Plating, Table Setting & Vegetable Cookery Vocabulary

Vocabulary flashcards covering key terms in plating styles, table setting, vegetable classification, cooking methods, knife cuts, sauces, storage, and kitchen safety.

Plating (Front–Rear Style)

Main item placed at the front of the plate with vegetables, starches, and garnish positioned behind it.

BUFF Principle

A plating acronym for Balance, Unity, Focus, and Flow.

KIS Principle

Keep It Simple; guideline to avoid over-complicated plate designs.

Focal Point (Plating)

Area of the plate meant to draw the diner’s eye and highlight the main item.

Three-Color Rule

Guideline suggesting that a maximum of three distinct colors creates visual harmony on a plate.

Odd-Number Garnish Rule

Decorations are most appealing when placed in threes or other odd numbers.

Clock Method

Plating layout where starch sits at 10 o’clock, meat at 2 o’clock, and vegetables at 6 o’clock on the plate.

Table Setting

The arrangement of table appointments and foods on the dining table.

Cover (Place Setting)

Allotted space and equipment for one diner.

À la Carte Cover

Basic cover provided when ordering individual menu items.

Table d’Hôte Cover

Set-menu cover prepared for a fixed sequence of courses.

Dinnerware/Chinaware

Plates and bowls made of ceramic, earthenware, plastic, or glass used for dining.

Beverageware/Glassware

Tumblers, stemware, mugs, and goblets used for drinks.

Flatware/Cutlery

Handheld eating utensils such as forks, knives, and spoons.

Holloware

Deep serving pieces like soup tureens, platters, and coffee pots.

Place Plate (Show Plate)

12-inch decorative base plate that remains on the table until the main course is served.

Dinner Plate

Standard 10-inch plate used for main courses.

Bread & Butter Plate

Small 7–7.5-inch plate placed above the forks for bread service.

Soup Plate/Bowl

Deep 9-inch vessel used for serving soup.

Water Goblet

Large, wide-bowled stemmed glass for water service.

Red Wine Glass

Stemware with a wide opening and rounded bowl for red wines.

White Wine Glass

More slender stemware designed to keep white wines cooler.

Table Napkin

Cloth used to protect clothing and wipe the mouth; adds aesthetic value to the table.

Flat Napkin Fold

Simple folding style where the napkin lays flat, often used for basic covers.

Rolled Napkin Fold

Napkin rolled into a cylinder, e.g., candle fold.

Fancy Napkin Fold

Decorative folds such as butterfly, pyramid, or bishop’s hat; often for buffets.

Special Napkin Fold

Elaborate creations like birds of paradise or rose folds for special events.

Leafy Vegetables

Edible leaves such as spinach, lettuce, kangkong, and pechay.

Fruit Vegetables

Botanical fruits eaten as veg; e.g., tomato, squash, eggplant, okra.

Seed Vegetables

Edible seeds or pods like green beans and snap peas.

Roots & Tubers

Underground storage organs such as potatoes, camote, gabi, radish.

Stems & Bulbs

Edible stalks and bulbs like asparagus, celery, onions, bamboo shoots.

Blanching

Briefly boiling food then shocking in ice water to halt cooking and set color.

Simmering

Cooking in liquid just below the boil (≈180–190 °F) for gentle heat.

Poaching

Low-temperature (180–190 °F) cooking in aromatic liquid; ideal for root veg.

Sous Vide

Vacuum-sealed food cooked in a precisely controlled water bath, ~190 °F for vegetables.

Steaming

Cooking in vapor above boiling water to preserve nutrients and color.

Glazing (Vegetables)

Finishing veg in a shallow pan with butter, sugar, salt, and a small amount of liquid to create a shiny coat.

Braising/Stewing

Slow cooking in flavored liquid partially covering the food until tender.

Sautéing

Quick cooking in a small amount of hot fat; requires a hot pan and minimal crowding.

Pan-Frying

Cooking in 3–6 mm of oil at 325–350 °F, producing a golden crust.

Deep-Frying

Fully immersing food in hot fat for crisp texture; oil temperature must be controlled.

Grilling

Cooking over direct dry heat (≈375–450 °F) producing char and grill marks.

Broiling

Cooking under direct radiant heat similar to grilling but from above.

Roasting/Baking (Veg)

Dry-heat cooking in an oven (350–425 °F) which caramelizes natural sugars.

Gratin/Casserole

Baked dish combining vegetables with sauce, topped with breadcrumbs or cheese.

Moist-Heat Cooking

Methods that use water or steam, e.g., boiling, poaching, steaming.

Dry-Heat Cooking

Methods without added water such as roasting, grilling, frying.

Brunoise

Fine dice cut; 1–2 mm cubes used for garnishes.

Chiffonade

Shredding leafy vegetables or herbs into thin strips.

Julienne

Matchstick-size strips, about 1⁄8 × 1⁄8 × 2 inches.

Jardinière Cut

Thick sticks; 4 inches long, 4–10 mm thick.

Macedoine

Large dice, about ½-inch cubes, often for soups.

Paysanne

Rough, thin slices or irregular shapes used for long-cooked dishes.

Roll-Cutting

Diagonal cuts made while rolling the vegetable for attractive, varied surfaces.

Crushing (Knife Technique)

Pressing with the flat blade to mash foods like garlic or ginger.

Nutrient Loss Prevention

Delay washing/peeling until use, avoid long soaks, cook to crisp-tender to retain vitamins.

Frozen Vegetable Thawing

Thaw slowly in the refrigerator, under cold running water, or in microwave defrost; never refreeze.

Fresh Vegetable Storage

Refrigerate covered; store potatoes and onions in a cool, dark, dry place.

Frozen Vegetable Storage

Keep at or below 0 °F/-18 °C; use before recommended date; do not refreeze once thawed.

Canned Vegetable Storage

Store in a cool, dry place; discard swollen, dented, or rusted cans.

Safety Rule: Wet Hands & Electricity

Avoid touching electrical appliances with wet hands to prevent electrocution.

Safety Rule: Saucepan Handles

Turn handles inward to avoid knocking pans and causing burns.

Hygiene Rule: Cross-Contamination

Use separate cutting boards for raw and ready-to-eat foods.

Hygiene Rule: ‘Sell By’ Dates

Check dates to ensure food is not spoiled before use.

Garnishing

Finishing touch to enhance appearance; must be edible and complement flavor.

Edible Garnish

Decorative item placed on or around food that can be safely eaten and adds taste/color.

Sauce (Culinary)

Flavored liquid served with a dish to enhance appearance, taste, and digestion.

Demi-Glace

Rich brown sauce: equal parts brown sauce and brown stock reduced by half.

Hollandaise

Emulsified sauce of egg yolks and clarified butter flavored with lemon.

Mousseline Sauce

Hollandaise lightened with whipped cream or egg whites.

Maltaise Sauce

Hollandaise variation using orange juice instead of lemon.

Cheese Sauce

White (béchamel) sauce enriched with sharp cheddar for creamy texture.

Bretonne Sauce

Velouté base with julienned onion, leek, celery heart, mushrooms, finished with butter and cream.

Persillade

Chopped parsley, garlic, and vinegar mixture used as a sauce or garnish.

Accompaniment (Food)

Additional item served with the main dish to balance or contrast flavor, e.g., butter with asparagus.

Performance Task (Vegetables)

Student activity involving cutting, cooking, and plating vegetable dishes for assessment.