culinary terms
Cooking-related language
Culinary terms are the specialized vocabulary of cooking and food preparation.
Every craft develops its own language, and the kitchen is no exception: mise en place, sauté, braise, julienne, deglaze.
Many culinary terms come from French, reflecting that cuisine's historical prestige.
Professional kitchens rely on precise terminology—al dente means something specific, not just "cooked."
- aspicSavory meat-broth jelly
- braiseSear, then slow-simmer
- en papilloteFood baked in paper
- confitMeat preserved in fat
- chiffonadeThin-sliced leaf ribbons
consommé · umami · à la carte · quenelle · sauté · deglaze · mise en place · knife skills · julienne · terrine · blanch · ice bath · plating · drizzle · flambé · roux · mother sauce · bain-marie
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