Culinary definitions

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From classic French brigade terminology to the science of modern gastronomy and kitchen shorthand. Browse the exact definitions of the techniques, tools and terms used in our articles.

86: Kitchen shorthand meaning an item is sold out, unavailable or removed from service.
À la Carte: A menu system in which individual dishes are ordered and priced separately.
À Point: French culinary terminology describing food cooked to the desired degree of doneness.
Acidulation: Adding an acidic ingredient to a preparation to alter flavour, colour, texture or stability.
Agar-Agar: A seaweed-derived gelling agent used to create gels, jellies and other set preparations.
Aging: Holding an ingredient under controlled conditions to develop flavour, tenderness or other desirable characteristics.
Aioli: A garlic-based emulsion traditionally made with olive oil, associated with Mediterranean cuisine.
Al Dente: Italian for "to the tooth"; describing pasta or vegetables cooked until tender but retaining a firm bite.
Albumen: The protein-rich white portion of an egg.
Aligot: A French potato preparation enriched with cheese until it becomes exceptionally elastic and smooth.
Amuse-Bouche: A small complimentary bite served before a meal to stimulate the appetite and showcase the chef's style.
Amylase: An enzyme that breaks starches into smaller sugars and plays an important role in bread-making.
Anglaise: A preparation or method associated with classic French cuisine, particularly crème anglaise.
Appareil: A prepared mixture or base used to make a particular dish, pastry or culinary preparation.
Arête: A fish bone, particularly one removed during filleting.
Aromatics: Ingredients such as onions, garlic, celery, herbs and spices used to build flavour in a dish.
Aspic: A savoury preparation in which meat, fish, vegetables or other ingredients are suspended in a clear gel.
Au Jus: French for "with its own juice"; food served with its natural cooking juices.
Au Poivre: A preparation, commonly steak, finished with cracked pepper and a pepper-based sauce.
Bain de Glace: A cold water or ice bath used to rapidly chill food.
Bain-Marie: A water bath providing gentle, indirect and controlled heat for cooking or holding food.
Barding: Wrapping lean meat with strips of fat before cooking to prevent drying and add richness.
Barigoule: A French preparation traditionally involving artichokes cooked with aromatic vegetables and wine.
Baste: To repeatedly coat food with fat, juices or another liquid while it cooks.
Béchamel: A classical French white mother sauce made from milk thickened with a roux.
Béchamel Mornay: Béchamel enriched with cheese, traditionally used with gratins and other dishes.
Bercy: A classical French sauce or preparation associated with white wine, shallots and parsley.
Beurre Blanc: A French butter emulsion made by reducing wine and vinegar with shallots before incorporating butter.
Beurre Manié: Soft butter kneaded with flour and used to thicken sauces.
Beurre Monté: Emulsified whole butter held just below boiling, used to enrich sauces and gently poach.
Beurre Noisette: Butter cooked until its milk solids brown, producing a nutty aroma and golden colour.
Beurre Rouge: A red-wine butter emulsion made by reducing wine and finishing with butter.
Bisque: A rich, smooth soup traditionally made from crustaceans.
Blanch: To briefly cook food in boiling water before rapidly cooling it, usually in ice water.
Blanquette: A French white stew traditionally made with meat cooked without browning and finished with a creamy sauce.
Blind Bake: To bake pastry before adding its filling, either partially or completely.
Bloom: To hydrate or activate an ingredient, particularly gelatin or spices, before incorporating it into a preparation.
Bouchée: A small pastry case or bite-sized pastry preparation.
Bouillabaisse: A Provençal fish and seafood stew traditionally flavoured with saffron, herbs and aromatics.
Bouquet Garni: A bundle of herbs used to flavour stocks, sauces, soups and stews.
Braise: To brown food and then cook it slowly in a small quantity of liquid, usually covered.
Brigade de Cuisine: Escoffier's kitchen hierarchy, dividing the professional kitchen into defined stations and responsibilities.
Brine: A salt solution used to season, preserve or improve the moisture retention of food.
Broil: To cook food using intense direct heat, generally from above.
Broth: A seasoned liquid produced by simmering meat, vegetables, bones or other ingredients.
Brunoise: A precise 1–2mm dice, normally produced from julienned vegetables.
Brunoise Fine: An exceptionally small and precise brunoise cut used for refined garnishes and sauces.
Butcher's Cut: A cut of meat traditionally favoured by butchers or chefs rather than commonly sold as a mainstream retail cut.
Butterfly: To split food horizontally and open it out so it becomes thinner and cooks more evenly.
Cage: A decorative culinary structure made from ingredients such as sugar or chocolate for presentation.
Canapé: A small composed bite designed to be eaten easily by hand.
Caramelisation: The thermal breakdown of sugars that creates browned colour and complex sweet, toasted flavours.
Carpaccio: Very thinly sliced raw meat, fish or another ingredient served with seasoning or dressing.
Chafing Dish: A vessel used to keep prepared food warm during buffet or table service.
Chantilly Cream: Sweetened whipped cream, traditionally flavoured with vanilla.
Chapelure: French breadcrumbs used for coating, gratinating or binding.
Chaud-Froid: A classical preparation in which cooked food is coated with a cold sauce or glaze.
Chiffonade: A knife technique producing fine ribbons from leafy vegetables or herbs.
Chinois: A fine conical strainer used to pass sauces, stocks and purées.
Chop: To cut food into relatively irregular pieces using a knife or cleaver.
Choux Pastry: A light pastry made by cooking flour with liquid and fat before incorporating eggs.
Chutney: A condiment made from fruit or vegetables cooked with vinegar, sugar and spices.
Clarified Butter: Butter from which water and milk solids have been removed, leaving predominantly butterfat.
Clarify: To remove suspended particles or impurities from a liquid to produce a clear result.
Cocotte: A small ovenproof dish or covered vessel used for cooking and serving food.
Compote: Fruit gently cooked with sugar and sometimes spices or other flavourings.
Concassé: Food, particularly tomatoes, that has been roughly chopped after removing the skin and seeds.
Confit: Slow cooking submerged in fat at low temperature for tenderness and preservation.
Confiture: French terminology for jam or fruit preserve.
Consommé: A clear, highly concentrated soup traditionally clarified using a protein raft.
Coulis: A smooth, usually strained purée used as a sauce or garnish.
Court-Bouillon: A flavoured cooking liquid commonly used for poaching fish and seafood.
Crème Anglaise: A pourable vanilla custard made from egg yolks, sugar and milk or cream.
Crème Brûlée: A baked custard topped with a thin layer of caramelised sugar.
Crème Fraîche: Cultured cream with a rich texture and mild acidity.
Crimp: To press or shape the edge of pastry, commonly to seal pies and tarts.
Croquembouche: A French celebration dessert consisting of cream-filled profiteroles assembled into a cone and decorated.
Croustade: A crisp pastry or bread shell used to hold a filling.
Culinary Reduction: A liquid reduced by evaporation to concentrate its flavour and increase viscosity.
Cure: To preserve and season food using salt, sugar, smoke, acid or combinations of these.
Custard: A preparation thickened primarily by eggs and/or starch, generally based on milk or cream.
Cutlet: A portion of meat, poultry or fish cut into a relatively thin serving piece.
Dacquoise: A meringue-based cake or biscuit made with ground nuts.
Dashi: A Japanese stock traditionally made using ingredients such as kombu and bonito.
Deglaze: Adding liquid to a hot pan to dissolve browned cooking residue and form the base of a sauce.
Dégorger: To draw out excess liquid, blood or bitterness from an ingredient, commonly using salt.
Demi-Glace: A highly reduced classical French brown sauce based on brown stock and espagnole.
Demi-Sec: French terminology meaning "half dry", often applied to wines or certain culinary preparations.
Dépouiller: To skim impurities or fat from the surface of a stock, sauce or other liquid.
Détrempe: The basic flour-and-liquid dough used as the starting point for laminated pastry.
Dice: To cut food into small, regular cubes.
Digestif: A drink traditionally served after a meal, often intended to accompany or conclude the dining experience.
Dough Hydration: The ratio of liquid to flour in a dough, expressed as a percentage.
Dredge: To coat food lightly in flour, breadcrumbs or another dry ingredient.
Dry-Age: To mature meat under controlled conditions to concentrate flavour and alter texture.
Duxelles: Finely chopped mushrooms cooked with aromatics and fat until their moisture is largely removed.
Embeurré: A preparation generously enriched with butter.
Emulsify: To combine normally immiscible liquids, such as oil and water, into an emulsion.
En Papillote: Cooking food sealed inside parchment or another wrapper so it steams in its own juices.
En Place: Having ingredients, equipment and preparation organised and ready for service.
Enrobage: The process of coating food with a uniform layer of chocolate, sugar or another ingredient.
Escalop: A thin, usually boneless slice of meat or fish.
Espagnole: A classical French brown mother sauce based on brown stock, mirepoix and tomato.
Etamine: A fine kitchen cloth used for straining stocks, sauces and other preparations.
Étuver: To cook food gently in its own moisture or a small amount of liquid.
Farce: A seasoned mixture used to stuff or fill another ingredient.
Ferment: To transform food through controlled microbial activity.
Fermentation: A biological process in which microorganisms transform sugars and other compounds, creating acidity, gas, alcohol or complex flavours.
Fillet: A boneless portion of meat or fish removed from the main body of the animal.
Fine Dining: A restaurant style associated with formal service, detailed presentation and technically executed cuisine.
Flash Fry: To cook food rapidly in very hot oil for a short period.
Foam: A preparation in which gas is incorporated into a liquid or semi-liquid food.
Foie Gras: A rich preparation made from the enlarged liver of ducks or geese.
Fond: The browned residue left in a pan after searing or roasting.
Forcemeat: A finely minced mixture of meat, fat and seasoning used for pâtés, sausages and terrines.
Frangipane: A sweet almond-based cream commonly used as a pastry filling.
Frenched: A meat-cutting technique in which meat is removed from the end of a bone for presentation.
Fricassée: A cooking method in which meat is generally sautéed before being finished in a sauce.
Frisée: A curly-leafed form of endive commonly used in salads.
Fritter: Food coated in batter or dough and cooked by frying.
Fumet: A concentrated aromatic stock, particularly associated with fish or seafood.
Garnish: An edible element added primarily to enhance flavour, texture or presentation.
Gastrique: A sweet-and-sour sauce made by combining caramelised sugar with vinegar.
Gastronomy: The study and appreciation of food, cooking, culture and the dining experience.
Gelatinisation: The process in which starch absorbs liquid and swells when heated, thickening a preparation.
Genoise: A light French sponge made by incorporating air into eggs and sugar before adding flour.
Genoise Sponge: A light sponge whose structure primarily comes from aerated eggs rather than chemical leavening.
Glace: A stock reduced to a thick, intensely flavoured glaze.
Glace de Viande: A deeply reduced meat stock with an intense flavour and thick consistency.
Glaze: A shiny coating applied to food to add flavour, colour, moisture or visual finish.
Gnocchi: Small dumplings traditionally made from potato, flour and sometimes egg.
Gratin: A dish finished with a browned crust, often using cheese, breadcrumbs or butter.
Griddle: A flat heated cooking surface used for foods such as pancakes, eggs and burgers.
Grill: To cook using direct radiant heat.
Guéridon: A service trolley used for tableside preparation, carving or finishing.
Haché: French terminology for finely chopped or minced food.
Herb Bouquet: A combination of fresh herbs used to introduce aromatic flavour into a preparation.
Hollandaise: A warm emulsion of egg yolks, butter and an acidic component.
Homogenise: To distribute components evenly throughout a mixture to produce a consistent texture.
Hors d'Oeuvre: A small savoury dish served before or alongside the main meal.
Hydrate: To add or absorb liquid into a dry ingredient or mixture.
Ice Bath: A mixture of ice and cold water used to rapidly cool cooked food.
Icing: A sweet coating or decoration applied to cakes, pastries and other desserts.
Infuse: To extract flavour from an ingredient by steeping it in a liquid.
Infusion: A liquid flavoured by steeping herbs, spices, fruit or other ingredients.
Irradiation: A controlled food-processing technique using ionising radiation to reduce microorganisms or delay spoilage.
Isomalt: A sugar-derived sweetener commonly used in confectionery and decorative sugar work.
Jambon: French terminology for ham.
Jardinière: A preparation or garnish of vegetables cut into small, uniform batons.
Julienne: To cut food into thin, uniform matchstick-shaped strips.
Jus: A concentrated meat sauce or natural gravy made from cooking juices and stock.
Jus de Veau: Veal-based jus used as a foundation for sauces and meat preparations.
Jus Lié: A lightly thickened meat jus, traditionally thickened with starch or another binding agent.
Kefir: A fermented milk or water beverage produced using a culture of bacteria and yeasts.
Kimchi: A Korean fermented vegetable preparation, commonly based on cabbage and seasoned with chilli, garlic and other aromatics.
Knead: To work dough mechanically to develop gluten and structure.
Koji: Aspergillus oryzae grown on grain and used in products such as miso, soy sauce and sake.
Kombu: A type of edible kelp widely used in Japanese cuisine, particularly for dashi.
Lacto-Fermentation: Salt-driven fermentation in which lactic acid bacteria preserve food and develop acidity.
Lamination: Folding butter through dough to create alternating layers, as used for croissants and puff pastry.
Larding: Inserting strips of fat into lean meat to increase richness and moisture.
Larding Needle: A specialised tool used to insert strips of fat into meat.
Leaven: A substance or process that causes dough or batter to rise.
Lemon Curd: A thick, sweet-tart preparation made from citrus juice, eggs, sugar and butter.
Levain: A naturally fermented bread starter containing wild yeasts and lactic acid bacteria.
Liaison: A mixture used to enrich and thicken a sauce, commonly egg yolks and cream.
Macerate: To soften and flavour ingredients by soaking them in sugar, alcohol, acid or another liquid.
Maillard Reaction: The chemical reaction between amino acids and reducing sugars responsible for complex browning flavours.
Mandoline: A kitchen slicing tool designed to produce fast, precise and uniform cuts.
Marinate: To soak food in a seasoned liquid or mixture before cooking.
Marmite: A deep, covered cooking vessel traditionally used for stocks, soups and stews.
Mignonette: A coarse mixture of cracked pepper and vinegar, traditionally served with oysters.
Mince: To cut or process food into extremely small pieces.
Minceur: A culinary approach focused on lighter, lower-fat preparations without abandoning technique or flavour.
Mirepoix: A mixture of diced onion, carrot and celery used as an aromatic flavour base.
Mirepoix Blanc: A mirepoix variation using pale vegetables to avoid colouring a preparation.
Mise en Place: French for "everything in its place"; the preparation and organisation completed before service.
Monté au Beurre: Finishing a sauce by whisking in cold butter to enrich it and create a glossy texture.
Mother Sauce: One of the foundational sauces from which numerous derivative sauces can be produced.
Mousse: A light preparation made by incorporating air into a base such as chocolate, cream, fruit or savoury purée.
Mousseline: A preparation made exceptionally light and smooth, often by incorporating cream or another aerating ingredient.
Mousseline Potato: An exceptionally smooth and light potato purée, usually enriched with butter and sometimes cream.
Mousseline Sauce: A derivative of hollandaise lightened with whipped cream.
Mulligatawny: A spiced soup influenced by Indian cuisine and British colonial cooking.
Nage: A light aromatic cooking liquid used to poach seafood or other delicate ingredients.
Nappe: To coat the back of a spoon; a classic test for sauce consistency.
Nappé: A sauce consistency thick enough to coat food evenly without running off immediately.
Nectarine: A smooth-skinned stone fruit closely related to the peach and used in both sweet and savoury preparations.
Nori: Thin sheets of dried edible seaweed commonly used in Japanese cuisine.
Nougatine: A crisp confection made primarily from caramelised sugar and nuts.
Nut Butter: A paste produced by grinding nuts until their natural oils create a smooth or coarse spread.
Oeuf en Cocotte: Eggs gently baked in individual dishes, usually with cream or another accompaniment.
Oil Poaching: Gently cooking food submerged in oil at a controlled low temperature.
Omakase: A Japanese dining style in which the chef selects and serves the dishes.
On the Fly: Kitchen shorthand for a dish required immediately, ahead of its normal ticket position.
Osso Buco: Braised veal shanks, traditionally cooked with vegetables, wine and stock.
Oxidation: A chemical process caused by exposure to oxygen that can alter colour, flavour, texture or nutritional properties.
Pan-Fry: To cook food in a moderate quantity of fat in a shallow pan.
Panade: A starch-based mixture used as a binder in forcemeat, meatballs and similar preparations.
Parboil: To partially cook food in boiling water before completing it by another method.
Parfait: A rich frozen dessert made from an aerated mixture of eggs, sugar and cream.
Pâté: A seasoned preparation of finely processed meat, poultry, fish or vegetables.
Pâte à Choux: The French term for choux pastry.
Pâte Brisée: A classic French shortcrust pastry used for pies and tarts.
Pâte Fermentée: A portion of previously fermented dough incorporated into a new bread dough to improve flavour and structure.
Pâte Sablée: A rich, crumbly French pastry dough with a sandy texture.
Pâte Sucrée: A sweet, crisp French pastry dough commonly used for tarts.
Pâtisserie: French terminology referring both to pastry-making and establishments specialising in pastries.
Paupiette: A thin slice of meat or fish rolled around a filling and secured before cooking.
Persillade: A mixture centred on chopped parsley and garlic, often used as a finishing garnish.
Pincage: Browning tomato paste or vegetables during cooking to develop colour and flavour.
Piquage: Piercing pastry dough with a fork or tool to prevent excessive rising during baking.
Pithivier: A round French pastry traditionally filled with frangipane or a savoury preparation.
Poach: To gently cook food in liquid below the boiling point.
Pommes Anna: Thinly sliced potatoes layered with butter and cooked until crisp and golden.
Pot-au-Feu: A French boiled beef dish in which meat and vegetables are slowly cooked together.
Potage: A thick soup or puréed soup traditionally associated with French cuisine.
Poussin: A young chicken, generally small enough to serve individually.
Praline: A confection of caramelised nuts that may be ground into a paste or used as a crunchy component.
Proof: To allow yeast-leavened dough to ferment and rise before baking.
Purée: Food processed until smooth by blending, mashing or passing through a sieve.
Quatre Épices: A French spice blend traditionally containing pepper, cloves, nutmeg and ginger.
Quenelle: A smooth oval dumpling made from a forcemeat, commonly fish or poultry.
Quenelling: Shaping a soft mixture into a smooth oval using two spoons.
Quick Pickle: Vegetables briefly preserved in an acidic liquid without prolonged fermentation.
Ras el Hanout: A North African spice blend whose exact composition varies by producer and region.
Ratatouille: A Provençal vegetable preparation traditionally combining ingredients such as aubergine, courgette, tomato, onion and peppers.
Ravigote: A classic French sauce or dressing traditionally containing herbs, capers and an acidic component.
Reduce: To simmer a liquid so that water evaporates, concentrating flavour and increasing viscosity.
Rémoulade: A mayonnaise-based sauce traditionally flavoured with mustard, herbs, capers or other seasonings.
Render: To slowly heat fatty tissue so that its fat melts away.
Resting: Allowing cooked meat or another food to stand before serving so heat and juices can redistribute.
Ribollita: A Tuscan bread and vegetable soup traditionally made using leftover minestrone-style ingredients.
Rillettes: Slow-cooked shredded meat or fish preserved in its own fat and served as a spread.
Rondeau: A broad, relatively shallow cooking vessel with straight sides.
Rôtir: French terminology for roasting.
Roux: A cooked mixture of fat and flour used to thicken sauces and soups.
Roux Blond: A lightly browned roux with a mild toasted flavour.
Roux Brun: A darkly cooked roux with a deeper toasted flavour.
Roux-Based Sauce: A sauce thickened using a roux as its primary structural agent.
Sabayon: Egg yolks whisked with liquid over gentle heat until aerated and ribboning.
Sachet d'Épices: A small cloth or bag containing herbs and spices used to flavour stocks and sauces.
Salmis: A French preparation involving previously roasted game finished in a rich sauce.
Salmour: A seasoned marinade used traditionally for certain game and meat preparations.
Salpicon: Finely diced ingredients bound together with a sauce, commonly used as a filling.
Sashimi: Japanese preparation of precisely cut raw fish or seafood served without cooking.
Sauté: To cook food quickly in a small amount of fat over relatively high heat.
Sear: To expose food to high heat to develop a browned exterior.
Season: To add salt, acidity, herbs, spices or other flavouring to balance and enhance a dish.
Sherry Vinegar: Vinegar produced from sherry wine and valued for its complex acidity.
Shiitake: An edible mushroom widely used in East Asian cooking.
Shuck: To remove the shell or husk from an ingredient, particularly oysters or corn.
Sieve: To pass a mixture through a mesh screen to remove lumps or create a smoother texture.
Skim: To remove foam, fat or impurities from the surface of a liquid.
Slurry: A mixture of starch and cold liquid used to thicken sauces, soups or gravies.
Soffritto: Italian-style gently cooked aromatic vegetables used as a flavour base.
Soubise: A French onion sauce traditionally enriched with cream or béchamel.
Sous Vide: Vacuum-sealed cooking in a precisely controlled water bath.
Stock: A liquid made by simmering bones, meat, fish, vegetables or aromatics.
Strain: To separate solids from liquids using a sieve, chinois or other filtering device.
Supreme: A culinary term used for a prime portion, particularly a boneless breast of poultry or a citrus segment.
Tartare: A preparation of finely chopped raw meat or fish seasoned and served uncooked.
Tempering: Controlled heating and cooling of ingredients, particularly chocolate, to create the desired crystalline structure.
Tempura: Japanese cooking in which ingredients are coated in a light batter and quickly fried.
Terrine: A layered or moulded preparation traditionally made from meat, fish or vegetables.
Tisane: A beverage made by infusing herbs, flowers or other plant material in hot water.
Torréfaction: The roasting process used to develop deeper flavours in ingredients such as coffee, nuts and grains.
Tournée: A classical knife cut producing small, evenly shaped seven-sided vegetables.
Tourner: To shape vegetables into uniform, often barrel-like forms using a knife.
Tranche: A slice or portion cut from a larger piece of food.
Trotter: The foot of an animal, particularly pork, used in stocks, braises and traditional dishes.
Truss: To secure poultry or meat with string or another method to maintain its shape during cooking.
Tuille: A thin, crisp decorative biscuit or garnish, often shaped while warm.
Udon: Thick Japanese wheat noodles commonly served in broth or stir-fried preparations.
Umami: The savoury taste associated with compounds such as glutamate and certain nucleotides.
Umeboshi: Japanese salted and fermented plums with a distinctive sour and salty flavour.
Unleavened: Describing bread or dough made without a leavening agent.
Vacuum Cooking: Cooking food under reduced pressure, often associated with sous vide preparation.
Velouté: One of the classical French mother sauces, made from light stock thickened with a roux.
Verjus: An acidic juice made from unripe grapes, used in sauces, dressings and drinks.
Vichyssoise: A chilled soup traditionally made from leek, potato, cream and stock.
Viennoiserie: French-style baked goods made from enriched or laminated doughs, including croissants and pain au chocolat.
Vinaigrette: A dressing or sauce based on an emulsion of oil and vinegar or another acid.
Vol-au-Vent: A light puff-pastry case designed to hold a savoury or sweet filling.
Water Bath: Another term for a bain-marie, in which controlled heat is provided through surrounding water.
Wellington: A preparation in which meat or another filling is enclosed in pastry before baking.
Whey: The liquid remaining after milk proteins coagulate during cheese-making.
Whip: To incorporate air into an ingredient or mixture by vigorous beating.
White Mirepoix: A pale aromatic vegetable mixture used where a dark colour is undesirable.
White Stock: A stock made from bones that are not roasted before simmering.
Wok Hei: The distinctive smoky, roasted flavour developed when food is cooked rapidly in a very hot wok.
Xanthan Gum: A polysaccharide used as a thickener and stabiliser in sauces, dressings and modern culinary preparations.
Xérès Vinegar: French terminology for sherry vinegar.
Yakitori: Japanese skewered chicken cooked over a grill, commonly seasoned with tare or salt.
Yeast: A microorganism used to ferment sugars and produce carbon dioxide, particularly in bread-making.
Yuzu: A highly aromatic Japanese citrus fruit with a flavour between lemon, mandarin and grapefruit.
Zabaglione: An Italian dessert made by whisking egg yolks with sugar and wine over gentle heat.
Zampone: An Italian stuffed pig's trotter traditionally served around Christmas and New Year.
Zest: The coloured outer layer of citrus fruit containing aromatic oils.
Zucchini: Italian terminology for courgette, a summer squash used in numerous savoury preparations.

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