KITCHENSYNC GLOSSARY
General Restaurant Terms
Back of House (BOH) – The area of a restaurant where food is prepared and cooked, typically out of view of customers. Includes the kitchen, dishwashing area, and storage.
Front of House (FOH) – The part of the restaurant that is open to the public, such as the dining room, bar, and waiting area. Staff members like hosts, servers, and bartenders work in this area.
Chef de Cuisine – The head chef responsible for overall kitchen operations, including menu development, food preparation, and staff management.
Sous Chef – The second-in-command in the kitchen, responsible for assisting the head chef and overseeing the kitchen staff.
Line Cook – A cook responsible for preparing specific dishes or sections of the menu, such as grill, sauté, or pastry.
Expeditor (Expo) – A person, usually in BOH, who coordinates the flow of dishes from the kitchen to the FOH, ensuring the food is plated properly and goes out in a timely manner.
Mise en Place – A French term meaning "everything in its place." It refers to the setup required before cooking, including preparing ingredients and organizing equipment.
86’d – A term used when a menu item is out of stock or unavailable for the rest of the service.
POS System – Point-of-Sale system; the software and hardware used to take orders, track sales, and manage payments in a restaurant.
Walk-In – A large refrigerated room where ingredients and perishable items are stored.
Beverage Terms
Sommelier – A trained wine expert who assists guests in selecting wines that complement their meals.
Corkage Fee – A charge added when customers bring their own bottle of wine to a restaurant.
Barback – A staff member who assists bartenders by restocking supplies, cleaning, and preparing garnishes.
Well Drink – A mixed drink made with the cheapest available liquor (from the “well”).
Craft Cocktail – A cocktail made with fresh ingredients, high-quality spirits, and often unique or artisanal preparation methods.
Customer Service
Upselling – A technique where servers encourage customers to purchase more expensive items, add-ons, or additional drinks or sides.
Comp – Short for "complimentary." A dish or drink provided at no charge, often as a goodwill gesture.
Firing – When a server tells the kitchen to begin cooking a guest’s dish, often after appetizers have been served or when the guest is ready.
In the Weeds – A term used to describe when a server or cook is overwhelmed with too many orders or tasks at once.
Restaurant Management & Financial Terms
Accrual – An accounting method where income and expenses are recorded when they are earned or incurred, not when cash is exchanged. This helps match revenues with related expenses, giving a clearer view of financial performance.
Prime Cost – The sum of a restaurant’s labor costs and cost of goods sold (COGS). This is a key metric for evaluating profitability.
Overhead – The ongoing expenses required to run a restaurant, such as rent, utilities, and payroll.
Food Cost Percentage – A percentage that indicates the ratio of a restaurant’s food costs to its revenue. Typically calculated as (Cost of Ingredients / Sales) * 100.
Turnover Rate – A measure of employee retention, indicating how often staff leave and need to be replaced.
PPA (Per Person Average) – The average amount of money spent by each guest during their visit, often used as a key performance metric.
Types of Service
À la Carte – A menu format where each item is priced and ordered separately rather than as part of a set meal.
Prix Fixe – A fixed-price menu offering a multi-course meal for a set price.
Tasting Menu – A curated menu offering small portions of multiple dishes, designed to showcase the chef’s specialties or seasonal ingredients.
Family Style – A service style where large portions of food are served to be shared among diners at the table.
Turnover – The process of seating a new set of guests at a table after the previous diners have finished and left
Kitchen and Cooking
Brigade System – A hierarchy in the kitchen, developed by French chef Auguste Escoffier, which assigns specific tasks to individual chefs (e.g., saucier for sauces, pâtissier for desserts).
Deglaze – The process of adding liquid to a pan to release browned bits of food (fond), usually to make a sauce.
Julienne – A knife cut technique used to cut ingredients into thin, matchstick-like strips.
Sous Vide – A method of cooking food in a vacuum-sealed bag submerged in temperature-controlled water for precise, even cooking.
Temping – Checking the internal temperature of food, typically meat, to ensure it’s cooked to the correct doneness.