How to use this glossary
This glossary explains the 77 terms used most in professional kitchens with short definitions. Most are French because the classic kitchen system comes from the French school codified by Auguste Escoffier. Linked terms have a detailed guide. For the bigger picture, see what gastronomy is.
The five mother sauces follow the classification in Escoffier's *Le Guide Culinaire*: béchamel, velouté, espagnole, sauce tomate and hollandaise.
Cooking techniques
| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Sauté | Cooking quickly in a little fat over high heat. |
| Searing | Browning the surface of meat quickly over high heat. |
| Blanching | Boiling briefly, then cooling immediately. |
| Poaching | Cooking gently in liquid below boiling point. |
| Confit | Cooking slowly at low heat submerged in fat. |
| Braising | Searing, then cooking slowly in a little liquid in a covered pot. |
| Sous vide | Cooking in a vacuum bag in a precisely controlled water bath. French for "under vacuum". |
| Flambé | Adding alcohol to a pan and igniting it to burn off the alcohol and add aroma. |
| Gratin | Browning a topping of cheese or breadcrumbs under high heat. |
| Roasting | Cooking a whole piece with dry heat in an oven or on a spit. |
| Deglazing | Adding liquid to a pan to lift the browned bits into a sauce. |
| Reduction | Simmering a liquid to thicken it and concentrate flavour. |
| Caramelisation | The browning of sugar under heat, which develops flavour. |
| Maillard reaction | The reaction between amino acids and sugars under heat that gives seared meat and bread crust their flavour. |
| Al dente | Pasta or vegetables cooked to stay firm. Italian for "to the tooth". |
| Resting | Letting cooked meat stand before slicing so juices redistribute. |
Knife cuts
| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Julienne | Thin matchsticks about 3 mm thick. |
| Brunoise | Small dice about 3 mm square. |
| Bâtonnet | Sticks about 6 mm thick. |
| Macédoine | Dice about 5 mm square. |
| Paysanne | Thin, flat slices about 1 cm wide. |
| Chiffonade | Rolling leafy greens and slicing them into fine ribbons. |
| Concassé | Peeled, seeded and roughly chopped tomato. |
| Mirepoix | An aromatic mix of onion, carrot and celery, traditionally 2:1:1. |
Sauces and bases
| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Stock | A base liquid made by simmering bones and vegetables for a long time. |
| Roux | A thickener made by cooking equal parts fat and flour. |
| Béchamel | A mother sauce made with milk and roux. |
| Velouté | A mother sauce made with light stock and roux. |
| Espagnole | A mother sauce made with brown stock and brown roux. |
| Sauce tomate | One of the five mother sauces of classical French cooking. |
| Hollandaise | A mother sauce made as an emulsion of egg yolk and melted butter. |
| Demi-glace | A rich sauce made by reducing espagnole with brown stock. |
| Beurre blanc | A sauce made by whisking cold butter into a wine and vinegar reduction. |
| Aioli | A Mediterranean emulsion of garlic and oil. |
| Vinaigrette | A salad dressing of oil and vinegar. |
| Ganache | A mixture of chocolate and cream. |
| Emulsion | A stable mix of two liquids that do not normally combine, such as oil and water. |
Taste and kitchen science
| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Umami | The fifth basic taste, identified in 1908 by the Japanese chemist Kikunae Ikeda and linked to glutamate. |
| Fermentation | Microorganisms converting sugar into alcohol, acid or gas. The result is called fermented. |
| Brine | Salted water for soaking food, or the method itself. |
| Marinating | Soaking food in a seasoned liquid before cooking. |
| Terroir | The character a product gets from its soil, climate and place of origin. |
| Gourmet | A person who can judge and enjoys fine food and drink. |
| Gastronome | A person with deep knowledge of food and drink culture. |
Menu and service
| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Kuver (couvert) | Complimentary items served before ordering, and a place setting. |
| À la carte | Ordering in which each dish is priced and chosen separately. |
| Set menu | A menu with courses and price fixed in advance. |
| Tasting menu | A sequenced multi-course menu chosen by the chef. |
| Table d'hôte | A fixed daily meal offered at a set price. |
| Amuse-bouche | A single bite offered by the chef, not ordered by the guest. |
| Hors d'oeuvre | Small starters served before the main course. |
| Entrée | A starter on French menus, but the main course in the US. |
| Garnish, side | An accompanying item served with the main dish. |
| Petit four | Small sweets served with coffee. |
| Meze | Cold or hot starters served in small plates. |
| Tapas | Small sharing plates from Spanish cuisine. |
| Brunch | A late morning meal combining breakfast and lunch. |
| Self-service | A format in which guests collect their own food. |
| Finger food | Bite-sized food eaten without cutlery. |
| Sommelier | The specialist responsible for choosing and serving wine. |
| Fine dining | A restaurant format with top-level ingredients, technique and service. |
Kitchen organisation and management
| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Mise en place | Preparing everything and putting it in place before service. |
| Brigade | The system that divides kitchen duties into levels. |
| Sous chef | The head chef's deputy, who runs service. |
| Chef de partie | The chef who runs one station. |
| Commis | The entry-level assistant. |
| Garde manger | The cold kitchen section that makes salads and cold starters. |
| Plongeur | The person responsible for dishes and pots. |
| Standard recipe | A recipe card that fixes ingredients, weights, method and portion cost. |
| Waste, trim loss | The part lost in trimming and cooking; the usable remainder is called yield. |
| Food cost | The ingredient cost of a dish as a share of its selling price. |
| Prime cost | The cost of food and beverage sold plus labour. |
| FIFO | First in, first out: older stock is used first. |
| FEFO | First expired, first out: the item closest to its expiry date is used first. |
| HACCP | A food safety system based on hazard analysis and critical control points. |
| Cross-contamination | The transfer of a harmful agent to another food. |
| Sanitation | Reducing microorganisms on cleaned surfaces to a safe level and keeping hygienic conditions. |
Citing this glossary
You are welcome to link to this glossary from course notes, training material and articles: *Özkök, Batuhan. "Culinary Terms Glossary". batuhanozkok.com/en/blog/gastronomi-sozlugu.* If you would like your team to learn this language and these standards, see kitchen team training and kitchen consulting.
