What Is the Job Outlook for a Chef Garde Manger?

by Fred Decker
Traditional pates and terrines are among the garde manger's specialties.

Traditional pates and terrines are among the garde manger's specialties.

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Legendary French chef Escoffier brought restaurant cooking to a new level of organization and professionalism, organizing kitchen staff into a structured brigade of skilled workers. The garde manger chef was among the most skilled of those positions. Garde manger translates literally as "protector of the food," which describes the cook's responsibility for turning leftovers and cured foods into salads, cold appetizers and other profitable items. That's still done in many restaurants, though the position is often less formal and less skilled.

Garde Manger Duties

The garde manger position in modern restaurants covers two very different sets of duties. In the simplest definition, it describes any cook who prepares cold foods such as salads, sandwiches, hors d'oeuvres or trays of cured meats. These are often entry-level, minimally skilled positions. At the other end of the spectrum, garde manger duties at high-end hotels and fine-dining restaurants require chefs to exercise the full range of classical techniques, such as making pates and terrines, curing and smoking artisanal meats in-house, and overseeing lavish displays of flavorful canapes.

The Job Outlook

The prospects for garde manger specialists are difficult to define, because in modern restaurants most line cooks share traditional garde manger duties such as transforming leftovers into the next day's special. Entry-level garde manger jobs are included in the Bureau of Labor Statistics' "Cook" category, which projects 13 percent growth for restaurant cooks and 15 percent for "all other." Those figures don't include job openings created by people leaving the profession. High-end garde manger chefs are represented in the BLS category of "Chefs and Head Cooks," which the BLS projects to have no employment growth at all through 2020.

Limiting Factors

The limited growth in garde manger jobs can be traced to several factors. In many restaurants, garde manger duties are divided among the line and prep cooks, leaving no place for a specialized employee. In upscale restaurants, budgetary constraints might make it impossible to hire a specialized garde manger chef. The skills needed to do garde manger at a high level require extensive training and experience, and cooks who have them expect a suitable level of compensation. Changes in taste have also made many traditional skills obsolete, downplaying the elaborate and artificial buffet show pieces that once formed a large part of the garde manger's duties.

Positive Factors

On the other hand, chefs who wish to specialize in garde manger are well positioned to exploit the widespread interest in traditional, artisanal foods. Restaurants across the country are curing their own meats, grinding their own sausages and making their own pates from premium local ingredients as a way to draw in customers looking for unusual and distinctive meals. Garde manger chefs who can provide a restaurant with that competitive edge should be able to find work, especially if they're willing to relocate. A garde manger who excels in reworking leftovers into new dishes can be a valuable asset in a high-volume hotel or banquet center. Garde mangers with an entrepreneurial streak might also start their own company, supplying local restaurants and hotels.

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