Glossary
Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) National legislation that requires upgrades to buildings to allow access for people with disabilities. Check your local zoning and health departments for their guidelines.
articles of organization The legal document that establishes your limited liability company (LLC) for doing business in your state.
back of the house (BOH) This area contains the kitchen, delivery area, storage rooms, staff changing rooms, and office.
“behind you” In restaurant kitchens, cooks use this shorthand to let others know they’re behind or moving past a staff member. It prevents collisions, spills, and burns.
bitters Concentrated botanical extracts made from herbs, flowers, roots, or seeds, which are a trendy ingredient in cocktails.
boeuf bourguignon A beef stew made with red wine from the Burgundy region of France.
bring your own [booze or bottle] (BYOB or BYO) Restaurants without liquor licenses that allow customers to bring their own alcohol, and will often charge a corkage fee to cover glass breakage and maintenance.
campylobacter Bacteria that is a common cause of food poisoning caused by contact with raw poultry or by eating undercooked poultry.
capture A marketing term that describes a restaurant that attracts customers who happen to be walking or driving by.
certificate of occupancy (C/O or COO) The official paperwork from the town’s building department that says a restaurant meets all building, fire, and health codes and can open for business.
charger A large decorative plate used as part of a formal service that is placed under the plate upon which customers dine.
chef de cuisine A French term for the chef responsible for the daily running of the kitchen. In contemporary American restaurants, the chef de cuisine is often known as the “executive chef.” When a restaurant group owns several restaurants, the executive chef oversees the menu concept for the group, and the chef de cuisine would be in charge of the daily workings of one of the restaurant kitchens, and might have the title of “head chef.”
code compliant A restaurant currently meets the local zoning, building, fire, and health codes.
commodity-based liquor license In some states, liquor licenses are a tangible asset that is regulated by quota. The state runs lotteries to sell them, but it’s difficult to obtain these licenses. Licenses can be bought on the open market from restaurant owners.
cremate Kitchen slang for an order of well-done meat.
cross contamination Occurs when foods such as raw meat and seafood spread bacteria and viruses because they’re not properly stored separately or are chopped using knives or boards not designated for them.
crowdfunding An online form of fundraising, such as Kickstarter.
crudo An Italian raw fish that is traditionally served like tartare and is chopped and seasoned. Today’s contemporary Italian restaurants often serve it thinly sliced, topped with sea salt, herbs, spices, and olive oil.
destination A marketing term to describe the type of restaurant people deliberately leave their homes to visit.
dry county or town A municipality that doesn’t allow alcohol to be sold in stores or restaurants. Restaurants in dry towns usually allow guests to bring their own bottle (BYOB).
E. coli A harmful strain of bacteria that lives in the intestines of humans and animals and can cause severe bloody diarrhea. The most common cause is eating raw or undercooked meat, such as hamburgers.
enterprise zone Municipal areas targeted for economic growth in a city. Tax breaks are offered to new local businesses willing to locate there.
expeditor The executive chef who acts as the connection between the front of the house (FOH) and back of the house (BOH) during service. The expeditor calls out orders, tells chefs to fire dishes, and inspects finished plates before sending them to the dining room.
fee-based liquor license An annual fee that some states charge for a liquor license. This is a more affordable proposition than the commodity-based liquor license.
fire A kitchen term used by an expeditor that orders the line cooks to begin cooking a certain dish.
French brigade system A hierarchical structure in which the chef de cuisine and sous chef oversee the work of other chefs located at 10 different stations.
front of the house (FOH) The public areas of a restaurant, which includes the dining room and bar.
grandfathered In terms of buildings, this means conditions that existed before the current zoning codes are allowed to continue even though they violate current codes.
in the weeds Restaurant slang for falling behind during service.
kill it Kitchen slang for an order of well-done meat.
limited liability company (LLC) The most commonly used business entity that restaurant owners form because it protects them against personal liability, and provides tax benefits.
liquor license classifications States have a system of different classes of establishments, such as live entertainment, cabaret, tavern, or café, which have various building requirements and restrictions. Check your local zoning laws.
listeria Bacteria that can grow in cold temperatures and infect delicatessen meats, hot dogs, soft cheeses, pates, and raw sprouts.
mise en place A combination of all the raw and cooked ingredients cleaned, chopped, and portioned, in containers and ready for use at the appropriate chef stations. Sometimes referred to simply as “mise.”
mock service A training technique in which FOH staff practice waiting on one another and the manager and owner.
norovirus A form of gastroenteritis made famous by outbreaks on cruise ships; it can be passed directly from an infected food preparer to food or to another person.
operating agreement A legal document that establishes the way your limited liability company (LLC) will operate, defining the roles and responsibilities of members and how the profits and losses are shared.
par stock The minimum amount of inventory a restaurant should have on hand before ordering more.
point of sale system (POS) A computer system that tracks every transaction from order to check and manages cash control systems. Credit card purchases are deposited daily through the POS system. This system can also be used as a staff time clock.
popularity, preparation, and profitability (PPP) test The test restaurants run on all foods and drinks to rate their cost-effectiveness and determine if they should be included on the menu.
post-off A price reduction that state liquor authorities run on wholesale prices of alcohol.
private equity funding The act of raising money from individuals and investors. Because banks are reluctant to lend to restaurateurs, they usually raise funds this way.
reach-ins Small refrigerators and freezers that kitchen staff can reach into for items.
restaurateur The French word for restaurant owner, from restaurer, meaning “to restore.” Restaurants, places where food and drink are served, were first referenced in print in Paris in the 1700s.
salmonella The most common form of food poisoning in the United States, caused most frequently by contact with or eating raw or undercooked chicken and eggs. This bacteria is killed by cooking and pasteurizing.
shrinkage The amount of inventory lost through spoilage, errors, sloppiness, and spilling.
sous chef A French term used in American kitchens for the chef who is second-in-command, under the direction of the chef de cuisine and/or executive chef.
sous-vide A cooking technique in which food is cooked super slow and low, creating exceptionally tender proteins.
The Man Restaurant slang for a health inspector or fire department inspector.
tip-out To reconcile credit card receipts against customer tips, and distribute that money to the servers and front of the house staff in cash.
variances Official exemptions that vary from zoning regulations. The approval process for variances can be long, expensive, and painful.
walk-in Large refrigerators and freezers where staff stores large quantities of food products.
walk-ins Customers who arrive at a restaurant without reservations.
well liquor Generic or lower-end brands of distilled spirits, also called “rail.”
wrap-around costs The costs of items a restaurant gives away, such as chips and salsa, salt, pepper, ketchup, lemon wedges, hot sauce, or cookies at the end of the meal.
yield test The difference between how much a food item weighed when it came in the door and its edible net weight after it has been processed.