I worked in my family's restaurant for 9 years. However, it wasn't a restaurant with a particular 'head chef' (the owners were -- and still are -- cooks in the kitchen) as you would have in other dining establishments, the characterization you give is pretty much the same.

Edit to add: I started as a dishwasher (1.6 years), then was a chicken frier (cook) / prep cook / line cook (2.91666 years), and finally did caterings off and on for 4 years during my undergraduate years (mainly in the summers).

http://www.niemergssteakhouse.com