Sous Chef: 24 Hours on the Line (25 page)

garnish
any item that decorates or accompanies the central component of a given dish

gavage
the administration of food or drugs by force, esp. to an animal, typically through a tube leading down the throat to the stomach

gelatin
a virtually colorless and tasteless substance derived from collagen, the introduction of which allows a liquid to take on the properties of a solid at room temperature

girolle
the French term for
chanterelle

glace
(as noun) a sauce that has been reduced to a thick, shiny consistency; (as verb, glacé) to coat a foodstuff with such a sauce

Griswold
brand name of a now-defunct maker of iron cookware that has been adopted in the common vernacular to refer to cast-iron or black steel pans

guanciale
unsmoked Umbrian salumi made from salted and spiced pig jowl

Gyutou
a general-purpose Japanese chef knife with a wide blade ranging from eight to twelve inches in length

HACCP
(Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points) a food safety program in which a victualer tracks the entire life span (receipt, storage, preparation, service, etc.) of a given product in order to identify all points at which said product may be subject to bacterial contamination or proliferation; in the state of New York, approved HACCP programs are mandatory for any victualer wishing to practice ROP

half pan
see
hotel pan

hanger steak
a small flap of belly-side cow meat, known for an intense beef flavor, said to hang from the cow’s diaphragm; also known as butcher’s steak, as it is the most flavorful cut, which butchers would often keep for themselves

hollandaise
a creamy emulsion of egg yolks and clarified butter often seasoned with salt, acid, and mustard; one of the five mother sauces, from which all other sauces are said to derive

Honesuki
a triangular Japanese poultry boning knife

hood
an exhaust system positioned above cooking apparatuses, which sucks hot air, steam, and smoke out of the kitchen

hors d’oeuvre
a small savory dish served in advance of a meal

hotel pan
(third/sixth/ninth/half) a vessel of thin-gauge stainless steel, which, owing to the metal’s conductivity, is ideal for storing prepared food at a particular temperature, either warm or hot depending on the application; most refrigeration units, hot tables, chafing racks, and shelves are designed around the standard dimensions of the variously sized hotel pans

houndstooth pants
(pl.) black-and-white-checked pants considered standard attire for professional cooks, preferred because of the pattern’s ability to conceal stains; while houndstooth checks are standard for cooks, most chefs work in black trousers

induction burner
any stove system that heats cooking vessels by way of electromagnetic induction, as opposed to the heat transfer method of open flame or heat coil cooking. Induction burners are sometimes preferred because they are energy efficient and because of their ability to heat a cooking vessel to a more controlled temperature, though gas ranges are considered much sexier; the major drawback to induction is that the cooking vessel must be ferromagnetic, i.e. iron or stainless steel, as induction burners will not work on aluminum (this, however, is only a minor drawback, because virtually nobody in serious kitchens uses aluminum cookware)

jackfruit
the large edible fruit of the tropical tree
Artocarpus heterophyllus
, common in Indian and Southeast Asian cuisine; the
ripe fruit is quite sweet, often used in desserts, whereas the unripe fruit, usually braised or stewed, is often used by vegetarians as a substitute for meat in Thai cooking

jus
a stock or bouillon that has been reduced to sauce consistency

knife kit
a cook’s collection of work tools including knives and other instruments

Kumamoto
(
Crassostrea sikamea
) a small Japanese oyster characterized by a deep, almost bowl-shaped shell festooned with flutes, knobs, and points; owing to their slow growth rate and remarkable sweetness, Kumamotos are highly prized, often fetching high prices and warranting strict rules of nomenclature

legume
any plant of the pea family (
Leguminosae
); also, the fruit or seed of such a plant

Lexan
a transparent plastic (polycarbonate) of high impact strength, originally used for cockpit canopies, bulletproof screens, etc., adopted as a suitable material for food storage containers because of its durability; also, a container made of this material

line
the part of a professional kitchen where food is prepared during service

liquor
liquid in which something has been steeped or cooked; liquid that drains from food during cooking;
see also
caisson

LOI
(Last Order In) in a state of service when all guest orders have been delivered to the kitchen: “Is that it for the night, Chef?” “Yes, we are LOI.”

lowboy
a long, squat refrigeration unit, approximately three feet in height, which doubles as a tabletop surface

lychee
a small rounded fruit with sweet white scented flesh, a large central stone, and a thin rough skin (also called lychee nut when dried); also, the Chinese tree that bears this fruit (
Nephelium litchi
)

mafalde
a fringed, ribbon-shaped pasta that can be described as some midpoint between fettuccini and lasagna sheets

Maillard reaction
a form of nonenzymatic browning, resulting from a chemical reaction between an amino acid and a reducing sugar, usually requiring heat and often yielding hundreds of different flavor and aroma compounds; the process differs from caramelization in that it requires the presence of amino acids (examples of the Maillard reaction include the coloration of toasted bread, fried potatoes, and roasted meats)

mandoline
a device consisting of a flat frame with adjustable cutting blades for slicing vegetables

marbled
(adj., of meat) marked by a noticeable lacework of fat; since fat imparts flavor, the more marbled a piece of meat, the better

meal period
a shift of service, e.g. breakfast, lunch, brunch, dinner, or late night

meat glue
see
transglutaminase

Metro rack
brand name of a type of wire shelving, which has been adopted in the common vernacular to describe any shelving of this sort

Michelin Guide
(
Le Guide Michelin
, specifically the red book) a French hotel and restaurant guidebook that reviews and rates restaurants on a three-star scale; Michelin stars are the most coveted honor in the global restaurant arena, often the source of culinary nervous breakdowns and mania

Microplane
brand name of a fine metal grater used to zest citrus fruits, or to shave hard cheeses, spices, truffles, or other such items over food, which has been adopted in the common vernacular to describe any grater of this sort

mise en place
the activity of preparing and collecting ingredients
in advance of service; also, the items produced by this activity

mousse
any preparation that incorporates air bubbles to give it a light, frothy texture

MR/M/MW
(of doneness) medium rare, i.e. having an internal temperature of approximately 130°–135°F; medium, i.e. having an internal temperature of approximately 140°–145°F; medium well, i.e. having an internal temperature of approximately 150°–155°F

noisette d’agneau
a small round piece of lamb meat

ninth pan
see
hotel pan

oui
French for “yes”

oven
an enclosed insulated chamber in which ambient heat (i.e. hot air) is used to cook food;
compare
stove

Pakkawood
a solid material consisting of layered hardwood veneers that have been impregnated with phenolic thermosetting resins to prevent moisture retention; Pakkawood is ideal for knife handles as it has the desirable look and feel of wood and the durability and hygienic properties of synthetic materials

par
the expected or necessary quantity of a given foodstuff kept or prepared regularly in a kitchen

paring knife
a small knife used mainly for peeling fruits and vegetables

pass
(as noun) the area of the kitchen where food is plated or finalized and transferred to the custody of the waitstaff; (as verb) to press or strain through a fine strainer or sieve

patina
a gray gloss or sheen that develops on a high-carbon knife, produced by age and polishing

pavé
a rectilinear cut of meat or fish, so named because its size and shape resemble a paving stone

Pedro Ximenez
a white grape grown in certain regions of
Spain, used to make a dark, rich sherry wine of the same name; a sweet vinegar produced from such a sherry, often aged in oak casks to a syrupy consistency

Peltex
a slotted metal spatula designed for turning fish, the name of which is borrowed from Nogent Peltex, a brand name line of such spatulas

Petty
a small, thin knife of five to six inches designed for small detail work

piano
the surface area of the stove anterior to the heating surface, so named for its resemblance in size and shape to the keyboard of a piano; pans and drop trays are often placed on the piano to keep their contents warm without delivering direct heat to the food

Piave
an Italian cow’s milk cheese from the Piave River valley; depending on its age, the color ranges from off-white to yellow, and the mouth feel ranges from mild and bouncy like a young Pecorino to hard and pungent like Parmigiano Reggiano

pickup
a group of guest orders to be prepared simultaneously; the act of preparing such a group

pimentón dulce
sweet smoked paprika from Spain

piquillo
a small, sweet red chili (with a negligible ranking on the Scoville scale), native to northern Spain

plancha
a steel plate (usually attached to the stove as part of a cooking suite) on which food is seared directly

plat du jour
a special of the day

pluche
a sprig or leaf of a given herb

PPX
(
personne particulièrement extraordinaire
) an important guest, a VIP

poissonnier
a fish cook

pommes fondant
a dish of potatoes cooked in stock (usually animal-based) and butter

pommes purees
smooth mashed potatoes

pope’s nose
the fatty piece of meat on a chicken rump that holds the tail feathers

POS
(Point of Sale) the computing system through which an FOH staff member distributes relevant information regarding guest requests to necessary parties (e.g. kitchen and bar), from which guest checks and receipts are produced, and in which financial records and business figures are stored and calculated

prawn
a marine crustacean (Leander and other genera, class Malacostraca) that resembles a large shrimp

prep
(as noun) the work that is done in advance of service; (as verb) to engage in such work

primal
(in butchery) of the initial group of sections, cuts, or quarters separated by the butcher in meat fabrication

proofing box
a chamber or cabinet, sometimes heated by an outside power source, designed to store bread doughs while yeast activates; proofing boxes are also often used to house prepared foods meant to be kept warm throughout catering services, and for large format dehydration projects, such as tomato confit

puree
the smooth, creamy substance made when a solid is liquidized mechanically

push
an especially busy duration of time throughout service or prep

quenelle
(as noun) an oblong, rounded, or three-sided scoop of food, usually a puree, resembling a football; (as verb) to create such a shape with a spoon

range
a cooking apparatus consisting of one or more oven (q.v.) components and one or more stove (q.v.) components

ramp
a wild onion native to the Appalachian region of the United States known for a mild yet robust flavor

reduce
to increase the viscosity of a liquid by the administration of heat

rethermalize
to reintroduce heat after an initial cooking process

risotto
an Italian dish of rice (usually arborio) cooked slowly with stock and butter

roast
(as verb) to cook slowly using ambient heat, as in an oven; (as noun) any food prepared in this way

roe
the mass of eggs contained in the ovaries of a fish

rocket
alternative name for arugula, a peppery Mediterranean leaf plant of the cabbage family eaten raw or wilted

romesco
a Catalonian sauce made from nuts and red peppers; there are myriad recipes for romesco containing any or all of the following ingredients: pine nuts, hazelnuts, almonds (chiefly Marconas), piquillo peppers, roasted tomato, raw garlic, roasted garlic, parsley leaves, chili flake, sherry vinegar, bread crust, egg, anchovy, and chocolate