Garde Manger

"What Is Garde Manger and it place in a modern kitchen."

The origin of the term Garde Manger came during the time of the pre-revolution of France. Garde Manger in translation means, " keeping to eat" or " keeper of the food." The title was given to the man who was in charge of a particular families food. The families relied manly on the garde manger to keep or mange the food and preserve the food for year round use. By doing this the Garde Mange would pickle, salt, cure, and smoke food to preserve, and making it safe to eat even during the cold months.

Later years, Garde Manger evolved in to a guild of working men. Through these guilds, came many of the techniques that are used today. The skills of making sausages, bacon, pates, and terrines all came from the guilds. Though time came the use of working with cold food, such as making ice creams, ice sculptures, garnishes, and presentation styles. Today all of these skills have evolved into one element of the culinary world called, Garde Manger.

Garde Manger is used in almost every modern kitchen today. Whether it's a fine dinning establishment or a small family style establishment the skills and style of Garde Manger is present. The uses of Garde Manger may vary from restaurant to restaurant, because of equipment, over all cooking skills, and creativity. None the less almost everything falls in to Garde Manger when working in a kitchen.

In a fine dinning restaurant or a large resort establishment, Garde Manager has its place. Its more prevalent in these establishment because skills and creativity is a necessity. In a fine dinning restaurant, the use of Garde Manger and its preparation styles is used in many ways. Typically in a fancy place the time and style put in to food is more thought of in general. Therefore Garde Manger is manly found through out the restaurants. Whether its making pates, cold salads, garnishes, and sauces, many restaurants rely most of the time, of the use of Garde Manger. And many of the dishes and food served is prepared using Garde Manger skills. Skills such as making pates and terrines. Many fine restaurants may or may not have a specific Garde Manger chef. But the skills are acquired by hiring a well trained staff who can properly cook the menu given to them.

In a resort of banquet facility Grade Manger is quite prevalent. In this type of setting the chefs have the freedom to be creative. They execute there creativity buy doing elaborate ice carvings, and large buffet presentations. Presentation is somewhat the final step in garde manger. And by doing so, the chefs carve ice, for an center piece, beautiful platter presentations, and over all look and feel of the food.

Beside the necessity of skills in a larger establishment, a small place, or "ma and pa" restaurant, Garde Manger has its place. Its used in less of a way