Term | Pronunciation | Definition | Context/Example |
Bain-marie | ban mah-ree | A water bath unit used for gentle heating or holding sauces and delicate items at a temperature. | "Keep the hollandaise warm in the bain-marie." |
Blast chiller | blast chil-er | Rapid cooling equipment that quickly reduces food temperature to safe storage levels | "Blast chill the cooked chicken before storing." |
Broiler | broyl-er | An overhead or under-fired high-heat cooking unit used for grilling and finishing dishes | "Flash the gratin under the broiler for a golden crust." |
Calibration | kal-ih-bray-shun | The process of adjusting equipment to ensure accurate and consistent readings | "Calibrate all thermometers at the start of every week." |
Cambro | kam-broh | A large food-grade plastic storage container used for bulk storage of prepped ingredients | "Store the stock in a labelled Cambro in the walk-in." |
Charbroiler | char-broyl-er | An open-flame grill is used to cook and mark proteins and vegetables with charred grill lines | "Mark the steaks on the charbroiler before finishing in the oven." |
Combi oven | kom-bee uhv-en | A combination convection and steam oven capable of multiple cooking modes | "Use the combi oven for moist, even cooking of large proteins." |
Convection oven | kon-vek-shun uhv-en | An oven with a fan that circulates hot air for faster, more even cooking | "A convection oven cooks more evenly and faster than a standard oven." |
Cutting board | kuht-ing bord | A colour-coded surface used for all knife work and food preparation | "Use the red cutting board for raw meat only — never cross-use." |
Deep fryer | deep fry-er | An oil-heated cooking vessel used to fully submerge and fry food items | "Filter the deep fryer oil daily to maintain quality and safety." |
Dish machine | dish mah-sheen | An automated commercial dishwasher is used to sanitise crockery, glassware, and utensils | "Run the dish machine cycle every 2 hours during service." |
Dough sheeter | doh sheet-er | A motorised machine used to roll and flatten dough to a uniform thickness | "Run the pasta dough through the sheeter twice before cutting." |
Equipment log | ih-kwip-ment lawg | A written record of all equipment checks, faults, maintenance, and repairs | "Update the equipment log every time a fault is reported." |
Fire suppression system | fyr suh-presh-un sis-tem | An automatic system installed above cooking equipment that activates to extinguish kitchen fires | "Test the fire suppression system as part of monthly safety checks." |
Food processor | food proh-ses-or | An electric machine used for chopping, slicing, mixing, and pureeing ingredients | "Dice the onions in the food processor to save time during prep." |
Griddle | grid-uhl | A flat, smooth cooking surface used for pancakes, eggs, sandwiches, and similar items | "Cook the pancakes on the griddle — keep it at 180°C / 350°F." |
Hand sink | hand sink | A dedicated handwashing-only sink that must not be used for food preparation or washing equipment | "Use only the hand sink for handwashing — never the prep sink." |
Heat lamp | heet lamp | An overhead infrared warming device used to keep plated food at a temperature on the pass | "Don't let food sit under the heat lamp for more than 10 minutes." |
Hotel pan | hoh-tel pan | A standard rectangular stainless steel pan used for cooking, holding, and storing food | "Fill a full hotel pan with the braised short ribs for service." |
Immersion blender | ih-mer-shun blen-der | A handheld electric blending tool used directly in pots and containers | "Use the immersion blender to purée the soup directly in the pot." |
Induction cooktop | in-duhk-shun kook-top | A cooking surface that uses magnetic energy to heat compatible cookware directly | "The induction cooktop heats quickly and is easy to clean." |
Kettle | ket-uhl | A large steam-jacketed cooking vessel used for soups, stocks, and sauces in high volume | "Start the veal stock in the steam kettle this morning." |
Lowboy | loh-boy | An under-counter refrigeration unit positioned on the line for quick-access cold storage | "Restock the lowboy with proteins at the start of every shift." |
Mandoline | man-doh-leen | A flat-blade manual slicing tool used to produce paper-thin, uniform cuts | "Use the mandoline for the fennel — and always use the guard." |
Meat slicer | meet sly-ser | An electric machine with a rotating blade is used to slice cooked meats and deli items uniformly | "Slice the prosciutto on the meat slicer — set to 1mm." |
Plancha | plahn-chah | A flat iron griddle cooking surface used for high-heat searing and char | "Sear the vegetables on the plancha for service." |
Prep sink | prep sink | A designated sink used exclusively for washing and rinsing food and produce | "Wash all produce in the prep sink before prep begins." |
Preventive maintenance | preh-ven-tiv mayn-teh-nens | A scheduled programme of regular equipment inspection and upkeep to prevent breakdowns | "Schedule preventive maintenance on all major equipment monthly." |
Reach-in | reech-in | A standard upright refrigerator or freezer unit used for accessible cold storage on the line | "Check the reach-in for more butter before starting service." |
Salamander | sal-ah-man-der | A high-powered overhead broiler used for glazing, browning, and finishing dishes | "Flash the gratin under the salamander for a golden top." |
Sheet pan | sheet pan | A standard flat metal baking tray used for roasting, baking, and general prep work | "Line the sheet pan with parchment paper before roasting." |
Slicer guard | sly-ser gard | A safety attachment on a meat slicer that protects hands during operation | "Always fit the slicer guard before operating the meat slicer." |
Sous vide circulator | soo veed ser-kyoo-lay-ter | An immersion device that heats and circulates water to a precise temperature for sous vide cooking | "Set the sous vide circulator to 54°C for the striploin." |
Speed rack | speed rak | A wheeled wire rack used to store and transport sheet pans and trays throughout the kitchen | "Load the sheet pans onto the speed rack before moving to the oven." |
Stand mixer | stand miks-er | A large countertop electric mixer with multiple attachments used for dough, batters, and more | "Mix the brioche dough in the stand mixer for 12 minutes." |
Steam table | steem tay-buhl | A hot-water-heated holding unit used to keep prepared food at serving temperature during service | "Keep the vegetables warm in the steam table throughout service." |
Thermometer | ther-mom-eh-ter | A probe tool is used to measure the internal temperature of food to ensure safe cooking and storage | "Always probe with a thermometer before serving any protein." |
Tilting skillet | til-ting skil-it | A large, flat-bottomed electric braising pan that tilts for easy pouring and emptying | "Use the tilting skillet for braising large batches of short ribs." |
Ventilation hood | ven-tih-lay-shun hood | The overhead extraction system above the cooking equipment that removes smoke, steam, and heat | "Clean the ventilation hood filters weekly to prevent grease build-up." |
Walk-in | wawk-in | A large walk-in refrigerator or freezer used for bulk cold and frozen storage | "Stock all fresh produce in the walk-in immediately upon delivery." |
Work order | wurk or-der | A formal written request submitted to management or maintenance for equipment repair | "Submit a work order for the broken mixer before the end of the shift." |