The fish chef — also called chef poissonnier — is the chef in charge of preparing fish dishes, commanding the fish station of a professional kitchen. The role demands a specialist’s knowledge: buying whole fish and judging freshness, filleting with speed and precision, and cooking each species to its moment — the flesh just set, never overdone. Sauces for fish — beurre blanc, hollandaise, light veloutés — fall under the same station, as do shellfish preparations. In the classical brigade the poissonnier ranked among the senior chefs de partie, reflecting fish’s cost and delicacy. The station’s discipline is unforgiving: fish waits for no one, overcooks in a minute, and shows every flaw. The fish chef is the kitchen’s precision instrument — where timing is everything and there are no second chances.