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Writer's pictureHarvinder Singh

French Terms to Remember for Hospitality Students


Abats : offals-heart,liver etc.

Aboyeur : person who announces kitchen orders

Abricot: apricot

Agnean : lamb

Aiguillettes : thin strip of duck breast or other poultry

Ail: garlic

Ala broche: cooked on a spit

Al anglaise: in the English style- usually indicating plain cooking

A La cromo- creamed, or with addition of cream

A La peele- poached- cooked in simmering water

Aliment: food.

Allumettes: matchsticks- potatoes cut in very fine strips and deep fried.

Amande: almond

Ananas: pineapple

Anchois: anchovy- a small fish

Anis- eel

Anneau- aniseed- a pungent spice

Appret- to prepare

Après- after

Aromates- spices, herbs and roots

Arome- aroma

Artichant- antichoke- a pale green globe like vegetable

Asperges- asparagus

Aspic- a savoury jelly coating

Assiette- plate

Assiette creuse - deep plate

Assiette a entremetes- desert plate

Assiette a pain- side plate

Assiette a potge- soup plate

Aubergine- egg plant

Baba-yeast sponge or bun soaked in syrup

Bain marie- hot water well or bath for keeping food at constant temperature

Basilica- basil

Béchamel-basic white sauce

Beurre-butter

Betterave rouge-beetroot

Bleu-blue –a very raredone steak

Bein cuit- well done

Biflek-beef steak

Bisque-shellfish soup

Boeuf-beef

Boire-to drink

Bol-bowl or dish

Bol a confiture- jam dish

Boucher-butcher

Bouchou-cork

Bouillir-to boil

Bouillon-stock-for making soup and sauces

Bouteille-bottle

Brioche-yeast roll, used for breakfast

Brunoise-thin dice

Cafetiere -coffee pot

Caille-quail-a small game bird

Canapé-a small garnished toast

Canard-duck

Caneton- duckling

Cannelle-cinnamon

Caramel- burnt sugar

Carte des vins-wine list

Cassenois-nut cracker

Casserole-earthenware covered saucepan for cooking items in oven

Caviar-roe of sturgeon of fish

Cayenne- hot red pepper – a spice

Cendrier-ashtray

Chaleur-heat

Champagion- mushroom

Chateau briand- double filled steak

Chef de cuisine- head chef

Choufleur-cauliflower

Choux-cabbage

Citron- lemon

Clair- clear-as in soups

Cocotte-small earthenware pot

Concasse-roughly chopped tomato

Corbeille a fruits- fruit basket

Crabe-crab

Crepe-pan cake

Crevette- shrimp

Corquette-minced meat or vegetables, rolled cork-shaped , egg and bread crumbed and deep fried

Cuillere-spoon

Cuisseau de veau- veal leg

Crotons-cube of fried breads

Cresson-darne- thick slice of fish with the central bone left in it

Datte- date – a fruit

Deboucher-to open or uncork a bottle

Decanter-to pour liquid from one container to another leaving sediments behind

Degeuner- lunch

Demiglace- thin stock, flavoured and coloured, used as addition of brown sauce

Dessert- sweet/dessert

Dindon-turkey cock

Diner-dinner

Dorer-to brush with egg yolk before baking

Du jour-of the day-menu/dish

Eau-water

Ecailler-to scale fish

Echalotte-shallot

Enuncer-cut in thin slices

Entire-whole

Entremet-sweets/desserts

Enveloppe- envelope or wrapping

Epices-spices

Epulcher-to peel

Escalop-thin slices of meat, usually veal

Escargots-edible snails-a delicacy

Fade-tasteless

Farce- flour

Filet de boeuf-fillet of beef

Filet mignon- fillet from a sandal of lamb

Filtrer-filter – coffee etc

Flambé- flame with spirit or liqueur

Foie- liver

Foie gras- flattened liver of goose

Fond-bottom

Fond blance- basic white stock

Fond prun-basic brown stock

Four- oven

Fourchette- fork

Fraise- strawberry

Framboise- raspberry

Frit-fries

Fromage-cheese

Fume- smoked meat or fish

Garcon- waiter

Garner-to garnish, to decorate or accompany

Gateaux-sponge cake, iced and decorated

Gelee- jelly

Gourmet-one knowledgeable about food

Gouter- to taste

Gratin-dish topped with cheese and browned under the grill

Griller- to grill

Grillade-grill

Gueridon- a table used for service in the restaurant

Hache-to mince

Haricots- beans

Heure- hour

Homard- lobster

Hotelier- hotelier

Huile- oil

Huitre- oyster

Ingredient- ingredient

Jambon-ham

Jour-day

Jus-juice

Julienne-fine stripes of vegetables

Laitue- lattuce

Lapil-rabbit

Lard-bacon

Legume-vegetables

Lentille-lentil

Lievre-a game animal

Lilge-linen

Liqueur- a flavoured spirit

Mais-maize corn

Manger-to eat

Marmalade-orange jam

Marlite-cassarole

Maître d’hotel beurre- parsley butter

Medallion- round size of lobster or meat

Melanger- to mix

Melon-melon

Menthe- mint

Menu- menu

Meuniere- fried in butter

Mirepucu- roughly cut vegetables

Moudre-grinder or milk

Mousse- light sweet item bound eggwhite

Moutarde- mustard

Mouton- mutton

Muscade-nutmeg- a spice

Marjolaine- marjoram- a herb

Nappe- table cloth

Napper- to coat with sauce or aster

Nouilles- noodles

Noisette- small nut

Nom- name

oEuf- egg

oie- goose

oignon- onion

olive- olive

omlette- omellette

orange-orange

os- bone

oui- yes

paner- to add egg and bread crumbs before fry

pail- bread

panore- bread crumbs

panier- basket

parer- to trim or peel

pasta- pried paste- spaghetti, lasgna

passoire- strainer

pAStque- water melon

pade- paste

payanne-small slices of vegetables

patisserie- pastries

peche-peach

pelure-skin

persin- parsley a herb

pilas- rice cooked in oven

pince- tongs

piquant- spicy or sharp tasting

pistache-pistachio nut

plat de jour-dish of the day

pateau-tray

poission- fish

pomme-apple

pomme de terre-potato

pore-pork

porcelain-china crockery

pote-jug

potage-soup

poulet-chicken

presse citron- lemon press

queue-tail

radis-radish

repas-meal

riz-rice

rognon-kidney

roti-roast

rose-pink(off white)

salade-salad

sardine-a small fish

saumon-salmon

sauté-browened in fat,butter and oil

sel-salt

sole-a type of flat sea fish

suer-sweet cooked in pan without browning

sean- bucket

sec-dry-of wine

table-table

tapis-cloth or cover

tartare- mayonnaise based sauce-served with fried fish

tasse- cup

the-tea

tomate-tomato

tournedos-round fillet steak

vase a fluer- flowervase

verre-glass

viande-meat

vin-wine

zeste-zest-a yellow film of the rind of orange or lemon.







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