Becoming a Chef: English Vocabulary, Phrases and Dialogue

Key words and phrases

culinary schoolan institute where people learn professional cooking skillsShe joined a culinary school right after finishing college.

head chefthe person in charge of a professional kitchenThe head chef decides the entire menu.

kitchen brigadethe organized team of cooks and staff working in a professional kitchenEvery station in the kitchen brigade has a clear role.

apprenticeshipa period of working under an experienced chef to learn the tradeHe completed a two-year apprenticeship in a five-star hotel.

knife skillsthe technique of cutting, chopping, and slicing ingredients correctlyGood knife skills save time and keep the kitchen safe.

platingthe way food is arranged on a plate before servingThe chef spent extra time on the plating for the special dish.

menu planningdeciding which dishes a restaurant will offer, often by seasonMenu planning changes with the seasonal produce available.

food hygienepractices that keep food safe and clean to prevent illnessFood hygiene rules are strictly checked in this kitchen.

sous chefthe chef who is second in command in a professional kitchenThe sous chef runs the kitchen when the head chef is away.

line cooka cook responsible for a specific station in the kitchenShe started as a line cook before moving up.

recipe developmentthe process of creating and testing a new dishRecipe development can take several attempts to get right.

portion controlkeeping serving sizes consistent and within cost limitsPortion control keeps both cost and quality consistent.

food critica person who professionally reviews restaurants and dishesA well-known food critic visited the restaurant last week.

specials boarda board listing dishes offered only for a limited timeToday's specials board features a new soup.

culinary certificatean official qualification proving completed professional cooking trainingHe framed his culinary certificate and hung it in the kitchen.

dinner rushthe busiest period of orders during dinner serviceThe whole team stays focused during the dinner rush.

signature disha dish a chef is especially known forHer signature dish is a slow-cooked mutton curry.

cateringproviding food service for events like weddings or partiesThe restaurant also does catering for weddings.

restaurant reviewa published opinion about the food and service at a restaurantA good restaurant review can bring in many new customers.

career progressionthe steps by which someone advances in their professionCareer progression from line cook to head chef takes years of hard work.

Useful sentences

Ask What made you want to become a chef?
Answer I've always loved cooking for people and seeing them enjoy it.
Ask Do I need to join a culinary school?
Answer It helps a lot, but a strong apprenticeship also builds real skill.
Ask What's the hardest part of working in a kitchen?
Answer Handling the dinner rush while keeping every dish consistent.
Ask How important are knife skills?
Answer Very — good knife skills save time and keep everyone safe.
Ask What does a sous chef do?
Answer The sous chef is second in command and runs things when I'm away.
Ask How do you come up with new dishes?
Answer Recipe development takes patience — I test each dish many times.
Ask Why is food hygiene so strict here?
Answer Because it directly affects our customers' health and trust.
Ask What is a signature dish?
Answer It's the dish a chef becomes especially known for.
Ask Can a chef also do catering?
Answer Yes, many chefs cater weddings and events alongside restaurant work.
Ask How long before I can become a head chef?
Answer Career progression usually takes many years, starting as a line cook.

Dialogue

RahulI love cooking at home. How do I actually become a professional chef?

Head chefYou'd usually start with a culinary school or a direct apprenticeship.

RahulWhat's the first role I'd take in a real kitchen?

Head chefYou'd start as a line cook, handling one station in the kitchen brigade.

RahulIs food hygiene really that strict?

Head chefExtremely — one mistake can affect a customer's health.

RahulHow do I get better at knife skills and plating?

Head chefPractice every day — those two skills separate a good cook from a great one.

RahulAnd eventually, how do I become a head chef myself?

Head chefYears of experience — line cook, then sous chef, then your own kitchen.

Common mistakes

Saying "I want become chef" instead of "I want to become a chef."
Saying "he cook very good" instead of "he cooks very well."
Saying "knife skill" instead of "knife skills."
Saying "make the menu" instead of "plan the menu."
Saying "kitchen is very hygiene" instead of "the kitchen has strict hygiene standards."
Saying "he is chef of restaurant" instead of "he is the head chef of the restaurant."

Quick quiz

1. What is a "sous chef"?

2. What does "plating" mean?

3. What is a "signature dish"?

4. What does "portion control" mean?

5. What is the "dinner rush"?

6. What does a "food critic" do?

Practise speaking and listening

The free Day to Day English app turns every lesson into practice with audio, a story you follow and more than 1680 words to learn.

Free for AndroidPractise in the app

menu_book Key words and phrases

forum Useful sentences

chat Dialogue

error Common mistakes

quiz Quick quiz