Służba kuchenna

kitchen staff; one of the most valued groups of court servants responsible for the nourishment and health of the whole household. They worked under a kuchmistrz (master cook), who received a high payment, managed the arrangement of dishes on the table, procured necessary ingredients, and supervised meal preparation. Kitchen staff included master cooks, cook assistants, plain cooks, bakers, confectioners, pâté makers, and kitchen maids. The number of kitchen workers depended on the size of a court and the lifestyle of patrons. Skilled master cooks and professed cooks, as well as confectioners, were in high demand, so courts offered them high payment and trained young apprentices.

See also: B. Popiołek, Rytuały codzienności. Dwór szlachecki w osiemnastowiecznej Rzeczypospolitej, Warsaw 2022.