Mise en Place
Preparing and organising every ingredient and utensil you need before you start cooking.
Glossary
Food glossary
36 gastronomy and hospitality terms explained for people who work in the trade.
Cooking Techniques
Sous Vide
A vacuum, low-temperature cooking technique. Food is sealed in airtight bags and cooked in a water bath at a controlled temperature.
Blast Chilling
The rapid cooling of cooked food. It brings the temperature from 65 C to 3 C in under 90 minutes.
Regeneration
The process of bringing food that was previously cooked and chilled back to serving temperature, while keeping its quality.
Plating
The art and technique of presenting food on the plate in a way that is both attractive and practical before it is served to the guest.
Restaurant Management
Food Cost
The raw-material cost as a percentage of the selling price. Formula: (ingredient cost / selling price) x 100.
Costing Sheet
A technical sheet that breaks down every ingredient, quantity, cost and preparation method for a dish.
Wastage
Loss of raw material during preparation, cooking or storage. It includes peelings, bones, evaporation and spoilage.
Average Ticket
Average spend per guest or per table. Formula: total revenue / number of guests (or tables).
Prime Cost
The sum of raw-material cost (food cost) and staff cost. It is the most complete indicator of operating efficiency.
Menu Engineering
A method for analysing the profitability and popularity of each dish on the menu, and for optimising its design and composition.
HACCP
Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points. A preventive food-safety system that is mandatory in hospitality.
FIFO
First In, First Out. A stock-rotation system in which the products that arrive first are the first to be used.
RevPASH
Revenue Per Available Seat Hour. Revenue generated per available seat per hour. A dining-room efficiency metric.
Central Kitchen
A facility where food is prepared for distribution to multiple points of sale or consumption.
Types of Establishment
Dark Kitchen
A kitchen with no dining room and no walk-in customers, dedicated exclusively to preparing food for delivery.
Gastrobar
A venue that combines the informality of a bar with a food offer of higher quality than a traditional bar.
Casual Dining
A full-service restaurant with an informal atmosphere, a moderate price and an accessible menu. Between fast food and fine dining.
Fine Dining
High-end dining with excellent service, signature cooking, premium products and a complete gastronomic experience.
Bakehouse
A space dedicated to producing bread, viennoiserie, pastry or other bakery and confectionery products.
Service and Dining Room
The Pass
The part of the kitchen where finished plates are placed and departures to the dining room are coordinated. Also the act of calling out the orders.
Station
A section of the kitchen specialised in one type of preparation: cold, hot, fish, meat, pastry and so on.
Service
The period of activity in a restaurant during which guests are served. Typically lunch and dinner.
Sommelier
A professional specialising in wine and drinks who advises guests on choice and pairing.
Pairing
The art of matching wines and drinks with dishes in order to heighten the dining experience.
Tasting Menu
A selection of smaller dishes chosen by the chef that shows the best of their cooking. Typical of fine-dining restaurants.
Table Turnover
The number of times a table is occupied during one service. Higher turnover means higher revenue per service.
Kitchen Brigade
The hierarchical structure of the kitchen team. A classic model created by Auguste Escoffier in the XIX century.
Product and Raw Materials
Zero-Kilometre Produce
Raw material produced within a short radius of the restaurant (generally less than 100 km). Also called local produce.
Season
The time of year when a product is at its best for quality, flavour and price. Cooking with seasonal produce is more profitable and more sustainable.
Sourdough Starter
A natural culture of yeasts and bacteria used to ferment bread. It produces loaves with more flavour, a better texture and a longer life.
Traceability
The ability to trace the origin, processing and distribution of a food product through every stage of the chain.
Food Marketing
Delivery
A home-delivery service for prepared food, either with your own fleet or through platforms such as Glovo, Uber Eats or Just Eat.
Virtual Brand
A restaurant brand that exists only on delivery platforms, with no physical premises open to the public.
Upselling
A sales technique that means suggesting higher-value options to the guest: starters, desserts, wines, larger formats.
Gastronomic Storytelling
The use of narratives and stories to communicate the value of a restaurant, its dishes, its producers and its philosophy.
