needs techniques for defusing situations quickly without taking sides

Customisation tips:

• In kitchens with a strong traditional brigade culture, the aboyeur's authority comes from the head chef's endorsement — discuss how to establish that authority early
• Younger or less experienced aboyeurs working with senior chefs need specific coaching on commanding respect through competence rather than hierarchy

Assessment Questions

Day 4 focuses on performance under pressure and leadership. Use these questions to check that your aboyeur can handle the complexity and demands of real service.

How to use these questions effectively:

• Present a complex coordination scenario and ask the aboyeur to talk through their approach step by step
• Test problem-solving with "what would you do if..." questions about equipment failure, staffing gaps, and guest complaints
• Observe their communication style during the simulations — is it calm, clear, and authoritative?

Success Indicators

By the end of Day 4, your aboyeur should be ready for the realities of leading a service. If they struggled significantly during the pressure simulations, consider running them again before moving to Day 5.

Day 4 Notes

Record how your aboyeur handled pressure, complexity, and leadership. Note whether they maintained composure during the simulations and how the team responded to their communication style.

Day 5: Leadership Development and Performance Review

The final day focuses on the longer-term aspects of the role: developing others, meeting performance standards, planning for growth, and a comprehensive assessment of the training week. An aboyeur who can coordinate a single service is useful; one who develops the team and improves over time is invaluable.

Team Development and Mentoring Skills

Why this matters: The aboyeur sees every plate and every chef's work during service. That makes them uniquely positioned to identify training needs, develop skills, and mentor junior staff. An aboyeur who invests in team development raises the standard of the whole kitchen.

How to deliver this training:

• Teach systematic training techniques: how to break coordination skills into teachable components for junior kitchen staff or new hires
• Develop constructive feedback delivery methods: specific, timely, and balanced — "your sauce was perfect on that last plate, but the garnish placement needs to match the spec" gives both praise and direction
• Walk through how to create simple development plans for team members based on what the aboyeur observes during service
• Discuss motivation techniques for different personality types — some chefs respond to public recognition, others prefer a quiet word at the end of service

Customisation tips:

• If your kitchen runs an apprenticeship scheme, explain how the aboyeur's observations feed into apprentice assessments
• Smaller kitchens where the aboyeur is also a working chef should discuss how to balance production responsibilities with mentoring

Performance Standards and Expectations

Why this matters: Clear performance standards give your aboyeur a benchmark to work towards and a framework for self-assessment. When both you and the aboyeur know exactly what "good" looks like, conversations about performance become productive rather than subjective.

How to deliver this training:

• Set specific coordination efficiency targets: average time from order received to order dispatched, and how this changes during peak periods versus quiet service
• Define communication effectiveness standards: how quickly calls are acknowledged, how clearly timing is communicated, and how modifications are managed
• Establish quality maintenance benchmarks: what percentage of plates should pass the first check without correction, and what the acceptable re-fire rate is
• Discuss team leadership expectations: how the aboyeur's role in developing others will be measured alongside their coordination performance

Customisation tips:

• High-end restaurants may track more granular metrics like course-to-course timing and VIP table wait times
• Casual dining may focus on throughput metrics like covers per hour and ticket time averages

Ongoing Development Planning

Why this matters: Five days is just the beginning. The aboyeur role demands continuous improvement as menus change, teams evolve, and the operation grows. Setting up a development framework now gives your new aboyeur a path forward and a reason to invest in the role long-term.

How to deliver this training:

• Establish a monthly performance review schedule with clear criteria — what will be reviewed, how feedback will be given, and what records will be kept
• Set skill development goals with timelines: perhaps advanced multi-venue coordination within three months, or leadership of a specific event type within six months
• Discuss advanced training opportunities: management courses, food safety qualifications, or stage opportunities at other restaurants
• Introduce peer learning programmes: how the aboyeur can learn from head chefs, front-of-house managers, and aboyeurs at other properties within a group

Customisation tips:

• Restaurant groups can offer rotation opportunities across properties for broader experience
• Independent restaurants should focus on depth of skill development and cross-training with front of house

Final Assessment and Performance Review

Why this matters: This is where you and the aboyeur take stock of the full training week. A thorough assessment identifies strengths to build on, gaps to address, and gives both parties confidence about what comes next.

How to deliver this training:

• Have the aboyeur demonstrate their technical skills: call a mock service, check a set of plates, and coordinate a timing exercise
• Evaluate communication and leadership through observation during a live or simulated service period
• Assess problem-solving by presenting unexpected scenarios and watching the decision-making process
• Confirm team integration by gathering brief feedback from kitchen staff — does the team feel coordinated and supported?
• Discuss the aboyeur's own assessment: what do they feel confident about, and where do they want more support?

Customisation tips:

• If your kitchen runs trial shifts as part of the assessment, the final day can incorporate a supervised live service
• Group operations might include feedback from a senior aboyeur at another property as an additional perspective

Assessment Questions

These final assessment questions check whether your aboyeur is ready for independent work at the pass. Focus on leadership readiness and self-management rather than basic coordination — you've already covered that.

How to use these questions effectively:

• Ask open-ended questions that reveal thinking: "How would you manage a service where two of your strongest chefs call in sick?"
• Look for evidence of leadership thinking — do they consider the team's needs alongside the operation's demands?
• Be honest about areas that still need development and agree a plan for continued support

Success Indicators

These are the markers of an aboyeur who's ready to take ownership of the pass. If all indicators are present, your onboarding has been successful. If any are missing, extend supported service before stepping back completely.

Day 5 Notes

Record your final assessment of the onboarding period. Note strengths, development areas, and any agreed next steps for continued training.

Making the most of this template

Five days is a guideline, not a rigid rule. If your new aboyeur works part-time, stretch the programme across more shifts so each training day gets full attention. The aboyeur role is too demanding and too important to rush — a half-trained coordinator at the pass affects every plate, every table, and every member of the brigade.

Use the notes sections at the end of each day to build a record of your aboyeur's development. These notes are valuable for performance reviews, for identifying training patterns when you next hire for the role, and for demonstrating that your kitchen leadership team receives proper development.

The assessment questions and success indicators create accountability for both the trainer and the trainee. If an aboyeur isn't meeting the success indicators by the end of each day, that's useful information — it might mean the training needs adjusting, the pace needs slowing, or the aboyeur needs to spend more time observing before taking the lead. Not every coordinator develops at the same speed, and an aboyeur who takes ten days to reach the standard is still better trained than one who's left to figure it out alone.

Consider pairing your new aboyeur with the head chef or a senior sous chef as a mentor for the first month after formal training ends. The pass is a lonely position, and having someone experienced to debrief with after a difficult service makes the difference between an aboyeur who grows into the role and one who burns out.