Culinary Arts & Cooking Vocabulary: 351 Key English Terms

To heat a liquid until it bubbles strongly, or to cook food in such a liquid. Water boils at 100°C at sea level.

To cook food gently in liquid kept just below boiling point, so that only small bubbles rise slowly to the surface.

To cook small pieces of food quickly in a little hot fat in a pan, moving or tossing them so they brown evenly. From French sauter, "to jump".

To cook meat, poultry or vegetables with dry heat in an oven, usually at a fairly high temperature so the outside browns. As a noun, a roast is a joint of meat cooked this way.

To cook food with dry heat in an oven, especially bread, cakes, pastry, biscuits and dishes covered with a crust or sauce.

To cook food over or under strong, direct heat, giving it brown marks and a smoky flavour. As a noun, a grill is the equipment used for this.

To cook food by putting it completely under hot oil, usually between about 160°C and 190°C, until it is crisp and golden.

To cook food in the hot vapour rising from boiling water, without the food touching the water itself.

To cook food gently in liquid that is hot but not bubbling, roughly 70–85°C, such as water, stock, wine or milk.

To put food briefly into boiling water and then usually straight into iced water to stop the cooking, fixing the colour and partly cooking it.

To brown the surface of meat or fish quickly in a very hot pan or on a grill, creating a dark, tasty crust.

To brown food first and then cook it slowly in a covered pot with a small amount of liquid, so that tough cuts become tender.

To boil or simmer a liquid so that some of the water evaporates, making it thicker and its flavour stronger. The result is called a reduction.

To heat sugar, or food that contains sugar such as onions, until it turns brown and develops a rich, sweet, slightly bitter flavour.

Cooked so that it is soft but still slightly firm when you bite it, especially pasta, rice and vegetables. From Italian, meaning "to the tooth".

A method of cooking food sealed in a vacuum bag in a water bath held at an exact, usually low, temperature for a long time. From French, meaning "under vacuum".

To spoon or brush fat or cooking juices over food while it cooks.

To add liquid to a cooking pan and loosen the browned residue into it.

To cook vegetables gently in a little fat so they soften without browning.

To briefly ignite alcohol added to a dish as part of its preparation or presentation.

To soften food, especially fruit, by leaving it in liquid or mixed with sugar.

To coat food lightly with flour or another dry powder before cooking.

To work dough by pressing, stretching and folding it to develop its structure.

To combine a lighter mixture with another using gentle lifting and turning movements.

To bake a pastry case without its filling, either partly or completely.

To beat fat, usually butter, with sugar until the mixture becomes lighter and airy.

To work fat into flour with the fingertips until it forms small coated particles.

To separate into lumps and liquid, especially when milk or an egg mixture changes structure.

To boil food briefly so it is partly cooked before another cooking stage.

To remove a bird's backbone and open the body flat for cooking.

To tie poultry or a joint of meat so that it holds a compact shape during cooking.

To remove the shell or outer covering from food such as oysters or corn.

To remove the dark digestive tract from a prawn or shrimp during preparation.

To prepare food in an acidic liquid or through fermentation that develops acidity.

To cook small pieces of food quickly in hot fat while stirring or tossing them.

To extract flavour from an ingredient by leaving it in a liquid or fat.

A preparation in which food is cooked slowly in fat, especially duck or other meat.

A Chinese cooking preparation that coats small pieces of meat, often with starch, before cooking.

Covering lean meat with thin pieces of fat before cooking to protect its surface.

Continued cooking from retained heat after food is removed from its heat source.

A method of cooking meat gently first and searing its surface at the end.

The consistency of a sauce thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.

A whipped mixture's peaks that bend over when the whisk is lifted.

Peaks in a whipped mixture that hold their shape upright when the whisk is lifted.

The stage when a beaten mixture falls in a thick ribbon that briefly remains visible.

A dough test in which a small piece is stretched thin enough to let light through.

The fermentation stage when mixed bread dough rests as one mass before division.

A short rest for divided or partly shaped dough before further shaping.

The rapid expansion of bread dough early in baking before its structure sets.

A rest after mixing flour and water, usually before adding salt and leavening.

To pinch or press a pastry edge into a repeated pattern, often to close it.

To press down risen dough to release some gas before further shaping or rising.

To slow the fermentation of dough by keeping it at a lower temperature.

To cook fruit, peel or similar food in sugar syrup so it becomes impregnated with sugar.

To brown the surface of food with dry heat, especially bread, nuts or spices.

Cooked inside a folded paper parcel that holds moisture and aroma around the food.

To pass a dry ingredient through a sieve to remove lumps or separate particles.

To rub food against a rough perforated surface to produce small shreds or particles.

To crush cooked or soft food into a soft mass using pressure.

To pour a small amount of liquid in a thin stream over food.

To scatter small particles or drops over a surface.

To coat a cooking surface or container with a thin layer of fat.

To control temperature to prepare an ingredient, especially chocolate or an egg mixture, for use.

A dough-development technique that stretches part of the dough and folds it back over itself.

To cut food into pieces with a knife, usually quickly and without needing every piece to be exactly the same size.

To cut food into small, even cubes. As a noun, dice also means the cubes themselves, as in a fine dice of carrot.

To cut something into thin, flat pieces. As a noun, a slice is one of these pieces, such as a slice of bread or lemon.

A large all-purpose kitchen knife with a broad, slightly curved blade, usually 20 to 25 cm long, used for most chopping, slicing and dicing.

To cut or grind food into very small pieces, finer than chopping. In British English, mince as a noun also means minced meat.

To remove the skin of a fruit or vegetable. As a noun, peel is the skin of fruits such as oranges, lemons and potatoes.

A classic knife cut of thin, even strips like matchsticks, about 2–3 mm thick and 5 cm long. Also used as a verb: to julienne carrots.

A very fine dice of vegetables, about 3 mm cubes or smaller, made by cutting a julienne across into tiny even squares.

A boneless piece of fish or meat, such as a fish fillet or beef fillet. As a verb, to fillet means to remove the bones and cut out these pieces.

A small knife with a short blade, usually 7–10 cm long, used for peeling, trimming and detailed work on fruit and vegetables.

Fine ribbons made by slicing stacked or rolled leaves such as basil or spinach.

A vegetable cut producing even sticks thicker than julienne strips.

A cut producing thin, flat vegetable pieces, often following the vegetable's shape.

A classical vegetable cut shaped into a small, even barrel with curved sides.

A guiding-hand position with fingertips curled inward while food is held for cutting.

A knife hold in which the thumb and index finger grip the blade near the handle.

A thin, tough, silvery layer of connective tissue on some cuts of meat.

One of the small, slender bones that may remain within a fish fillet.

Trimming meat and tissue away from the ends of rib bones for presentation.

A chopping motion in which the knife rocks along its curved edge.

A citrus segment cut free from its peel, pith and enclosing membranes.

A flat board made of plastic or wood on which food is cut. Professional kitchens often use boards of different colours for different types of food.

An enclosed, heated box used for baking, roasting and keeping food warm. Professional kitchens use deck, convection and combi ovens.

A piece of kitchen equipment with burners or hot plates on top for cooking in pans, often with an oven underneath.

A deep, round metal pan with one long handle and often a lid, used for boiling, simmering and making sauces.

A shallow, flat-bottomed pan with a long handle and sloping sides, used for frying, sautéing and searing.

A tool made of loops of wire on a handle, used to beat air into eggs and cream or to mix sauces smoothly. As a verb, to whisk means to beat with this tool.

A tool with two connected arms that you squeeze together to pick up, turn or serve food without touching it.

A professional oven that can cook with dry hot air, steam or a combination of both, often with programmes and a core temperature probe.

A professional grill with a strong heat source above the food, used to brown, glaze, melt cheese or keep plates warm.

A refrigerator that cools hot cooked food very quickly with strong cold air, so it passes through the danger zone in a short, controlled time.

A large refrigerated room that staff can walk into, used to store bulk food. Short for walk-in fridge, cooler or freezer.

A thermometer with a thin metal spike that is pushed into the thickest part of food to measure its core temperature.

A rod used to maintain a knife edge by realigning it between sharpening sessions.

An abrasive stone used to sharpen the edge of a knife.

A narrow-bladed knife used to separate meat from bones.

A heavy knife with a broad, usually rectangular blade used for chopping.

A knife with a toothed edge that cuts using a sawing motion.

A kitchen slicer with a fixed blade over which food is moved to make even slices.

A bowl-shaped container with holes used to drain liquid from food.

A cone-shaped fine strainer used for sauces, soups and other liquids.

A drum-shaped sieve with a flat mesh surface used to sift or refine food.

A hand-operated tool that pushes cooked food through a perforated disc.

A tool that presses cooked potato through small holes to make fine strands.

A handheld powered blender whose blade end is placed directly into a container of food.

An electric mixer supported on a base, usually with a bowl and changeable attachments.

An electric kitchen machine with a bowl and interchangeable blades for processing food.

A broad, flat tool used to lift or divide dough and scrape a work surface.

A cylindrical tool rolled over dough to flatten it to a desired thickness.

A flexible bag used to squeeze mixtures through an opening or nozzle into controlled shapes.

A blunt, flat-bladed tool used to spread, smooth or lift food in pastry work.

A spreading tool with a blade bent away from its handle to provide clearance.

A small individual dish used for baking or serving foods such as soufflés or custards.

A cake tin with sides that open by a clasp and separate from the base.

A deep rectangular baking container used for loaves of bread or cake.

A flat metal sheet used to bake foods such as biscuits, pastries or vegetables.

An open wire framework that supports baked food while air circulates around it.

A treated paper used to line baking containers and separate food from surfaces.

Small weights placed on lined pastry to limit puffing during blind baking.

A kitchen brush used to apply liquids such as egg wash, butter or glaze.

A curved mixer attachment designed to work and knead dough.

A flat mixer attachment used to combine mixtures without the action of a whisk or dough hook.

A container with a rotating basket that removes water from washed leaves.

A shallow perforated or mesh tool used to lift food or remove material from a liquid's surface.

A spoon with openings that allow liquid to drain while solid food is lifted.

A utensil with a deep bowl and long handle for transferring liquids.

A broad, flat kitchen utensil used to lift or turn delicate food such as fish.

A bowl and a heavy handheld tool used together to crush or grind ingredients.

A deep cooking pan with sloping sides, widely used in Chinese and other Asian cuisines.

A broad, flat heated surface used to cook food directly on it.

A heavy cooking pot with a close-fitting lid, suitable for stove or oven cooking.

A sealed cooking vessel that cooks food using steam under pressure.

A North African cooking vessel with a shallow base and a tall conical lid; also its cooked dish.

A thick baking surface that stores heat and transfers it to dough placed on it.

A basket that supports a shaped loaf during its final rise before baking.

A small blade on a handle used to score bread dough before baking.

A machine that rolls dough into sheets of controlled thickness.

A device that rolls pasta dough into thin sheets and may cut them into strips.

Strong scissors designed for food preparation tasks.

A handheld pounding tool used to flatten or tenderize pieces of meat.

A flexible bottle that dispenses a sauce or other liquid through a narrow opening.

A pouring container marked with a scale for measuring liquid volume.

A device used to measure the weight of ingredients in cooking and baking.

A reusable flexible sheet placed on a tray to provide a baking surface.

A tool used to cut pastry or dough into shapes or separate pieces.

A tool that lets egg white drain away while retaining the yolk.

A spiked roller used to make small holes in pastry or dough before baking.

One of the foods or other items, such as flour, oil or salt, that are combined to make a particular dish.

To add salt, pepper or other flavourings to food to improve its taste. Well seasoned means the salt and flavour are at the right level.

A flavoured liquid made by simmering bones, vegetables and aromatics in water for a long time, used as the base for soups, sauces and braises.

A seasoned liquid or paste, often with oil, acid such as lemon or yoghurt, herbs and spices, in which meat, fish or vegetables are soaked before cooking.

One of the five basic sauces of classic French cooking, as set out by Escoffier: béchamel, velouté, espagnole, hollandaise and tomato. Many other sauces are made from them.

A mixture of equal amounts of fat, usually butter, and flour cooked together and used to thicken sauces and soups.

A smooth mixture of two liquids that do not normally mix, such as oil and water or vinegar, held together by whisking and often by egg yolk or mustard.

The thin, coloured outer layer of the skin of citrus fruit, full of aromatic oils, grated or cut off to add flavour. As a verb, to zest means to remove it.

Fresh fruit, vegetables and herbs, and sometimes other fresh farm products, as bought and stored by a kitchen.

Food products that do not need refrigeration and are kept on shelves, such as flour, rice, pasta, sugar, pulses, spices and canned goods.

A mixture of chopped aromatic vegetables, commonly onion, carrot and celery, used as a flavour base.

A bundle of herbs used to flavour a liquid during cooking and then removed.

A small cloth bag holding herbs and spices for flavouring a cooking liquid.

A lightly flavoured cooking liquid, often containing vegetables and acid, used especially for poaching fish.

A rich, concentrated brown sauce traditionally made by reducing brown stock with espagnole sauce.

A light meat sauce based on cooking juices, often strengthened with stock.

A smooth sauce made from puréed fruit or vegetables, often strained.

A clear soup made from a well-flavoured stock or broth that has been clarified.

A smooth, rich soup traditionally made from crustaceans such as lobster or crab.

A classical sauce made by thickening a light stock with a light roux.

A white sauce made by thickening milk with a light roux.

A classical brown sauce made with brown stock, brown roux and aromatic ingredients.

A warm emulsified sauce made with egg yolks, butter and an acidic ingredient.

A butter emulsion sauce made with a reduction of wine and vinegar, often with shallots.

Butter heated until its milk solids brown and develop a nutty aroma.

Butter mixed with flavouring ingredients such as herbs, spices or citrus zest.

Butterfat separated from most of the water and milk solids in butter.

A paste of softened butter and flour kneaded together and added to thicken liquids.

A mixture of starch and cool liquid used to thicken a hot sauce, soup or other liquid.

A thick, cold emulsion sauce made by combining oil with egg yolk and an acidic liquid.

A dressing based on oil mixed with vinegar or another acidic liquid.

A garlic-rich emulsion sauce traditionally made with garlic and oil, with egg in many versions.

A crushed or blended sauce, classically made with basil, garlic, nuts, cheese and oil.

A savoury paste based on olives and capers, often with anchovies and olive oil.

A garlic and chilli sauce, commonly coloured with saffron, served with fish soups.

A condiment made from fruit or vegetables with spices, ranging from fresh mixtures to cooked preserves.

A condiment of chopped vegetables or fruit, often pickled or cooked with seasonings.

A flavour base of vegetables cooked in oil, with ingredients varying by culinary tradition.

A mixture of finely chopped mushrooms cooked with ingredients such as shallots and butter.

A bread-and-liquid mixture or cooked flour paste used to bind and soften preparations.

A seasoned mixture of finely ground meat or fish, often with fat and binding ingredients.

A savoury jelly made from stock or another seasoned liquid that sets when cooled.

A spread of slowly cooked meat shredded and mixed with fat.

A seasoned spread or moulded preparation, commonly made from finely processed meat or liver.

A moulded preparation, often layered, named after the deep dish in which it is made.

A rolled preparation made by wrapping a sheet of meat, cake or another food around a filling.

An oval portion shaped with spoons; also a delicate oval dumpling, often of fish or meat.

A solution of salt in water used in preparing, seasoning or processing food.

A mixture of chocolate and cream used as a filling, coating or dessert component.

A pouring custard made with milk or cream, egg yolks and sugar.

A thick cooked custard made with milk, eggs, sugar and starch, used in pastry fillings.

A pastry cream lightened with whipped cream, often stabilized with gelatine.

An almond-based sweet filling used in tarts and pastries, sometimes combined with pastry cream.

A sweet, workable paste made primarily from ground almonds and sugar.

A confection or pastry ingredient made with nuts and caramelized sugar.

A confection made from sugar or honey, often aerated with egg white and mixed with nuts.

A sweet foam made by whipping egg whites with sugar, used baked or as a topping.

A sweet cream based on butter and sugar, used to fill or coat cakes.

An icing made with icing sugar and egg white or an equivalent, which dries firm.

A sugar preparation used as a poured icing or a pliable covering for cakes and confectionery.

A cooked flour-and-liquid paste enriched with eggs that expands through steam when baked.

A pastry made from repeated layers of dough and fat that separate and rise during baking.

A crumbly pastry made by combining flour with fat and enough liquid to form a dough.

Very thin sheets of dough layered or folded to make crisp pastries.

A soft yeast bread enriched with substantial butter and eggs.

An Italian-style yeasted preferment, commonly firm, mixed before the final bread dough.

A loose yeasted preferment usually made with equal weights of flour and water.

A chemical raising mixture containing a bicarbonate and acids that release gas in a batter or dough.

Sodium bicarbonate used in cooking, especially as a raising ingredient with an acid.

Potassium bitartrate, an acidic powder used in baking and confectionery.

A plant-derived substance used to help fruit preparations thicken or form a gel.

An animal-derived protein ingredient used to set liquids into soft gels.

In British cooking, the fine white starch from maize used to thicken mixtures.

Coarsely milled wheat particles, often from durum wheat, used in pasta, puddings and other dishes.

A dish of cooked maize meal, served soft or allowed to firm up for cutting.

Small granules made from semolina, and dishes prepared from those granules.

Wheat grains that have been cooked, dried and cracked into pieces.

An Italian rice variety commonly used for risotto because of its starchy grains.

Light, flaky Japanese-style breadcrumbs used especially for crisp coatings.

The firm fat around the kidneys and loins of cattle or sheep, used in some pastry and puddings.

Fat rendered from pork, used as a cooking fat and in pastry.

The liquid left after churning butter, or a cultured tangy milk product sold under that name.

A thick cultured cream with a mildly tangy flavour.

A rich, soft Italian cheese made from cream, widely used in desserts.

A soft Italian cheese traditionally made from whey, with a mild flavour and fine curds.

The liquid separated from the curds during cheesemaking or similar dairy preparation.

A dark, thick syrup left during sugar production, used for flavour and colour.

A thick amber syrup made from refined sugar, used in baking and desserts.

A mixture of glucose and fructose produced by breaking down sucrose, used in confectionery and baking.

Chocolate formulated with a relatively high cocoa-butter content for coating and moulding.

The fat obtained from cocoa beans, used in chocolate and pastry work.

Small pieces of shelled cocoa beans used for their cocoa flavour and crunchy texture.

One of the large primary sections into which a carcass is divided in butchery.

A smaller section obtained by dividing a primal cut before individual portions are prepared.

Edible organs and other parts of an animal apart from the main muscle-meat cuts.

The culinary name for the thymus or pancreas of animals such as calves or lambs.

A savoury basic taste associated with glutamate and certain other compounds.

A thick, workable mixture based on flour and liquid, used to make bread or pastry.

A pourable or spoonable mixture, usually based on flour and liquid, used for cakes or coatings.

Beaten egg, sometimes mixed with liquid, brushed onto food before baking.

An ingredient that helps dough or batter expand by producing or releasing gas.

Fat used to make pastry tender and crumbly, often a solid vegetable fat in modern recipes.

A warm butter-and-egg-yolk emulsion flavoured with a reduction containing tarragon and shallots.

A cheese sauce made by adding cheese to a béchamel base.

A sauce made from meat cooking juices, often with stock and a thickening ingredient.

A small piece of bread toasted or fried until crisp, used in soups and salads.

A mixture, commonly of egg yolks and cream, used to enrich and thicken a sauce or soup.

A light foamy sauce made by whisking egg yolks with liquid over gentle heat.

A sweet-sour sauce base made by combining caramelized sugar with vinegar.

Chopped tomato flesh with the skin and seeds removed, in common culinary usage.

A light preparation made airy by incorporating whipped cream, egg foam or another aerated component.

A thin crisp biscuit or wafer, often shaped while warm and used with desserts.

A light cake whose structure relies heavily on air incorporated into eggs or the mixture.

A set of instructions for making a dish, with a list of ingredients, their quantities and the steps, times and temperatures needed.

The amount of a food served to one person. As a verb, to portion means to divide food into equal amounts for serving.

A large spoon, and a standard measure in recipes equal to three teaspoons, which is 15 ml in the UK and US.

A small spoon, and a standard measure in recipes equal to about 5 ml, or one third of a tablespoon.

In the amount that gives the flavour you want, decided by tasting rather than by an exact measure. Used mostly with salt, pepper, sugar and acid.

To heat an oven, grill or pan to the required temperature before you put the food in.

The amount or number of portions a recipe produces; also the usable weight of an ingredient left after trimming, boning or peeling.

The cost of the ingredients used to make a dish or menu, often shown as a percentage of the selling price.

A formula system expressing each ingredient's weight as a percentage of total flour weight.

Slightly less than the stated quantity in a recipe measurement.

A very small amount of an ingredient taken between the fingers.

A small, loosely measured amount of liquid added to food or drink.

A trained professional cook, especially one who leads a kitchen or a section of it. In the kitchen, staff also use it as a form of address for their seniors.

The second in command in a kitchen, who helps the head chef, supervises the cooks and runs the kitchen when the head chef is away.

The person in charge of a kitchen, responsible for the menu, the team, food quality, ordering and costs. Also called chef de cuisine.

A cook who works at one station on the line, the row of cooking equipment where orders are cooked during service.

A junior chef at the start of their career who works under a chef de partie, doing prep and learning each section of the kitchen.

A chef in charge of one section of the kitchen, such as fish, sauce, grill or pastry, often with one or more commis chefs working under them.

A chef who specialises in desserts, pastries, breads and other baked goods and usually runs the pastry section of a kitchen. Also called a pâtissier.

A kitchen worker who washes dishes, pots and equipment, keeps the kitchen clean, takes out rubbish and helps with deliveries and basic prep.

The traditional way of organising a professional kitchen into a clear chain of command and sections, developed by the French chef Auguste Escoffier in the late 19th century.

A cook who moves between kitchen sections to cover different stations as needed.

The cook responsible for fish preparation and dishes in a classical kitchen brigade.

A bread specialist in a French-style bakery or kitchen brigade.

A person who prepares and cuts meat into usable joints, cuts and portions.

The spread of harmful bacteria or allergens from one food, surface, tool or person to another, for example from raw meat to a salad.

A substance in food, such as nuts, milk, eggs, gluten or shellfish, that can cause an allergic reaction in some people.

The range of temperatures, roughly 5°C to 60°C (41°F to 140°F), in which harmful bacteria grow fastest. Exact limits differ slightly between countries.

First in, first out: a stock rotation rule that older stock is used before newer deliveries, so that food does not go out of date.

The date on a food label after which the food should not be eaten, cooked or served for safety reasons, even if it looks and smells fine.

To reduce the number of germs on a clean surface or piece of equipment to a safe level, using heat or a chemical product called a sanitizer.

The temperature at the centre or thickest part of a piece of food, measured with a probe thermometer to check that it is cooked, cooled or reheated safely.

To let frozen food become soft and unfrozen before cooking it. Defrost means the same and is just as common.

Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points: a food safety system that identifies the points where food could become unsafe and sets checks and limits to control them.

Any illness caused by eating food or drink contaminated with harmful bacteria, viruses, parasites or toxins. In everyday English it is usually called food poisoning.

A surface that touches food during preparation, processing or service.

A strip used to check the concentration of a specified sanitizing solution.

A plan specifying what is to be cleaned, when, how and by whom.

The list of dishes a restaurant offers, with their descriptions and usually their prices; also the planned set of dishes for a meal or event.

A small dish served as the first course of a meal, before the main course. Appetizer is the usual American word.

The largest and most important dish of a meal, usually served after the starter and before dessert. Often shortened to main.

A smaller dish, such as vegetables, salad, rice or potatoes, served alongside the main course. Often shortened to side.

One of the separate parts of a meal served one after another, such as the starter, the main course and the dessert.

A dish that is not on the regular menu but is offered for a limited time, often for one day, using seasonal ingredients or extra stock.

Describing a menu where each dish is listed and priced separately, so guests choose and pay for individual items rather than a fixed meal.

A menu with a fixed number of courses and a fixed price, usually with a small choice of dishes for each course or no choice at all.

A menu of many small courses chosen by the chef, served one after another to show the kitchen's style and best dishes, usually at a fixed price.

A small savoury bite with a base, such as bread or pastry, carrying a topping.

A small sweet pastry or confection, often served with coffee at the end of a meal.

A frozen dessert made mainly from a sweetened liquid, often fruit juice or purée, without a dairy base.

A frozen sweetened liquid broken into coarse ice crystals during preparation.

A dessert name used for a rich frozen mixture or, especially in America, a layered glass dessert.

A light baked dish whose rise comes largely from air incorporated in whipped egg whites.

Fruit cooked gently with sugar or syrup, usually retaining pieces or shape.

A baked dessert with fruit beneath a loose, crumbly topping of flour, fat and sugar.

A baked fruit dessert covered with spooned or placed pieces of dough or batter.

A small course served between larger courses, often intended to refresh the palate.

Describing food with a salty, spiced or otherwise non-sweet character.

The period when a restaurant is open and the kitchen is cooking and sending out orders, such as lunch service or dinner service.

A printed or written order sent from the dining room to the kitchen, showing the table, the dishes and any special requests or allergies.

The counter between the kitchen and the dining room where finished plates are checked, often under heat lamps, before servers take them out.

To arrange cooked food on a plate so that it is ready to be served and looks attractive. The noun plating means the way a dish is arranged.

A small item of food, such as herbs, a slice of lemon or a sauce dot, added to a dish to make it look and taste better. As a verb, to garnish means to add this.

The parts of a restaurant that guests see, such as the dining room and bar, and the staff who work there: hosts, servers, bartenders and managers.

The areas of a restaurant that guests do not see, such as the kitchen, storerooms and dishwashing area, and the staff who work there.

In a kitchen, to start cooking a dish or a course for a table, called out by the chef at the pass when the timing is right.

A short warning called out in a kitchen to tell someone you are walking behind them, so they do not step back or turn into you.

Kitchen slang meaning that a dish or ingredient has run out and cannot be ordered, or to remove it from the menu for now. The origin of the expression is unclear.

One guest's meal, used to count how many people a restaurant serves; also the place setting laid on the table for one guest.

In kitchen calls, the total quantity of an item currently required across open orders.

In kitchen slang, needing to be prepared immediately, often outside the normal order sequence.

Kitchen slang for being overwhelmed and falling behind with the work.

Served separately from the main food rather than placed on or mixed into it.

Prepared or finished immediately before serving, usually in response to an order.

To cook a dish again, usually as a replacement for one that cannot be served as intended.

Served in shared dishes placed on the table for diners to help themselves.

The preparation and organisation of all ingredients and tools at a station before cooking or service begins. From French, meaning "putting in place".

An area of the kitchen where one cook or a small team prepares one type of food, such as the grill, fry, sauce or garnish station.

Short for preparation: the work of getting food ready before cooking or service, such as washing, peeling, cutting, portioning and making sauces. Also used as a verb.

The working habit of cleaning your station, tools and spills continuously while you cook, instead of leaving all the cleaning until the end.

The amount of an ingredient or prepared item that should be on hand for a shift or until the next delivery. Also called par stock or just par.

Preparing a quantity of food together as one production run rather than separate orders.

A food-production system in which cooked food is chilled for later reheating and service.

A food-production system in which cooked food is frozen for later preparation and service.

Planning to use the same ingredient or preparation in several different menu items.

Describing an approach that uses a wide range of an animal's edible parts.

Describing cooking that uses several edible parts of a vegetable, including parts often discarded.