We provide you with some of the common terms you’ll come across in your budding culinary career.

If you’re considering a career in the culinary arts, you probably think you know your way around a kitchen. You’re sure to have a decent oven, some quality pots and pans and maybe a few fancy kitchen utensils. You’ll hopefully be able to tell a peanut from an almond, but you probably do not have anything like the equipment and ingredients you’ll find in a professional kitchen.

Aside from these crucial elements, you’ll be dealing with a range of professionals who all go by their own unique job titles and work in their own specialised areas. Here we provide you with just a few of the common terms you’ll come across in your budding culinary career…

First off, there are the professionals you’ll encounter. Among those you need to be familiar with are:

1.       maître d’hôtel

A maître d’hôtel, or maître d’, is in charge of assigning people to their tables in a restaurant, training and managing the waiters, and working as a liaison between the front of the house and the kitchen.

2.       sommeliers

Sommeliers are wine experts, and their sole duty is to ensure great wine is available, offered and served perfectly to guests.

3.       sous chef

The sous chef is the second-in-command to the head chef and assists him or her to run the kitchen smoothly.

4.       cover

And ‘cover’ is used to refer to the guests or customers.

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You’ll also need to be familiar with the various areas in which you will work. Most restaurants are informally divided into two sections:

5.       front of house

The front of house consists of the dining room or area the customers are served and the waiters work,

6.       back of house

The back of house includes the kitchen and storage areas where the chefs work.

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Add to this an endless list of basic culinary terms and and you have much to memorise! You probably know your simmer from your sear, but you should be able to identify these cooking terms too:

7.       al forno

This is an Italian term to describe a dish that is "oven baked" or "oven roasted”,

8.       braising

Braising is the method where foods are browned in butter, then cooked in a covered pot at low heat for a long period of time.

9.       demi-glace

A demi-glace is a rich brown sauce made from reduced meat stock that is used to make classic velvety textured sauces.

10.   amuse-bouche 

An amuse-bouche is a French term that literally means "mouth amusement." Served before the main meal, they're smaller than appetizers and tend to be quite creative.

Had enough for now? Take it slow, read plenty of cook books and visit Careers24 Hospitality for more great tips. Soon enough you’ll be proficient in the lingo too. 

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Job description: Learn about becoming a chef