Joining a Cooking Class: English Vocabulary, Phrases and Dialogue

Key words and phrases

culinary studioa space designed for cooking classes and food demonstrationsThe culinary studio had six cooking stations.

from scratchmade using raw, basic ingredients rather than pre-made onesHe'd never made pasta from scratch before.

knead the doughto press and fold dough repeatedly to make it smooth and elasticThe instructor showed them how to knead the dough properly.

measure ingredientsto determine the exact quantity of items used in a recipeBaking demands you measure ingredients precisely.

chop finelyto cut food into very small piecesHe learned to chop finely without watching his fingers.

cooking techniquea specific method used to prepare foodEach week covered a new cooking technique.

platingthe way food is arranged on a plate before servingThe instructor was very particular about plating.

burnt the sauceto have accidentally overcooked a sauce until it is spoiledHe burnt the sauce while distracted by a phone call.

taste as you goadvice to sample food throughout cooking to adjust seasoning"Taste as you go," the chef reminded them repeatedly.

signature disha recipe someone is known for making particularly wellBy the end, he had his own signature dish.

hands-on experiencelearning by actually doing something, not just watchingThe class was mostly hands-on experience, not lectures.

seasoningsalt, spices, or herbs added to enhance flavourHe was still learning to balance seasoning correctly.

kitchen stationan individual workspace assigned to a student in a cooking classEach student had their own kitchen station.

recipe carda printed card listing ingredients and steps for a dishThey took home a recipe card after every class.

Useful sentences

Ask Why did you decide to join a cooking class?
Answer I was tired of making the same five dishes at home.
Ask Have you ever made pasta from scratch before?
Answer Never, this was my very first attempt.
Ask Was it hard to knead the dough correctly?
Answer At first, yes, but the chef corrected my technique quickly.
Ask Did you burn anything during the class?
Answer Yes, I burnt the sauce while I was distracted, unfortunately.
Ask Did the instructor remind you to taste as you go?
Answer Constantly, it really improved my seasoning.
Ask Did you get your own kitchen station?
Answer Yes, each of us had a separate one to work at.
Ask Was the class mostly lectures or hands-on experience?
Answer Almost entirely hands-on experience, which I really liked.
Ask Do you have a signature dish now?
Answer I do, actually, a mushroom ravioli I'm quite proud of.

Dialogue

chef instructorWelcome everyone. Today we'll make fresh pasta completely from scratch.

RahulI've always wanted to learn this. Where do we start?

chef instructorFirst, measure ingredients carefully, then we'll knead the dough.

classmatesMy dough feels too sticky, is that normal?

chef instructorPerfectly normal, just add a little more flour at your kitchen station.

RahulI think I just burnt the sauce while rolling the dough.

chef instructorNo worries, that happens to everyone once. Taste as you go next time.

RahulThis is great hands-on experience, honestly more than I expected.

chef instructorNow let's work on the plating before we serve it.

RahulThis might just become my signature dish at home now.

Common mistakes

Saying "make from the scratch" instead of "make from scratch" (no article).
Saying "knead dough" without "the," better as "knead the dough."
Saying "measure the ingredients quantity" instead of "measure ingredients" or "measure the ingredients."
Saying "burn the sauce" in past tense as "burn" instead of "burnt" or "burned."
Saying "taste while going" instead of the fixed phrase "taste as you go."
Saying "hands-on experiences" as plural in general use, usually kept singular: "hands-on experience."

Quick quiz

1. What does "from scratch" mean?

2. What does it mean to "knead the dough"?

3. What is "plating"?

4. What does "taste as you go" mean?

5. What is a "signature dish"?

6. What does "hands-on experience" mean?

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