Despite the acclaim heaped upon their mentors, we very seldom hear from the unsung heroes of the restaurant kitchen. Sous chefs aren't lauded with awards. Or mentioned in most restaurant reviews. They seldom get credit for dishes they've created that make it onto a restaurant menu. And - in most cases - there are few restaurant patrons who even know their names. In fact, I'd venture a guess that most people, unless they've worked in the service industry, don't have a very clear understanding of what a sous chef (French for "under chef") really does.