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There are many different types of chefs in the kitchen, each with their own tasks, working toward making perfect meals. No matter what specialty you decide to focus on, you want to choose something that inspires you, allowing you to create something you’re proud of and that will take you to the top of your profession.
Once such speciality chef in the kitchen is the saucier. This type of chef specializes in preparing sauces that are, in most cases, combined with other foods, such as meats that are cooked in the sauce.
Although it may not seem like an important part of cooking to specialize in, the saucier in fact holds a very prestigious position among chefs, especially when it comes to French haute cuisine, which is all about the sauces. If you want to become a saucier, there are five basic types of sauces that you’re going to have to perfect.
The first of these sauces is a brown sauce, also known as espagnole. A brown sauce is made from butter, flour, and stock made from vegetables and roasted bones. This sauce is often the base for many hearty meat and poultry dishes. A good saucier will make sure the stock has simmered long enough to produce good flavour.
A veloute sauce, or white sauce, is made from a light stock, usually vegetables, and a pale roux. This type of sauce is used with milder tasting dishes to add a bit of creaminess.
The third basic sauce a saucier needs to perfect is a bechamel sauce. This is a basic white sauce made from butter, milk, and flour. In some cases, cheese may be added. You’ll find this sauce in vegetable, pasta, and egg dishes.
A vinaigrette sauce is the ideal combination of vinegar and oil, with other ingredients added depending on the dish it will be accompanying, in most cases a salad of some kind. Additional ingredients might include herbs, garlic, shallots, or spices.
The last sauce that a saucier needs to make well is a hollandaise sauce, used with many egg and vegetable dishes. Hollandaise sauce is made with butter, egg, and mayonnaise.
Those are just the basic sauces that a saucier needs to know how to cook. They also need to have an exceptional sense of taste, which allows them to be creative in the sauces they prepare. After all, it’s often the sauce that makes the dish.
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