13:10 Oct 3, 2011 

Just a note concerning the different words that are being bandied about here. The culinary term is brigade As a brigadista, the person in question would be a member of this team. As it is clearly not military, the 3rd exception in Merriam Websters Dictionary best applies: brigade - a group of people organized for a special activity. One of them would be a member of the team/staff/etc., what amounts to here as a kitchen assistant.
Brigadier is another word and another concept- is a commanding officer (always military). The different between member of a brigade and brigadier and brigadista and brigadier is clear in both languages.

12:53 Oct 3, 2011 

Both the English/American and the French use this term to denotes someone in command in the army or the police. But this is kitchen staff. Also, note thatwhen BHL (Bernard-Henry Levy) flew to the rescue of DSK in the Sofitel story debacle. He called the two cleaning ladies a "cleaning brigade" (which amused Jon Stewart of the Daily Show no end. "Only the French, said he, can call two cleaning ladies a brigade".)

01:00 Oct 3, 2011 

I will add something from the Polish perspective. When growing up "brigadista" or "brygadzista" in Polish was a person who was leading a group, he was not a manager of the group yet not just a member of the team. He/she was a team leader, reporting to the manager. I hope that helps too:)

22:32 Oct 2, 2011 

Personally, I'm a big fan of the show. I think that's how we should train translators. Plus, you get to learn a lot of kitchen vocabulary.