Kitchen Tools & Equipment Vocabulary

bimetallic coil thermometers

A thermometer that stays in food as it cooks and provides an instant read.

blade

The cutting surface of a knife.

bolster

Located at the heel of a knife blade where the blade meets the handle.

boning knife

A 6-inch knife used to separate raw meat from the bone. The blade is thin, flexible, and shorter than the blade of a chef's knife.

butcher knife

Also known as a scimitar, cooks use the butcher knife to fabricate raw meat. It is available with 6- to 14-inch blades.

butt

The end of a knife handle.

butter knife

A small knife with a blunt-edge blade used to spread butter, peanut butter, and cream cheese on bread or dinner rolls.

cake pans

Baking pans with straight sides. They are available in a variety of sizes and shapes including round, rectangular, square, and specialty (such as heartshaped).

can opener

In restaurant and foodservice kitchens, can openers are mounted onto metal utility tables because they are used to open large cans. A small handheld can opener, like those for home use, may be used in a restaurant or foodservice kitchen to open small cans of food.

chef's (French) knife

An all-purpose knife for chopping, slicing, and mincing all types of food items. Its blade is normally 8 to 14 inches long and tapers to a point at the tip.

China cap

A pierced, metal, cone-shaped strainer used to strain soups, stocks, and other liquids to remove all solid ingredients.

chinois (chin-WAH)

A very fine China cap made of metal mesh that strains out very small solid ingredients.

cleaver

A heavy, rectangular knife used to chop all kinds of food, from vegetables to meat. It is also able to cut through bones.

coffee maker

A machine that automatically makes coffee.

colander (CAH-len-der)

Used to drain liquid from cooked pasta and vegetables. Colanders stand on metal feet, while strainers are usually handheld.

convection oven

Has a fan that circulates heated air around the food as it cooks. This shortens cooking times and uses energy efficiently.

conventional (standard) oven

The heat source is located on the floor of the oven. Heat rises into the cavity, or open space in the oven, which contains racks for the food to sit on as it cooks. These ovens are usually located below a range-top burner.

cook's fork (kitchen fork)

A fork with two long, pointed tines used to test the doneness of braised meat and vegetables, to lift items to the plate, and to steady an item being cut.

cookware

Pots and pans.

corer

A small tool used to remove the core of an apple or pear in one long, cylindrical piece.

countertop blender

Used to purée, liquefy, and blend food. The blender consists of a base that houses the motor and a removable lidded jar with a propeller-like blade in the bottom.

cutting edge

The edge located along the bottom of a knife blade between the tip and the heel. Use it for slicing, carving, and making precision cuts.

deep-fat fryer

Gas and electric fryers cook food in oil at temperatures between 300°F and 400°F. Some computerized fryers lower and raise the food baskets automatically.

digital (electric) scale

A precise scale used to measure weight. Provides a digital readout in both U.S. and metric systems.

double boiler

A pot that has an upper pot and a lower pot. The lower pot holds boiling or simmering water that gently cooks the food in the upper pot; used it for melting chocolate or heating milk, cream, or butter.

dough arm (hook)

A mixture attachment used to mix heavy, thick dough.

fillet knife

A thin, flexible blade for cutting fish fillets. It is a short knife, about 6 inches long.

fish poacher

A long, narrow, metal pan with a perforated rack that cooks use to raise or lower the fish so it doesn't break apart.

flat beater paddle

Used in a mixer to mix, mash, and cream soft food items.

flat-top burner

Also called a French top; a flat-top burner cooks food on a thick slate of cast iron or a steel plate that covers the heat source. A flat-top burner provides even and consistent heat.

food chopper

Chops vegetables, meat, and other food using a vertical rotating blade and a bowl that rotates the food under the blade. This unit is often called a buffalo chopper.

food processors

A processing machine that houses the motor separately from the bowl, blades, and lid. Food processors grind, puree, blend, crush, and knead food.

food warmer or steam table

This unit differs from the bain-marie in two ways. First, the unit is designed to hold hotel pans, either one full-size pan or multiple smaller pans per slot. Second, different types of units are designed to work with water in the holding unit, without water, or either way.

funnel

Use a funnel to pour liquid from a large to a smaller container.

grater

A small tool used to grate hard cheeses, vegetables, potatoes, and other food items.

griddle

Similar to a flat-top range, a griddle has a heat source located beneath a thick plate of metal. Cook food directly on this surface, which is usually designed with edges to contain the food and a drain to collect waste.

handle

The part of a knife that you grip. Made with various materials including hardwoods or textured metal.

heel

The widest and thickest part of a knife blade. The heel is used to cut through large, tough, or hard food.

honing steel

When performing knife maintenance, this steel helps remove broken pieces and realign the remaining ground edges. It looks like a short sword with a round blade.

ice machine

Makes ice cubes, flakes, chips, and crushed ice.

immersion blender

Also known as a hand blender, stick blender, or burr mixer. It is a long, stick-like machine that houses a motor on one end of the machine with a blade on the other end. This operates in the same manner as a countertop blender to purée and blend food, except that a cook holds it manually in a container of food, whereas a countertop blender contains the food itself.

kitchen shears

Strong scissors used to cut string and butcher's twine and cut grapes into small clusters.

ladle

Used to portion out liquids; available in various sizes measured in fluid ounces and milliliters.

mandoline

A manually operated slicer made of stainless steel with adjustable slicing blades to slice and julienne. Its narrow, rectangular body sits on the work counter at a 45-degree angle. It is useful for slicing small quantities of fruit or vegetables, situations where a large electric slicer isn't necessary.

measuring cup

Measures varying quantities of both dry goods and liquids. Measuring cups with spouts measure liquids, and those without spouts measure dry ingredients.

measuring spoon

Cooks use this item to measure small quantities of spices or liquids. The spoons measure the amounts of 1/8 teaspoon (not all sets include this smallest size), 1/4 teaspoon, 1/2 teaspoon, 1 teaspoon, and 1 tablespoon.

meat slicer

Most have a slanted circular blade. Food either passes through the machine automatically, or a cook pushes a hopper holding the product along a carriage into the blade. The thickness of the slicer is set by increasing and decreasing the distance between the guide plate and the blade.

microwave oven

Heats food not with heat, but with microwaves of energy that cause a food's molecules to move rapidly and create heat inside the food.

mixer

Available in 5-quart, 20-quart, 60-quart, and 80-quart sizes. Used to mix and process large amounts of food with any number of specialized attachments, including paddles, wire whips, dough hooks, meat grinders, shredders, slicers, and juicers.

muffin tins

Small, round cups or molds used to make muffins, cupcakes, or other small baked goods.

offset spatula (SPACH-e-la)

A small tool used to turn food items on a griddle or broiler. It has a wide, chisel-edged blade and a short handle.

open burner

A grate-style gas burner supplies direct heat by way of an open flame to the item being cooked. The heat can be easily controlled.

pans

Usually smaller and shallower than pots. Pans are used for general stove top cooking, especially sautéing, frying, or reducing liquids rapidly, baking, and for holding food.

paring knife

A small knife with a sharp blade, only 2 to 4 inches long, used to trim and pare vegetables and fruits.

parisienne (pah-REE-see-en) scoop

Also called a melon baller; used to cut ball shapes out of soft fruits and vegetables.

pastry bag

A bag made of canvas, plastic, or nylon which is used to pipe out frostings, creams, and puréed food. Different pastry tips create a variety of decorations.

pastry brush

A small brush used to brush egg wash, melted butter, glazes, and other liquids on items such as baked goods, raw pasta, or glazes on meat.

pastry knife (paddle)

Used in a mixer to mix shortening into dough.

peeler

A small tool used to cut a thick layer from vegetables and fruits more efficiently than a paring knife.

pie server

A specially shaped spatula made for lifting out and serving pieces of pie.

piping tools

Include piping bags (canvas, plastic, disposable), decorative tips (metal, plastic, of varying shapes), and presses (cylinders with a handle on one end that force dough through a metal cutout).

pizza cutter

A small tool used to cut pizza and rolled-out dough.

portion scale

Use this scale to measure recipe ingredients, from 1/4 ounce to 1 pound to 2 pounds.

pots

Available in a range of sizes based on volume; use them on the stove top for making stocks or soups, or for boiling or simmering food.

rivets

On a knife, they hold the handle to the tang.

roasting pan

A shallow, rectangular pan with medium-high sides and two handles. Use it to roast and bake food items, such as meat and poultry.

rolling pin

A cylinder that cooks use to roll over pastry to flatten or shape it.

rotisserie (roe-TIS-er-ee)

A unit in which cooks place food on a stick, or spit, and roast it over or under a heat source. The unit may be open or enclosed like an oven. Cooks use it most often for cooking chicken, turkey, and other types of poultry.

rubber spatula

A spatula with a long handle, often called a scraper, used to fold ingredients together and scrape the sides of bowls.

santoku

A general-purpose kitchen knife with a 5- to 7-inch blade length. The santoku knife is designed for a comfortable, well-balanced grip, while allowing for full blade use.

saucepan

A pan with medium height, straight sides, and a single long handle. Use it for general cooking, in particular liquid or liquid-based mixtures, on ranges.

sauce pot

Used to prepare sauces, soups, and other liquids. Sauce pots are more shallow than stock pots, with straight sides and two loop handles for lifting.

sauté (saw-TAY) pan

The original French sauté pan is slope-sided and made of thin metal for quick heating. It is used strictly to sauté items. In the United States, the "fry pan" is generally referred to as a sauté pan. A fry pan has curved sides and a long handle and is generally made of slightly thicker metal. It is used both to sauté and to pan-fry.

scales

The part of a knife that creates the handle.

scoop

This short-handled measuring utensil scoops out soft food, such as ice cream, butter, and sour cream. These portion scoops come in various sizes.

serrated

When a knife blade is shaped into a row of teeth that can be set very closely or widely apart.

serrated slicer

A knife with a long, thin serrated blade used to slice breads and cakes.

sharpening stone

Used to grind and hone the edges of steel tools and implements.

sheet pan

Cooks use this very shallow pan, about 1-inch deep, for just about anything from baking cookies to roasting vegetables.

shelving

Used for food storage. Shelving in storage areas should be made of stainless steel.

sieve (SIV)

A small tool with a mesh screen to sift flour and other dry baking ingredients and to remove any large impurities.

skimmer

A small tool with a larger round, flat head with holes. Use it to remove foam from stock or soup and remove solid ingredients from liquids.

slicer

A knife used for slicing cooked meat; its blade can be as long as 14 inches.

slow-roasting oven

Use this oven to roast meat at low temperatures. This helps preserve the meat's moisture, reduce shrinkage, and brown its surfaces.

smallware

Small hand tools and small equipment.

spine

The top of a knife blade, which is the noncutting edge of the blade.

spoons

Cooking spoons for quantity cooking are solid, perforated, or slotted. They are made of stainless steel, and hold about 3 ounces. Solid spoons are serving spoons without holes in them. Perforated and slotted spoons have holes that allow liquid to drain while holding the solid items on the spoon.

springform pans

A two-part, springloaded baking pan. The bottom piece and ring are secured with a spring to hold the bottom in place. Once an item is baked, the pastry chef can release the spring to make it easy to remove the cake from the pan.

steak knife

A curved knife used for cutting beef steaks from the loin.

steamer

Used to steam food items like vegetables and grains. It uses low or high steam pressure. A steamer often consists of a set of stacked pots. The lower pot holds boiling water. The upper pot has a perforated bottom that allows the steam to enter through and cook the food in the pot above. All types of steamers cook food items quickly in very hot (212°F) water vapor.

steel

A long metal rod that is lightly grooved and magnetized. It removes the microscopic burrs that are created as a knife is used.

stockpot

A large pot for preparing stocks. Stockpots with spigots allow the liquid to be poured out easily without losing any of the solid ingredients.

straight spatula

A flexible, round-tipped tool used for icing cakes, spreading fillings and glazes, leveling dry ingredients when measuring, and turning pancakes and other food items.

strainer

A tool made of mesh-like material or metal with holes in it. Strainers come in different sizes and are often shaped like a bowl. Strainers are used to strain pasta, vegetables, and other larger food cooked in liquid.

tang

The metal that continues from a knife blade through the handle. A full tang is as long as the whole knife handle.

tea maker

Works the same as the coffee maker, but it makes tea for iced tea.

tip

The forward part of a knife that includes the knife point. Cooks use the tip for detailed work such as paring, trimming, and peeling.

tongs

A scissor-like utensil foodhandlers use to pick up and handle all kinds of solid food.

tourné (tour-NAY)

Similar to a paring knife, but with a curved blade for cutting the curved surfaces of vegetables.

utility carts

Carts of durable injection molded shelving or heavy steel used to carry food cases to storage areas.