What title is given to the cook who prepares cold foods?

The title awarded to the cook who specializes in preparing cold foods is garde manger. This term originates from French culinary tradition and refers to the chef responsible for the preparation and presentation of cold dishes such as salads, charcuterie, pâtés, and various appetizers. Garde manger chefs also focus on techniques for preserving and presenting cold items, ensuring they are both visually appealing and safe to consume.

This role is crucial in the kitchen, particularly in restaurants that emphasize a wide array of cold dishes as part of their menu. A garde manger must have a solid understanding of food safety, flavor pairing, and creative presentation to effectively create and serve these dishes.

In contrast, the other roles mentioned—such as pastry chef, grill cook, and line cook—focus on different culinary specialties. The pastry chef typically creates desserts and baked goods, while a grill cook specializes in items made on the grill, and the line cook is responsible for preparing various foods ordered during meal service, often across multiple cooking stations. Therefore, these titles pertain to different aspects of culinary arts and do not specifically relate to the specialization in cold food preparation that the garde manger embodies.