Miguel is the head chef at a prestigious restaurant, and he is responsible for overseeing all kitchen staff. Sofia is a sous-chef who reports directly to Miguel, and she manages a team of line cooks during service. Pablo is one of the line cooks who works under Sofia's direction. Which individual would be responsible for approving Pablo's vacation requests, and does Miguel have the authority to assign tasks to Pablo directly?

Provide a brief response.
Sofia, as a sous-chef, is in charge of managing the team of line cooks, which includes Pablo. Therefore, she would be the person responsible for handling and approving Pablo's vacation requests since she directly oversees his work and schedule. Miguel, as the head chef, holds a higher position in the restaurant's kitchen hierarchy compared to Sofia and Pablo. While Sofia manages the day-to-day tasks of her team, Miguel has overall responsibility for the kitchen operations, including all staff members. This means that Miguel does have the authority to assign tasks to Pablo directly if he chooses to; however, in most professional kitchen environments, such direct communication regarding task assignment is often handled by the sous-chef to maintain order and clear lines of communication. Despite this, Miguel's role as head chef ultimately gives him the right to direct any member of the kitchen staff, including Pablo, especially if it pertains to overarching kitchen duties or issues that go beyond the scope of Sofia's management.