How to Use the Chef de Partie Onboarding Template

Why structured chef de partie onboarding matters

A chef de partie owns a section. Whether it's the grill, the larder, pastry, or sauces, they're expected to run their station independently during service, produce consistent results under pressure, and support the chefs above and below them in the brigade. That's a lot to ask of someone who's just walked into a new kitchen.

Too many operations bring a new CDP in, hand them an apron, and throw them onto the section during a Friday night service. The result is predictable: dishes come out wrong, timings fall apart, the rest of the brigade loses confidence in the new arrival, and within weeks you're recruiting again. The hospitality industry's turnover problem starts with poor onboarding, and the chef de partie role is no exception.

This template structures the first five days into clear themes that build from kitchen orientation through to independent station work. Each day includes assessment questions so you can check understanding early and adjust the training before gaps become problems during live service.

Day 1: Introduction and Kitchen Basics

The first day establishes the fundamentals: who everyone is, how the kitchen works, what the safety and hygiene standards are, and how your new chef de partie should set up their workspace. Getting this foundation right means they can focus on cooking from Day 2 rather than still figuring out where things are.

Orientation and First Impressions

Why this matters: First impressions shape how a chef feels about a kitchen for months. A proper orientation shows your new CDP that you run a professional operation and that you've invested time in their arrival. It also helps them understand the brigade structure, which is critical for knowing who to communicate with and when.

How to deliver this training:

• Introduce every team member individually, explaining their role, their section, and how they interact with the CDP's station — this builds working relationships from the start
• Walk the entire kitchen during a quiet period: prep areas, cold storage, dry store, pass, plating area, and pot wash — explain the flow of work from delivery through to service
• Cover the kitchen hierarchy clearly: who the CDP reports to, what authority they have on their section, and how communication flows during service (calling orders, calling away, calling checks)
• Assign a buddy — ideally the person who previously held the section or a strong demi chef — to be available for questions during the first week

Customisation tips:

• In a large hotel kitchen with multiple outlets, focus the orientation on the main kitchen and the CDP's specific section first, then schedule tours of other areas later in the week
• If your kitchen uses a formal brigade system with traditional titles, take time to explain the hierarchy to chefs who may have worked in less structured environments

Hygiene and Safety Basics

Why this matters: Every chef should arrive with basic food safety knowledge, but every kitchen has its own specific systems and expectations. Covering hygiene and safety on Day 1 makes your standards non-negotiable from the start and protects both the team and the business.

How to deliver this training:

• Walk through your personal hygiene standards specifically: uniform expectations, chef whites policy, hand-washing frequency, hair containment, and jewellery rules
• Demonstrate your kitchen's specific safety routines: how to report injuries, where first aid kits are located, who the first aiders are, and how burns and cuts are managed
• Show the sanitising stations and explain your cleaning-as-you-go expectations — demonstrate what a properly sanitised workspace looks like versus one that just looks clean
• Cover your approach to cross-contamination prevention: colour-coded boards, allergen protocols, and how your kitchen separates raw and cooked items

Customisation tips:

• If your kitchen handles high-risk allergens (nuts, shellfish, gluten-free production), spend extra time on your specific allergen management procedures
• Kitchens with open-plan designs visible to diners need higher visible hygiene standards — explain how this affects behaviour on the section

Equipment and Mise En Place

Why this matters: A CDP who knows the equipment and can set up their section efficiently starts every service on the front foot. Poor mise en place is the single biggest cause of stress and errors during service — and it's entirely preventable with proper training on Day 1.

How to deliver this training:

• Walk through the essential equipment on their section: knives, pans, specialist tools, and appliances they'll use daily — check what they've brought in their knife roll and supplement from the house kit if needed
• Demonstrate your expected knife skills: sharpening, honing, and the foundational cuts (julienne, brunoise, chiffonade) — assess their current level and note any gaps for practice during the week
• Set up the section together for a service, explaining your mise en place expectations: what gets prepped in advance, how containers are labelled and organised, and what "ready for service" looks like on this specific station
• Explain how mise en place supports multitasking during peak periods — when everything is in place, the chef can focus entirely on cooking and timing

Customisation tips:

• Different sections have very different mise en place requirements — a larder station needs a cold, organised setup while a grill station needs heat-resistant organisation and quick-grab positioning
• If your kitchen uses specific branded equipment or uncommon tools, schedule hands-on practice time beyond the standard walkthrough

Assessment Questions

Use these questions to check understanding at the end of Day 1. Have a brief conversation with your new CDP — this is about getting a sense of how well they've absorbed the kitchen environment and where they might need extra support.

How to use these questions effectively:

• Ask while walking the section together at the end of the shift — the physical context helps prompt genuine answers rather than rehearsed ones
• Look for practical understanding: can they find the dry store, explain the hierarchy, and set up their section independently?
• Note areas that need reinforcement and factor them into Day 2

Day 1 Notes

Record observations about how Day 1 went — how the new CDP interacted with the team, their confidence with equipment, their mise en place skills, and any adjustments needed for the remaining training days.

Day 2: Food Safety and Ingredient Knowledge

Day 2 deepens the food safety foundation from Day 1 and begins building the ingredient knowledge that separates a competent chef from one who simply follows recipes. Understanding why food safety protocols exist — not just what they are — produces a chef who applies them consistently rather than cutting corners when service pressure builds.

Comprehensive Food Safety Training

Why this matters: A chef de partie is responsible for food safety on their section. If they don't understand HACCP principles, temperature controls, and contamination prevention at a practical level, they're a risk to the business every time they cook.

How to deliver this training:

• Walk through HACCP principles using real examples from their specific section: what are the critical control points when preparing a chicken breast from raw to plate?
• Set up cross-contamination scenarios practically: show what happens when a board isn't changed, when a cloth is reused between raw and cooked items, and how allergen transfer occurs
• Demonstrate your temperature checking system: how probes work, what the target temperatures are for different proteins, how to record readings, and what happens when a check fails
• Walk through your labelling and storage systems: date labelling, shelf life rules, storage positions in the fridge (raw below cooked), and how to check incoming deliveries for temperature compliance

Customisation tips:

• If your kitchen handles specific high-risk processes (sous vide, fermentation, smoking), add these to the food safety training as they carry additional hazard controls
• Kitchens preparing food for vulnerable populations (hospitals, care homes) need stricter standards — adjust the training to reflect your specific requirements

Dive into Ingredient Familiarity

Why this matters: A chef who understands ingredients — their flavour profiles, seasonal availability, storage requirements, and culinary applications — cooks with intention rather than just following instructions. This knowledge is what allows a CDP to adapt when a delivery arrives short or a supplier substitutes a product.

How to deliver this training:

• Walk through your key ingredient categories together: pantry staples, fresh produce, proteins, dairy, and spices — physically handling the products and discussing quality indicators
• Run a tasting exercise: present different salts, acids, fats, and aromatics and discuss how each affects a finished dish — challenge the CDP to season a basic preparation to your standard
• Work through your menu and recipe folder together, explaining the terminology and any house-specific conventions (recipe scaling, portion codes, prep sheet abbreviations)
• Discuss seasonal ingredient changes and how they affect the menu on their section — what substitutions are acceptable and what needs to be flagged to the head chef

Customisation tips:

• Fine dining kitchens should spend more time on tasting exercises and seasonal ingredient awareness — this is where the CDP's creativity will eventually be tested
• Casual operations with a fixed menu may focus more on recipe consistency and portion accuracy than on broader ingredient knowledge

Assessment Questions

Check these at the end of Day 2. By now your CDP should have solid food safety knowledge specific to your kitchen and be developing familiarity with your ingredient range.

How to use these questions effectively:

• Ask the CDP to walk you through the food safety process for a dish from their section: from receiving raw ingredients through to the plate
• Test seasoning knowledge with a practical exercise: hand them a dish that needs adjusting and see how they approach it
• Note any areas of weakness for targeted practice during Day 3

Day 2 Notes

Record how your CDP handled the food safety and ingredient training. Note their existing knowledge level, areas where they need reinforcement, and their approach to tasting and seasoning exercises.

Day 3: Basic Cooking Techniques

Day 3 is where the cooking begins in earnest. These core techniques are the foundation of everything a CDP does on their section, and getting them right in a controlled training environment prevents costly errors during live service.

Core Cooking Methods

Why this matters: A chef de partie needs to execute multiple cooking methods consistently and confidently on their section. Understanding the science behind each method — how heat transfers, how proteins react, how moisture behaves — means they can adapt when conditions change rather than rigidly following a timer.

How to deliver this training:

• Work through the core methods practically on their section: saute a protein together, discussing oil temperature, pan movement, and the visual and audio cues that indicate progress
• Demonstrate roasting techniques with a focus on even browning and moisture control — discuss how different proteins and vegetables need different approaches
• Cover grilling fundamentals: heat zones, line development, resting times, and how to judge doneness by touch rather than constantly cutting into the product
• Have the CDP cook each method independently while you observe, giving real-time feedback on technique, timing, and final result

Customisation tips:

• The cooking methods that matter most depend on the section — a grill CDP needs deep grilling expertise while a sauce CDP needs sauteing and reduction mastery
• If your menu relies heavily on specific techniques (charcoal grilling, wok cooking, plancha work), prioritise those over general methods

Fundamental Stocks and Sauces

Why this matters: Stocks and sauces are the backbone of professional cooking. A CDP who can produce a clean, well-balanced stock and execute the mother sauces consistently has a foundation for almost anything the menu demands.

How to deliver this training:

• Make a stock together from scratch — chicken, vegetable, or whichever your kitchen uses most — discussing ingredient ratios, skimming technique, simmer control, and how to judge when it's ready
• Demonstrate the key sauce techniques relevant to your menu: emulsification (hollandaise), reduction (jus, gravy), and roux-based sauces (bechamel and its derivatives)
• Taste at every stage — teach the CDP to taste constantly and adjust, building the habit of checking seasoning throughout the cooking process rather than only at the end
• Discuss how stocks and sauces are stored, labelled, and rotated in your kitchen, and what the CDP's responsibility is for maintaining the section's supply

Customisation tips:

• Kitchens with a dedicated sauce section may limit this training to stocks and the sauces relevant to the CDP's section only
• If your kitchen uses proprietary sauce bases or pre-made components, be honest about it and train on those products rather than pretending everything is from scratch

Plating and Time Management

Why this matters: A dish can be perfectly cooked and still fail if it's badly plated or arrives at the pass late. Plating skills and time management are what make the difference between a chef who can cook and one who can deliver during service.

How to deliver this training:

• Walk through your plating standards for the CDP's section: portion sizes, plate placement, garnish specifications, and the visual standard each dish should hit
• Practise plating together using photographs or reference plates as a guide — discuss what's within acceptable variation and what needs remaking
• Set up a timing exercise: give the CDP multiple components to cook simultaneously and have them deliver everything at the same time — this simulates service pressure in a controlled environment
• Discuss how to manage time when checks stack up: reading ahead on the order board, pre-staging components, and communicating with other sections about timing

Customisation tips:

• Fine dining kitchens should spend significantly more time on plating precision — consider a dedicated plating session using the full menu as a reference
• High-volume operations should emphasise speed and consistency over intricate presentation

Assessment Questions

Day 3 is the most hands-on day so far. Use these questions to check whether your CDP can translate technique into practical application on their section.

How to use these questions effectively:

• Ask the CDP to cook a key dish from their section from start to finish while you observe — assess technique, timing, and final presentation
• Test stock and sauce knowledge by asking them to identify what's wrong with a deliberately flawed sample (under-seasoned, over-reduced, split)
• Look for emerging confidence with timing and multi-tasking rather than perfection at this stage

Day 3 Notes

Record how your CDP handled the cooking techniques training. Note their strongest methods, areas where technique needs refinement, and their natural timing and plating instincts.

Day 4: Kitchen Operations and Workflow

Day 4 integrates the cooking skills from Day 3 into the reality of a working kitchen. Understanding workflow, managing stock on the section, handling service pressure, and controlling food costs are the operational skills that turn a good cook into a reliable section chef.

Workflow Integration

Why this matters: A kitchen only works when every section moves in sync. A CDP who understands how their station fits into the wider kitchen workflow — and how their timing affects every other section — becomes someone the brigade can rely on during service.

How to deliver this training:

• Walk through every section in the kitchen, explaining what each one does and how it connects to the CDP's station: what they receive from other sections and what other sections need from them
• Discuss communication during service in detail: how orders are called, what "away" means, how to request time from another section, and how to flag problems without disrupting the flow
• Run a mock service or have the CDP work alongside an experienced chef during a quiet service, observing the flow of communication and timing between sections
• Explain the pre-service and post-service routines specific to their section: what needs to happen before the first order and what happens after the last

Customisation tips:

• Open kitchens require CDPs to maintain composure and communication standards that guests can observe — discuss this if relevant
• Kitchens with complex tasting menus may need the CDP to coordinate more closely with multiple sections for every course — map these dependencies out

Inventory Control and Cost Management

Why this matters: A CDP who wastes ingredients, over-portions, or doesn't rotate stock properly costs the business money every shift. Understanding stock management at the section level gives the chef ownership of their area's contribution to food cost targets.

How to deliver this training:

• Walk through your inventory tracking system — whether digital or manual — and explain the CDP's responsibility for their section's stock levels
• Demonstrate FIFO in practice on the section: pull everything from the fridge, sort by date, restock correctly, and explain how this prevents waste and food safety issues
• Show portion control standards for key dishes on the section: weigh proteins, measure garnishes, and discuss how small portion increases multiply across a busy service
• Explain the labelling system: day dots, use-by dates, prep dates, and what the rules are for items prepared on section versus items received from elsewhere

Customisation tips:

• Sections with expensive proteins (fish, premium cuts) should spend extra time on portion control and trim utilisation
• If your kitchen uses recipe cards with costed portions, walk through how these translate to actual plating

Service Pressure Handling

Why this matters: The ability to maintain quality and composure when the board fills up is what defines a reliable section chef. This can't be fully taught in training — it comes with experience — but Day 4 can give your CDP the mental framework and practical strategies to handle pressure well from the start.

How to deliver this training:

• Walk through a typical busy service from the CDP's perspective: pre-service preparation, the build-up as orders start arriving, peak pressure, and the wind-down
• Mentor them through decision-making under pressure: which tasks to batch, when to call for help, how to communicate delays without causing panic
• If possible, have them work the section during a real service with an experienced chef standing alongside — live practice with a safety net is the most effective training
• Debrief after service: what went well, what felt chaotic, and what they'd do differently next time

Customisation tips:

• Kitchens with unpredictable covers (walk-in heavy restaurants, event venues) should train CDPs to prepare for volume spikes rather than steady flows
• If your kitchen uses an expediter (aboyeur), explain how the CDP's communication should flow through that person rather than directly to other sections

Food Cost Control

Why this matters: A CDP who understands the financial impact of their decisions — from trim ratios and portion sizes to waste management and creative use of off-cuts — helps keep the kitchen profitable without compromising quality.

How to deliver this training:

• Set up role-play scenarios around food cost decisions: a delivery arrives short on a key protein, prep waste seems higher than expected, or a supplier offers an alternative product at a lower price — discuss how to think through each situation
• Walk through the maths: show the CDP how to calculate the cost of a dish, how portion changes affect the plate cost, and what the target food cost percentage looks like for their section
• Discuss waste reduction strategies specific to their section: using off-cuts creatively (stocks, staff meals, specials), proper trim technique to maximise yield, and the financial impact of over-portioning

Customisation tips:

• Kitchens with daily specials boards can use food cost training as an opportunity to discuss how CDPs can suggest specials that use surplus ingredients
• Fine dining operations may have different food cost expectations than casual dining — adjust the targets and examples accordingly

Assessment Questions

Day 4 combines operational knowledge with commercial awareness. Use these questions to check that your CDP understands how their section fits into both the kitchen workflow and the business's bottom line.

How to use these questions effectively:

• Ask scenario-based questions: "You're mid-service and you realise you've run out of a key component — what do you do?"
• Test understanding of stock rotation by asking the CDP to organise their section's fridge correctly
• Check food cost awareness by presenting a simple scenario: "You have 20 portions of salmon prepped but covers are lower than expected — what are your options?"

Day 4 Notes

Record how your CDP handled the workflow and commercial training. Note their communication during service, their understanding of stock management, and how they approached food cost control concepts.

Day 5: Specialised Skills and Professional Development

The final day broadens the CDP's skill set beyond their primary section and looks ahead to their ongoing development. Pastry foundations, professional growth planning, and a structured reflection on the onboarding week give your new chef a strong finish and clear direction for the months ahead.

Specialised Areas - Pastry and Baking

Why this matters: Even if your CDP isn't working the pastry section, foundational baking skills make them more versatile and valuable to the brigade. Understanding how doughs, batters, and custards behave also builds a broader culinary understanding that improves their work on any section.

How to deliver this training:

• Cover the basics practically: yeast handling (proofing, temperature sensitivity), basic dough shaping, and a simple custard preparation — have the CDP make each one while you guide
• Walk through allergen management in the context of pastry work: flour dust, egg, dairy, and nut contamination risks are heightened in baking — demonstrate how to manage these on a section that handles these ingredients
• Discuss how pastry skills complement the CDP's primary section: understanding emulsification helps with sauce work, understanding dough helps with bread service, understanding caramelisation helps with dessert garnishes

Customisation tips:

• If your kitchen has a separate pastry team, frame this as awareness training rather than skill development — the goal is understanding, not mastery
• Kitchens without a pastry section may need their CDPs to handle desserts — adjust the depth of training accordingly

Focus on Professional Growth

Why this matters: A CDP who sees a future in your kitchen stays longer and works harder. Discussing career development on Day 5 signals that the business invests in its people, and it gives the chef a roadmap for what comes after they've mastered their current section.

How to deliver this training:

• Discuss the development opportunities available: advanced training courses, supplier-led masterclasses, competitions, and stage (work experience) opportunities at other kitchens
• Connect the CDP with resources for professional development: industry bodies, online learning platforms, and any in-house training programmes your business offers
• Share examples of career progression within your organisation — ideally people who started at CDP level and moved into sous chef or head chef roles
• Set initial development goals together: what skills to develop in the first three months, what section knowledge to deepen, and what new techniques to learn

Customisation tips:

• If your business runs a formal chef development programme or apprenticeship scheme, introduce it in detail here
• Smaller kitchens without formal progression can offer lateral development: learning other sections, menu development involvement, or supplier relationship management

Recap and Reflection

Why this matters: Wrapping up the onboarding week with a structured reflection helps cement the learning, surfaces any unresolved questions, and gives both you and the CDP a clear picture of where they stand heading into their first full week on the section.

How to deliver this training:

• Sit down together and review each day of the onboarding programme: what went well, what was challenging, and what they'd like to revisit
• Ask the CDP for honest feedback on the onboarding itself: was the pace right? Was anything missing? What would have helped them feel more prepared?
• Discuss any outstanding questions or concerns — create space for the CDP to raise things they might not have felt comfortable asking during the busy training days
• Agree a plan for the next two weeks: what support is available, when the first formal check-in will happen, and who to go to with questions

Customisation tips:

• If your kitchen has a probation period, explain how it works and what the review criteria are — this sets clear expectations
• Consider scheduling a short follow-up meeting after the first full week of independent service to check how the transition from training to live work is going

Assessment Questions

These final assessment questions check the broader picture: development mindset, self-awareness, and readiness to move forward independently.

How to use these questions effectively:

• Ask open-ended questions that reveal thinking: "What part of your section do you feel most confident with, and what would you like more practice on?"
• Look for self-awareness and a willingness to keep learning rather than a sense that training is finished
• Be honest about areas that still need development and agree a plan for continued support

Day 5 Notes

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

Making the most of this template

Five days is a framework, not a rigid deadline. If your new CDP works split shifts, or if service demands mean training gets interrupted, stretch the programme so each day's content gets the attention it deserves. A CDP who's been properly trained for seven or eight shifts will outperform one who was rushed through five.

Use the notes sections at the end of each day to build a record of your CDP's development. These notes are valuable for probation reviews, for identifying training patterns across multiple new chefs, and for demonstrating due diligence if a food safety incident occurs.

The assessment questions create accountability for both the trainer and the trainee. If a CDP isn't answering the questions confidently by the end of each day, that's useful information — it might mean the training needs adjusting, the pace needs slowing, or additional support is needed from the sous chef or head chef.

Consider assigning a section buddy — an experienced CDP or demi chef de partie who can answer questions during the first few weeks after formal onboarding ends. The best onboarding programmes don't stop after Day 5; they transition into ongoing mentorship, section development, and preparation for the next step in the chef's career.