Just so you know, we’ll handle your info according to our privacy statement. Being knowledgeable about the parts of a restaurant, the breakdown between front of house and back of house, along with the specific role of its employees is an important concept to grasp when working in the hospitality industry. BOH – Back of House – The back of the restaurant, the kitchen and storage areas where the cooks, preps, and dishwashers primarily work. “You forgot to ring in their apps? Meaning: Very important person, special guest, friend of the chef, etc. Halfway through dinner service you may be asked to give an “all day” of how many orders of steak you have left. In chef lingo, SOS is an acronym for sauce on the side. Do you have manageme, In order for a successful restaurant to flourish, there are many parts that must work together to create a positive experience and end result for the consumer. The chef running the pass also works with the expo to make sure each dish is plated correctly. An acronym for Gold Brown Delicious, this is a phrase that is used when there is little time or desire to give a more in-depth description. An undercounter refrigerator is nicknamed a low boy. Run the dish means to deliver a dish to a table. An expo makes sure each dish is correct and then hands off orders to the food runner or server. 86’d If an item on the menu or an ingredient in the kitchen is 86’d it means you are all out. “Hey Abby, can you run this dish to table 201?”. Example: This plate looks cold! Whether you’ve been hired for your first job in a restaurant or are looking to talk-the-talk so you can land one, the menu isn’t the only thing you’ll need to learn. Refers to prepped ingredients ready to go for a shift. Perhaps not advisable, this phrase can be called out at home during Sunday football when you are hungry now and need food made for you STAT, try adding a “please” or “thank you”. Scope out the following slang terms and phrases before your first day or feel like a chef while still in your slippers as you harass those who dare enter your sacred cooking space at home with these “professional” utterances. Mise “I need a burger with fries, kill it”, in other words, cook it well-er than well done. Expo (n.) - The person who reads out orders as they come in, and puts the finishing touches on the food before it's taken from the kitchen out to guests. It's important for the kitchen staff to communicate this to servers as soon as possible so that no more orders are placed for the item. The pass is the area in front of the cooking line where orders are placed for servers to pick up. If you hear this it is time to put some pep in your step and get whatever was asked of you done quickly. The ticket/information submitted to the kitchen so the cooks can cook orders of food. Comes from “duplicate”, from when printers print a carbon-copy of an order ticket. August 17. Example: I have an open six top in my section. Another word for kitchen. A response to indicate "I understand." Meaning: An order given to cooks to start preparing a dish. # Out (adj.) Regardless of where you work in a restaurant — front of house, back of house, or management — you’re going to be interacting with the kitchen, which means you’ll need to speak their language fluently. Fire one filet medium rare, one filet medium. Top synonyms for kitchen (other words for kitchen) are cuisine, cooking and cook. Meaning: A refrigerated room that stores perishable ingredients. Get notified about exclusive content and offers every week! Example: Two orders of broccoli? (To vote, click the pepper. Sure, you may not have yet mastered Instant Ramen or stepped foot inside of a restaurant kitchen, but it’s easy (and fun) to fake your expertise with just a handful of commonly used kitchen words and phrases. Tell any server you see! the word is – not how mean it is.). In a professional kitchen it is a piece of equipment that is different from the oven and usual overhead or above a work station. Can someone come help me? In restaurant jargon, kill it means to cook something extra well done. We've decoded some of the most common kitchen phrases used by cooks to help you integrate into restaurant culture. - Describes the person in charge of letting others know about the orders going in/out. It's used to describe a cooking method that relies on freshly prepared ingredients, but it's also used to signify a dish or condiment must be made to order. Ex. Refers to a menu item up in the window, ready to go to table. Low-Boy It's important to have a point person on the line who can accurately call out orders to the other line cooks. Ex. Article “86” in an Unauthorized Absence. Got it!”. Chix Run the Dish (v.) - To bring the plate out to the customer. Meaning: Overwhelmed; chaos; too much going on at once with not enough resources, Used in a sentence: “I have one sous chef and 50 orders of filet mignon. Used in a sentence: “You undercooked the pasta and your sauce tastes like Ragu. If you are a line cook and someone calls you a shoemaker it is time to step up your game or start looking into new career options. I need those shallots and peppers for the stew.". Example: Table three needs an order of onion rings on the fly! With hundreds of thousands of products available and millions of orders shipped, we have everything your business needs to function at its best. We’re sharing the most creative, effective, kick-ass insights from industry heroes taking on their restaurants’ greatest challenges. A response to indicate "I understand." - To be currently cooking on the line. “What does the chit say? Ex. The next time you are cooking at home, mise everything out first (chop your onions, grate your carrots, peel your garlic) before you start cooking. If you are “mise-d out for the day” it means you are prepared, all your prep for each dish is ready to go. Managers will do rounds and walk the floor several times during a shift to check on customers. On the Line (adj.) You might also hear variations of this expression like "Sharp behind," or "Hot behind," to indicate someone is passing by carrying an object could harm another staff member. This is even more important if you are carrying a full tray of food, a hot pan, or a rack of glassware. Example: So far, we only have a couple deuces on the floor. or "Heard that!". "The mussels are two out, they’re almost done steaming.". Submitted by Walter Rader (Editor) from Sacramento, CA, USA
How can we improve it? Example: We have ten orders of artichoke dip and eight fries all day. “Wow, we’ve got a request for “well, well, well done.” You know what to do to that steak. In your own kitchen, you can tell your trusty sidekick sous chef to “fire” the bread in the toaster when you are a minute out from your eggs being done. In a busy kitchen environment communication like this is important to keep things running smoothly. Two salmon specials, one no potatoes sub greens and one order of sauteed eggplant.”. Scope out the following slang terms and phrases before your first day or feel like a chef while still in your slippers as you harass those who dare enter your sacred cooking space at home with these “professional” utterances. Irene Li wants restaurant work to be a viable option for anyone who loves food. It might be a slow night. Example: I'm firing table five's apps right now! Ex. Mandatory family outings to the Detroit farmers' market and nightly home-cooked meals cultivated Annelise's respect and curiosity for food. The word mise, pronounced meez, is a shortened version of the phrase mise en place. When servers key in an order on the POS system, the corresponding ticket that prints out on the chef's line is called a chit. Kill It (v.) - To cook something extremely well done. Sign up to get industry intel, advice, tools, and honest takes from real people tackling their restaurants’ greatest challenges. Used in a sentence: “We’re running low on salmon fillets. “Can you read me the dupe? ), Your vote: None
Understanding these terms will help you to be successful in whatever position you hold, whether you're a restaurant owner, chef, or server. Our focus is your convenience – order online from your laptop, desktop, or smartphone 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Please join in the movement and write to your oven company to ask them to change the label on the “broil” button to “salamander”. Example: I hope that's a dead plate because I've seen two people grab fries off of it. Ex. Used in a sentence: “I’ve got an order for three cheeseburgers. Mise en place translates to everything in its place. The kitchen slang you’re guaranteed to hear working in a restaurant. A refrigerated room for cold storage of perishable items; also a soundproof room for Chef scream therapy. Pass (n.) - The area where dishes are plated. Ex. Along with the list of popular kitchen slang terms, we’ve also included how to use them in a sentence. To survive in the back of the house, you have to have plenty of energy, serious attention to detail, the ability to multitask like a pro, and you need to know how to communicate with your peers. 86 it.”, Meaning: a) The act of leaving the kitchen to interact with a customer, typically in a positive manner; b) an injury resulting from a kitchen appliance or tool, Used in a sentence: a) “Did you touch table #9, the couple who raved about your meatballs?” b) “I got touched by the hot stove and now my finger is on fire.”, Related Reading: Best Cooking Shows On Netflix for the Foodie in You. Example: Can someone get this order out now? Fire