Food and Restaurant: English Vocabulary List

safe or suitable for consumption as food

"The mushroom is edible."

"The mushrooms looked edible but she was not completely sure so she decided not to eat them just in case."

having to do with the preparation, cooking, or presentation of food

"I love culinary arts."

"The culinary school taught students how to prepare gourmet meals using fresh ingredients and advanced techniques like sous vide cooking and molecular gastronomy."

a set of instructions given to someone regarding what they should eat or do to maintain or restore their health

"Follow a strict regimen."

"The athlete followed a strict daily regimen of exercise diet and eight hours of sleep."

(of food) easy to chew or cut

"The steak is tender."

"The tender steak melted in her mouth and she closed her eyes to savor the delicious flavor of the grilled meat."

(of drinks) having a rich and intense flavor

"The wine is full-bodied."

"The full-bodied red wine had rich flavors of dark fruit and spice and it was the perfect choice to accompany the roasted lamb dinner."

(of food) having a hard or crisp covering or outer layer

"The bread is crusty."

"The baker pulled the golden-brown loaf from the oven, its crusty exterior promising a delightful crunch."

(of food) containing starch in large amounts

"Potatoes are starchy."

"Potatoes and rice are starchy foods that provide energy but eating too much of them can lead to weight gain."

having a strong, sharp smell or taste that can be overpowering and somewhat unpleasant

"The cheese is pungent."

"The pungent smell of blue cheese is too strong for some people but others find it delicious and enjoy eating it with crackers and fruit."

food that contains little or no artificial substance and is considered healthy

"A wholefood diet means eating food that is not processed at all."

"Switching to a wholefood diet helped her feel more energetic and focused every day."

a thick, soft food from ground oats, eaten usually for breakfast

"Warm oatmeal breakfast eaten."

"She eats warm oatmeal breakfast every morning for healthy energy during the whole day."

an unbleached flour that is made by grinding whole grains of wheat

"Wheatmeal bread healthier."

"Wheatmeal bread is healthier than white bread according to nutrition experts every day."

a type of fungus capable of converting sugar into alcohol and carbon dioxide, used in making alcoholic drinks and bread swell

"Yeast makes the bread rise."

"Yeast is a microscopic single-celled fungus that ferments sugars to produce carbon dioxide"

a white carbohydrate food substance that exists in flour, potatoes, rice, etc.

"Corn starch thickens the soup."

"Cornstarch is often used as a thickening agent for soups sauces and gravies in cooking."

a small dish served before the main course as an appetizer

"Delicious hors d'oeuvre served."

"The delicious hors d'oeuvre was served before the main course at the elegant dinner party yesterday."

a drink, particularly alcoholic, consumed before a meal to stimulate one's appetite

"Light aperitif drunk."

"We drank a light aperitif before dinner to stimulate our appetite yesterday evening."

a dish of vegetables or meat cooked at a low temperature in liquid in a closed container

"The stew smells great."

"The beef stew simmered on the stove all afternoon filling the kitchen with a wonderful savory aroma."

to cook food, especially meat or fish, under or over direct heat

"Broil the fish for five minutes."

"Broil the fish for five minutes on each side until the skin becomes crispy and brown."

to make food look more delicious by decorating it

"Garnish the dish with fresh parsley."

"The chef decided to garnish the plate with a sprig of fresh parsley and a slice of lemon for color."

to add spices or salt to food to make it taste better

"Season the soup with salt and pepper."

"Remember to season the soup with salt and pepper gradually because you can always add more but cannot take it away."

to leave food in a seasoned liquid, typically containing oil, vinegar, herbs, and spices, to enhance its flavor and tenderness before cooking

"Marinade the meat overnight for flavor."

"You should marinade the chicken in a mixture of lemon juice garlic and herbs for at least two hours before grilling it."

(of vegetables) cut into short narrow strips

"I like julienne carrots."

"I like julienne carrots because they are cut into thin strips that cook quickly and evenly."

to quickly fry food in a small amount of hot oil

"Saute the onions until they are translucent."

"Saute the onions and garlic in olive oil until they become soft and fragrant."

to form and press dough or wet clay with the hands

"Knead the dough for ten minutes."

"You need to knead the bread dough for at least ten minutes to develop the gluten."

to crush food into a soft mass

"Mash the potatoes with butter."

"The baby loves to eat mashed bananas because they are soft sweet and easy to swallow without any teeth."

to cause something frozen become warmer to melt away the ice or frost

"Defrost the chicken before cooking it."

"You should defrost the frozen chicken completely before cooking it to ensure that it cooks evenly and thoroughly."

to have dinner in a restaurant or at someone else's home

"We dine out every Friday night."

"The couple decided to dine out at a fancy French restaurant to celebrate their tenth wedding anniversary together."

a bag for taking home one's leftover food in a restaurant

"Asked doggy bag."

"We asked for a doggy bag to take the leftover food home after dinner yesterday night."

a small appliance with a metal or ceramic surface used for cooking or reheating food

"Electric hotplate used."

"The electric hotplate was used to cook soup quickly in the small kitchen yesterday."

someone who is in charge of the waiters and waitresses of a restaurant

"The maitre d'hotel seated us at a nice table."

"The maitre d'hotel greeted us at the door and escorted us to our table by the window."

(of food) prepared according to Jewish law

"This food is kosher."

"This food is kosher and has been prepared according to Jewish dietary laws and traditions."

(of food) prepared according to Islamic law

"The meat is halal."

"The meat is halal and was slaughtered according to Islamic law for Muslim consumers."

the way that a certain type of food feels in one's mouth, whether it is hard, smooth, etc.

"Smooth texture felt nice."

"The chef was praised for the creamy texture of his signature dessert."

(of food) easy to chew or cut

"The steak is tender."

"The steak is tender and you can cut it with a fork without any effort at all."

a plant or part of a plant that is eaten as food

"Fresh veggie salad eaten."

"We ate a fresh veggie salad for lunch yesterday afternoon with great appetite."

(of food) having a hard or crisp covering or outer layer

"The bread is crusty."

"The bread is crusty on the outside and soft on the inside fresh from the bakery."

(of food) nutritious, healthy, and beneficial for one's well-being

"This meal is wholesome."

"A diet rich in fruits and vegetables is considered very wholesome for maintaining good health."

to cook food, especially fish, in a small amount of boiling water or another liquid

"Poach the fish gently."

"We decided to poach the salmon in a delicate white wine and herb broth."

to cut food into small cubes

"Dice the potatoes into small cubes."

"The recipe requires you to dice the potatoes into small cubes so they cook evenly with the other vegetables."

to crush something into small particles by rubbing or pressing it against a hard surface

"Grind the coffee beans into powder."

"You should grind the coffee beans just before brewing to get the freshest and most flavorful cup of coffee."

to mix an egg yolk with its egg whites and then cook it, usually with milk or butter

"He scrambled the eggs."

"For a quick breakfast, she decided to scramble two eggs with a splash of milk."

a restaurant that specializes in barbecued or roasted meat

"The rotisserie is good."

"The chicken rotisserie cooked the meat slowly and evenly for perfect taste yesterday."