Mise en Place
The fundamental working method of every professional kitchen. 7 principles, 12 steps, HACCP guidelines.
Stock Making
Veal stock, chicken stock, fish stock: the foundation of every professional sauce. 4 types, 12 steps, HACCP cooling protocol and stock ladder.
Sous Vide
Vacuum cooking at exact temperatures. Pasteurisation matrix, time tables, HACCP protocol and the science behind more tender meat.
Blanching
Retain colour, perfect texture, preserve nutrients. The technique of blanching and shocking.
Beurre Blanc
The classic butter sauce from the Loire valley. Emulsion, temperature, consistency and common mistakes.
Confit
Cooking in own fat at low temperature. Confit de canard, garlic confit and HACCP storage times.
Maillard Reaction
The science behind browning and flavour. Temperatures, acrylamide, yield and HACCP safety for the professional kitchen.
Emulsifying
Hollandaise, bearnaise, mayonnaise. The science of emulsions, HACCP safety with egg yolk and cost savings versus ready-made.
Smoking
Cold smoking versus hot smoking. Wood types, core temperatures, HACCP risks (listeria, PAHs) and food cost transformation of cheap cuts.
Carpaccio
Serving raw meat and fish safely. EU 853/2004 freezing protocol, anisakis prevention, HACCP safety limits and sauce preparation.
Pan Frying
Sauteing, breading, deep frying: the three pillars of professional frying. Maillard at 140C, acrylamide risk above 175C and smoke points of 8 cooking oils.
Fermentation
Lacto-fermentation, koji and kombucha for the professional kitchen. pH limit 4.6, salt percentages, HACCP safety and food cost transformation.
Wok Cooking
Wok hei at 350-400C: the stir-fry technique behind the characteristic smoky aroma. Smoke points of cooking oils, HACCP core temperatures and ingredient order in the stir-fry.
Brunoise
The precision cut of 3x3x3 mm: four steps from pairing to cube. Classic sizes (Escoffier 1903, CIA 2011), colour code system and application in mirepoix and consomme.
Roasting
High-start versus low-and-slow: the two methods for perfectly roasted meat. Core temperatures USDA FSIS 2023, resting times and cooling protocol for the professional kitchen.
Braising
Collagen to gelatine above 70C: the science behind tender braised meat. CIA ideal temperature 85-95C, Maillard first, acid accelerates breakdown and cooling protocol.
Steaming
Vitamin C retention 85-90% versus 50-60% when boiling in water (WHO/FAO). Atmospheric 100C versus steam oven 120C, Legionella protocol and core temperatures.
Julienne
Fine strips of 3x3x60 mm: the precision cut for fast cooking times. Escoffier 1903, CIA sizes, Pepin knuckle guidance and mandoline safety (73% cut injuries).
Simmering
85C versus 100C: the temperature difference that determines whether meat becomes butter-soft or stringy. Collagen to gelatine, skimming technique, HACCP cooling protocol and Clostridium perfringens risk.
Poaching
Protein coagulates at 62-65C, yolk at 68-70C: the 6 degrees that determine everything. Poached eggs, fish and chicken at the right temperature, court-bouillon, anisakis protocol and core temperatures.
Deep Frying
Higher temperature, less fat absorption: the steam barrier explained. Maillard from 140C, acrylamide above 175C, oil smoke points, double frying method for chips and polar compounds.
Grilling
Maillard from 140C, PAH formation above 300C and crosshatch technique. EU 1881/2006 norm, USDA FSIS core temperatures 2023 and direct versus indirect grilling methods.
Roasting & Searing
Carryover cooking: +2 to 5C after the heat, beurre noisette at 150-160C, basting technique (Escoffier 1903) and resting time as 50% of cooking time.
Gratinating
The salamander: 280-400C element, product at 15 cm. Maillard on cheese from 140C, panko 28-35% less fat absorption and HACCP: core cooked before gratinating.
Sauteing
Pan temperature 180-230C, Maillard in 60-90 seconds, fond in the pan as base for the sauce. The fastest complete cooking method: 2-5 minutes from raw to flavourful dish.
Chiffonade
Leafy greens and herbs in ribbons of 1-5 mm: stack, roll, cut. Basil browns through polyphenol oxidase within 3 minutes with a dull knife. Colour code system and knife safety.
Making Roux
1:1 ratio butter and flour by weight. Roux blanc 1-2 min, roux brun 15-45 min. Wheat starch gelatinises at 62-68C. HACCP: raw flour contains E. coli risk (FDA, 2016).
Boning & Filleting
Boning and filleting are the two most time-intensive preparation techniques in the professional kitchen. Master tunnel boning for ballotines, the butterfly cut for roulades, and the four-fillet method for flatfish. Inclu
Tempering
Tempering chocolate is controlling the molecular crystallisation of cocoa butter. Form V crystals produce gloss, snap, and melting at body temperature. Without tempering: dull, soft, grey chocolate with fat bloom. With t
Clarifying
Clarifying transforms a cloudy stock into a crystal-clear consomme. The raft (a mixture of ground meat, egg whites, tomato, and mirepoix) forms a protein network at 70-75 °C that filters all suspended particles from the
Marinating
Acid penetrates only 3-5 mm into meat: flavour stays at the surface, and the myth of tenderising through acidic marinade has been debunked by McGee (2004). Enzymes and salt are the true tenderisers. Always marinate at 4
Breading
Flour, egg wash and breadcrumbs: the Standard Breading Procedure of every professional kitchen. Panko absorbs 28-35% less fat than regular breadcrumbs (Mellema, 2003). Crispy and golden brown at 175-185 °C.
Stewing & Braising
Sear at high heat, then cook for hours at 85-95°C with liquid: collagen melts above 70°C into gelatin (McGee, 2004). The cheapest cut of meat transformed into the most flavorful dish on the menu.
Vacuum preservation
Vacuum preservation removes oxygen from packaging to 0.1-1% (versus 21% in air). This significantly inhibits the growth of aerobic bacteria, fat oxidation and enzymatic browning. Result: meat stays 2-3 times longer fresh
Scoring (Ciseler)
Ciseler (French: ciseler) has two applications in the professional kitchen: finely dicing onion or shallot into 1-2mm pieces using the horizontal-vertical-transversal method, and scoring fish for even cooking. Both skill
Emincer
Emincer (French: couper en tranches minces) means to cut into thin slices. It is one of the most widely used fundamental techniques in the professional kitchen: from eminced mushrooms in 2mm slices to thin rounds of cour
Glazing
Cooking vegetables in butter, sugar and stock until the liquid evaporates and a glossy glaze remains. Escoffier (1903) codified it as a classic garnish: carottes glacées, oignons grelots, navets glacés.
En Papillote
A sealed packet of parchment or foil as its own oven: fish and vegetables cook in their own juices at 100°C steam. Minimal fat, maximum flavor concentration and a theatrical moment when opening at the table.
Chaud-froid
Chaud-froid (French: hot-cold) is a classic French technique in which food is prepared warm and then coated with a gelatinous sauce that sets upon cooling. The result: a glossy, decorative coating served cold. Commonly a
Napping
Napping (French: napper = to coat) is the even pouring or coating of a dish with sauce, jus, coulis or glaze. The art lies in the consistency of the sauce (la nappe) and the steady movement of the ladle. Escoffier uses t
Carving
Slicing against the grain shortens the muscle fibres and makes meat immediately more tender. Escoffier (1903): 'la qualit\u00e9 du tranchage conditionne la pr\u00e9sentation.' Resting time for even juice distribution is
Dry-Aging
Dry-aging is the controlled ageing process in which meat hangs at 0-4°C, humidity of 75-85% and constant airflow. Enzymes (calpains and cathepsins) break down muscle proteins, making the meat more tender and developing a
Paysanne
Paysanne (French: peasant style) is a thin, flat cutting technique for vegetables: pieces of approx. 1-2cm wide and 1-3mm thick in varying shapes: triangular (for round vegetables), square, or diamond-shaped. The cut is
Making rillettes
Rillettes are a classic French charcuterie preparation: meat (pork, duck, rabbit or fish) is slowly cooked in its own fat at 80-90°C for 3-6 hours, then hand-shredded and cooled in jars with a protective fat layer on top
Caramelizing
Heating sugar to 160-170 °C: it melts, colors through five stages and develops a complex bittersweet flavor. The foundation of crème brûlée, tarte tatin and caramel ice cream: dry or wet, each with it
Preparing Tartare
Tartare is raw, finely chopped or ground meat (or fish) served cold. The technique dates from the 19th century: Escoffier codified le bifteck tartare in Le Guide Culinaire (1903). The execution determines the texture: ha
Boiling and Poaching
Poaching (70-80°C), simmering (85-95°C) and boiling (100°C): three temperature zones that work fundamentally differently on proteins, vitamins and texture. Each level, a different result on the plate.
Concasse
Concasse (French: concasser = to roughly chop) is synonymous in the professional kitchen with tomates concassees: tomatoes peeled, deseeded and cut into uniform pieces of 5-8mm. The technique appears in hundreds of prepa
Gravad lax
Gravad lax (or gravlax) is the traditional Scandinavian process in which salmon is cold-cured in a mixture of salt, sugar and dill. The name comes from Swedish: gravad means buried, lax means salmon. Historically, fish w
Flambéing
Igniting alcohol in the pan: the flame reaches 700-1000 °C and burns off 60-75% of the alcohol in 15 seconds (McGee, 2004). Flavor, caramelization and theatrical effect in a single tableside gesture.
Terrine preparation
A terrine is both the name of the earthenware baking dish and the dish prepared in it. Escoffier described the terrine in Le Guide Culinaire (1903) as one of the most versatile classical preparations: meat, fish, poultry
Blind Baking
Blind baking (French: cuire a blanc) is the pre-baking of a pastry shell without filling. A layer of parchment paper and pie weights (ceramic, rice or dried legumes) hold the dough in place while the oven sets the struct
Turning
Cutting vegetables into a symmetrical oval shape with seven facets: even cooking and classic presentation in one motion. The technique that Escoffier (1903) codified and every chef masters.
Plating
Plating (French: dresser = to arrange, to present) is the purposeful arrangement of a plate for service. The technique combines knowledge of composition, colour, texture, height and temperature. Standardised in CIA The P
Reducing and Concentrating
Evaporating liquid until flavor and aroma concentrate: the most direct route from thin stock to rich sauce base. Every 10% reduction doubles the intensity, but reducing too far turns everything bitter.
Macedoine
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
Deglazing
Dissolving Maillard residues from searing with wine or stock: the sauce base is already waiting in the pan. L\u00f3pez-Alt (2015): 'the fond is pure concentrated flavor.' Quick, efficient, flavourful.
Brining
Salt denatures muscle proteins so they retain more moisture during cooking: wet brining increases the moisture capacity of poultry by 15\u201325% (Modernist Cuisine, 2011). Juicier meat for the same cost price.
Making Quenelles
A quenelle (from the German "Knodel" = dumpling) is, in classical cuisine, a poached or shaped oval form of mousse, puree or fish mousse. In the modern kitchen, the two-spoon method is used to shape oval quenelles of ice
Pasteurization
Pasteurization is the heating of food to a specific temperature for a specific duration to kill pathogens without achieving full sterilization. Louis Pasteur developed the method in 1864 for wine and beer; in 1886, Franz
