1.
A la carte: Menu items priced
individually.
- Example: The restaurant offered an a la
carte menu where Ifeoma chose her favourite dishes.
2.
Bain-marie: A container of hot water
used to keep food warm.
- Example: Chinedu kept the soup warm in
a bain-marie until it was time to serve.
3.
Bakery: A place where bread and
pastries are made and sold.
- Example: Amara works at a bakery and
loves making fresh bread every morning.
4.
Blanch: To briefly boil food and then
plunge it into cold water.
- Example: Kemi blanched the vegetables
before adding them to the salad.
5.
Brunch: A meal eaten between breakfast
and lunch.
- Example: On Saturdays, Tunde enjoys
brunch with his family at their favourite café.
6.
Buffet: A meal where guests serve
themselves from a variety of dishes.
- Example: The wedding had a buffet with
a wide selection of Nigerian dishes.
7.
Cafeteria: A place where people can
select and pay for food items.
- Example: The school cafeteria offers
different types of jollof rice and beans.
8.
Caramelise: To cook sugar until it
becomes a brown syrup.
- Example: Ezinne caramelised the onions
for her special stew.
9.
Catering: The business of providing
food services for events.
- Example: Ade's Catering Services is
known for its delicious and well-presented meals.
10. Che:
A professional cook, typically the chief cook in a restaurant or hotel.
- Example: Chef Uche prepared an
exquisite three-course meal for the banquet.
11. Confectionery:
Sweets and chocolates.
- Example: The confectionery shop near
Funke's house sells the best chocolates in town.
12. Consommé:
A clear soup made from richly flavoured stock.
- Example: Ada made a chicken consommé as
a starter for her dinner party.
13. Culinary:
Related to cooking or the kitchen.
- Example: Kunle enrolled in a culinary
school to become a professional chef.
14. Cutlery:
Utensils used for eating, such as knives, forks, and spoons.
- Example: The table was set with elegant
cutlery for the festive dinner.
15. Decoction:
A concentrated liquid made by boiling plant material.
- Example: Grandma made a decoction of
ginger and herbs to treat Chidi's cold.
16. Dessert:
The sweet course eaten at the end of a meal.
- Example: Ngozi's favourite dessert is
coconut cake.
17. Dough:
A mixture of flour, water, and other ingredients used for baking.
- Example: Yusuf kneaded the dough until
it was smooth and ready to bake.
18. Entrée:
The main course of a meal.
- Example: The entrée for the evening was
grilled fish with a side of fried plantains.
19. Fermentation:
The process of converting carbohydrates to alcohol or acids using
microorganisms.
- Example: Femi is learning about the
fermentation process in his food science class.
20. Fondant:
A thick paste made of sugar and water used for icing cakes.
- Example: Tope covered the birthday cake
with a layer of fondant.
21. Gastronomy:
The practice or art of choosing, cooking, and eating good food.
- Example: Sade's interest in gastronomy
led her to try new recipes from different cultures.
22. Gourmet:
Food of high quality and flavour.
- Example: The gourmet restaurant in
Lagos is famous for its innovative dishes.
23. Hors
d'oeuvres: Small dishes served before the main course.
- Example: The guests enjoyed a variety
of hors d'oeuvres, including mini meat pies and spring rolls.
24. Infusion:
The process of steeping something in liquid to extract flavours.
- Example: Musa made an infusion of lemon
and mint for a refreshing drink.
25. Knead:
To work dough with your hands to make it smooth and elastic.
- Example: Aisha enjoyed kneading the
dough for her homemade bread.
26. Larder:
A cool area for storing food.
- Example: The old house had a large
larder filled with jars of preserved fruits and vegetables.
27. Marinate:
To soak food in a mixture to add flavour and tenderise it.
- Example: Jide marinated the chicken
overnight with spices and herbs.
28. Mise
en place: The preparation and arrangement of ingredients before
cooking.
- Example: Before starting to cook, Mary
ensured all her mise en place was ready.
29. Pastry:
Dough made from flour, fat, and water, used as a base for baked goods.
- Example: Bukola made delicious meat
pies with flaky pastry.
30. Pâtissier:
A pastry chef.
- Example: The pâtissier at the hotel
created beautiful and tasty desserts.
31. Plating:
The arrangement and presentation of food on a plate.
- Example: The chef's plating skills made
the dishes look as good as they tasted.
32. Poach:
To cook food gently in simmering liquid.
- Example: Efe poached the eggs perfectly
for breakfast.
33. Provenance:
The place of origin of food or ingredients.
- Example: The menu highlighted the
provenance of the local ingredients used in the dishes.
34. Purée:
Food that has been blended or mashed to a smooth consistency.
- Example: The chef served a side of
vegetable purée with the roasted chicken.
35. Recipe:
A set of instructions for preparing a particular dish.
- Example: Ayo followed his grandmother's
recipe to make delicious akara.
36. Roast:
To cook food, especially meat, in an oven or over a fire.
- Example: Kola roasted the yam until it
was golden brown.
37. Salad:
A dish consisting of mixed vegetables or fruits, often served with a dressing.
- Example: For lunch, Chioma made a fresh
salad with tomatoes, cucumbers, and onions.
38. Sauté:
To cook food quickly in a small amount of oil or butter.
- Example: She sautéed the mushrooms with
garlic and herbs.
39. Simmer:
To cook food gently in liquid just below boiling.
- Example: The stew simmered on the
stove, filling the kitchen with a delicious aroma.
40. Sous
chef: The second in command in a kitchen, assisting the head chef.
- Example: The sous chef ensured that all
the dishes were prepared to perfection.
41. Stock:
A flavoured liquid made by simmering bones, meat, or vegetables.
- Example: Bisi used chicken stock as the
base for her jollof rice.
42. Table
d'hôte: A menu offering a complete meal at a fixed price.
- Example: The restaurant's table d'hôte
menu included a starter, main course, and dessert.
43. Tempering:
The process of slowly combining hot and cold ingredients to prevent curdling.
- Example: When making custard, Daniel
tempered the eggs with hot milk.
44. Terrine:
A pâté or similar dish cooked in a terrine (a deep ceramic dish).
- Example: The terrine was filled with
layers of meat and vegetables.
45. Umami:
A savoury taste considered one of the five basic tastes.
- Example: Adding soy sauce to the soup
enhanced its umami flavour.
46. Vegan:
A person who does not eat or use animal products.
- Example: The restaurant offered a
variety of vegan options, including tofu and vegetable stir-fry.
47. Vinaigrette:
A dressing made from oil and vinegar, often used for salads.
- Example: The fresh greens were tossed
with a tangy vinaigrette.
48. Whisk:
To beat or stir with a light, rapid movement.
- Example: Fatima whisked the eggs until
they were light and fluffy.
49. Yeast:
A fungus used in baking and brewing to make dough rise and ferment liquids.
- Example: Bimbo added yeast to the dough
to make it
- Example:
Olabisi grated lemon zest into the cake batter to give it a refreshing
flavour.