Classic Mixed Cut Technique

Macedoine

Q: What is the difference between macedoine and brunoise?

Macedoine: 5-8mm dice. Brunoise: 3mm dice. Macedoine is the larger, more visible cut that is served as a side dish or garnish. Brunoise is the fine cut for sauces and consomme garnish. Both follow the same four steps: trim, planks, batonnet/julienne, dice. (CIA Professional Chef, 9th ed., 2011)

Q: Do I need to blanch each vegetable separately?

Yes, mandatory. Each vegetable has a different cooking time: potato cooks in 4-5 minutes, green peas in 1-2 minutes. If you blanch them together, some will be overcooked and others undercooked. Blanch separately, shock separately, then combine. This is standard procedure per CIA Professional Chef (2011).

Q: How do I store macedoine de legumes?

Store blanched macedoine covered at a maximum of 4°C for a maximum of 24 hours. Store raw cut potato in cold water to prevent oxidation. Always label with production time per NVWA traceability requirements.

Q: What is macedoine de fruits used for?

Macedoine de fruits is seasonal fruit (strawberries, melons, kiwi, orange) cut into uniform pieces of 1-2cm, soaked in sugar syrup, lemon juice or liqueur. Served cold as a dessert or pre-dessert. Quality requirement: every piece exactly the same size for professional presentation. (Larousse Gastronomique, 2001)

Macedoine is a mixture of vegetables or fruit cut into uniform dice of 5-8mm. The name refers to the historical Macedonia, a kingdom with a diverse population, as a metaphor for the variety of ingredients in a macedoine dish. Documented by Auguste Escoffier in Le Guide Culinaire (1903) and standardised in CIA The Professional Chef (2011) as small dice.

5-8 mm standard macedoine size (Larousse Gastronomique, 2001)

1/4 in. CIA equivalent: small dice = 6mm = macedoine size (CIA, 2011)

4 vegetables classic macedoine de legumes: carrot, pea, green bean, potato (Escoffier)

uniform all pieces exactly the same size: this is the definition of macedoine

Requirements

Chef's knife 20-25 cm, sharpened Green cutting board (NVWA colour code: vegetables and fruit) Set square for 5mm calibration during training Firm vegetables with a rectangular structure: carrot, celeriac, potato

In brief

[DEFINITION] Macedoine

Macedoine is a cutting technique where vegetables or fruit are cut into uniform dice of 5-8mm on all sides. The technique follows the same four steps as brunoise: trimming (squaring off), planks (5-8mm thick), batonnet (5-8mm strips) and dice (transverse chopping into cubes). Macedoine of vegetables is served warm as a garnish. Macedoine of fruit (fruit cocktail) is served cold. Definition per Larousse Gastronomique (2001) and Auguste Escoffier, Le Guide Culinaire (Flammarion, 1903).

Macedoine de legumes (vegetable macedoine): classically this consists of carrot, green peas, green beans and potato in uniform 5-8mm dice. Served warm as a side dish or garnish with meat and fish preparations. Blanch everything evenly for uniform cooking. (Auguste Escoffier, Le Guide Culinaire, Flammarion, 1903)
Macedoine de fruits (fruit macedoine): seasonal fruit cut into uniform pieces, soaked in liqueur or sugar syrup. Difference from canned fruit cocktail: finer cut, quality fruit, professional presentation. (Larousse Gastronomique, 2001 edition)
Macedoine vs. small dice (CIA): CIA The Professional Chef (9th edition, 2011) defines small dice as 1/4 inch x 1/4 inch x 1/4 inch (approx. 6mm), which is equivalent to the French macedoine size. In the English-speaking kitchen context, small dice and macedoine are used interchangeably.
Uniformity is the core requirement: all pieces in a macedoine must be exactly the same size for even cooking and professional presentation. A macedoine with uneven pieces is by definition incorrect. (CIA Professional Chef, 2011)

Cutting macedoine: from vegetable to uniform dice

1

Peel and square off

Peel the vegetable. Cut all sides straight to create a perfect rectangular block. Save all trimmings for stock: these are free stock vegetables.

Use a carrot or celeriac as a practice product: rectangular, firm and easy to cut. Potato is good for macedoine but oxidises quickly: place in cold water immediately after cutting.
2

Cut planks of 5-8mm

Cut the rectangular block into uniform planks of 5-8mm thickness. Use the knuckle as a guide. Consistently the same thickness: this determines the final height of the dice.
3

Cut planks into batonnet strips

Stack 2-3 planks on top of each other. Cut again into 5-8mm strips (batonnet). You now have long rectangular sticks with a 5-8mm cross-section.

Batonnet of 5-8mm is the intermediate size between julienne (3mm) and large frites (10mm). Check the size by placing two batonnets next to each other: are they equal?
4

Chop transversely into dice

Chop the batonnets transversely at 5-8mm intervals. This produces the 5-8mm x 5-8mm x 5-8mm macedoine dice. Rhythmic chopping with the front part of the knife.

Result: uniform macedoine dice, ready for blanching, sauteing or serving cold.
5

Blanch for macedoine de legumes

Blanch each vegetable separately (they cook at different rates): carrot 3-4 min, green beans 3 min, potato 4-5 min, green peas 1-2 min. Shock immediately in an ice bath after blanching to preserve colour and texture.

HACCP: from >60°C to <7°C within 2 hours is mandatory (EU 852/2004). The ice bath brings blanched macedoine back to <4°C immediately.

Cutting size comparison: from brunoise to large dice

Name	Size	French equivalent	Application
Fine brunoise	1.5 mm	Brunoise fine	Consomme, fine sauces
Brunoise	3 mm	Brunoise	Mirepoix, vinaigrettes
Small dice	6 mm	Macedoine	Soups, side dishes, garnish
Medium dice	12 mm	Macedoine grof	Roasted vegetables, stews
Large dice	20 mm	/	Coarse stews, casseroles

Sources: CIA The Professional Chef, 9th ed. (Wiley, 2011); Larousse Gastronomique (2001); Auguste Escoffier, Le Guide Culinaire (1903)

Food cost: macedoine and trimming loss

Calculate trimming loss: carrot loses 15-20% of its weight when trimming and squaring off. Potato 20-25%. Celeriac 30-35% due to its irregular exterior. Always factor this loss into the food cost calculation: 1kg of purchased carrot yields approximately 800-850g of usable macedoine.
Trimmings to stock: all rectangular trimming off-cuts from carrot, celeriac and potato go into stock, soups or puree. Nothing is wasted: the kitchen economy of professional mise en place.
Factor in labour time: cutting 1kg of carrot macedoine takes an experienced cook 20-25 minutes. Calculate for recipes: if macedoine features as a garnish on 80 covers, this represents 2.5kg of carrot = 50-60 minutes of labour cost. Consider small kitchen machines with a macedoine attachment for daily volumes.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between macedoine and brunoise?

Macedoine: 5-8mm dice. Brunoise: 3mm dice. Macedoine is the larger, more visible cut that is served as a side dish or garnish. Brunoise is the fine cut for sauces and consomme garnish. Both follow the same four steps: trim, planks, batonnet/julienne, dice. (CIA Professional Chef, 9th ed., 2011)

Do I need to blanch each vegetable separately?

Yes, mandatory. Each vegetable has a different cooking time: potato cooks in 4-5 minutes, green peas in 1-2 minutes. If you blanch them together, some will be overcooked and others undercooked. Blanch separately, shock separately, then combine. This is standard procedure per CIA Professional Chef (2011).

How do I store macedoine de legumes?

Store blanched macedoine covered at a maximum of 4°C for a maximum of 24 hours. Store raw cut potato in cold water to prevent oxidation. Always label with production time per NVWA traceability requirements.

What is macedoine de fruits used for?

Macedoine de fruits is seasonal fruit (strawberries, melons, kiwi, orange) cut into uniform pieces of 1-2cm, soaked in sugar syrup, lemon juice or liqueur. Served cold as a dessert or pre-dessert. Quality requirement: every piece exactly the same size for professional presentation. (Larousse Gastronomique, 2001)

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Applying the techniques described requires professional expertise and training. KitchenNmbrs is not liable for damage, injury, illness or loss resulting from the application of information from this website without adequate professional guidance or verification. Every kitchen, every product and every environment is different: always apply your own professional judgement.

Food safety & HACCP

The HACCP guidelines, temperatures and storage advice on this page are based on Codex Alimentarius (WHO/FAO) as the global baseline standard and EU Regulation 852/2004. Local laws and regulations may differ. Always consult your national food safety authority for the applicable standards in your region:

Netherlands: NVWA (nvwa.nl)
Belgium: FAVV (favv-afsca.be)
Germany: BfR (bfr.bund.de)
United Kingdom: FSA (food.gov.uk)
United States: FDA (fda.gov) — FDA Food Code
EU general: EU Regulation (EC) 852/2004 on food hygiene
International: Codex Alimentarius CAC/RCP 1-1969 (revised 2020)

Allergens & dietary information

Allergen information is indicative. When in doubt about allergens in preparations, always contact the supplier or a certified allergological adviser. KitchenNmbrs accepts no liability for allergic reactions or diet-related harm.

Copyright & sources

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Sources and legal information

Auguste Escoffier — Le Guide Culinaire (Flammarion, 1903/2011) — macedoine de legumes and de fruits
CIA (Culinary Institute of America) — The Professional Chef, 9th edition (Wiley, 2011) — small dice as macedoine
Larousse Gastronomique (Larousse, 2001) — macedoine definition and applications
Jacques Pepin — La Technique (Pocket Books, 1976/2012) — cutting sizes and cube cut methods
NVWA — Storage guidelines for cut vegetables (2022)

Macedoine

In brief

Cutting macedoine: from vegetable to uniform dice

Peel and square off

Cut planks of 5-8mm

Cut planks into batonnet strips

Chop transversely into dice

Blanch for macedoine de legumes