A.Q.: “As quoted”—often used on menu items that are market priced
Back of the house: Restaurant phrase referring to the kitchen, dishwashing, and prep areas as well as the employees
Blog: An online journal or newsletter, usually with more than one author
Bond: An insurance contract used by service companies as a guarantee that they have the necessary ability and financial backing to meet their obligations
Boomers: People born between 1946 and 1964
Break-even point: The point at which your company neither makes nor loses money
Brix scale: A measurement for the density or gravity of sugary liquids
Candy thermometer: For measuring the temperature of boiling sugars or oils, goes up to 400 degrees F
Caterer: A company retained to provide food (and usually beverages, too) for an event
Chafing dish: A variety of portable cooking container used to either heat or cook food with a direct heat source; typically comprising a pan set on top of a pan of water so that the heat source is not directly on the pan containing the food
Chat room: On the internet, an electronic gathering place for people who share special interests, where they brainstorm and exchange ideas and information
Contingency plan: A written plan that is prepared in advance to address possible emergencies
Contractor: An individual or a company under contract to provide goods or services
Copyright: A form of protection used to safeguard original literary works, performing arts, sound recordings, and visual arts
Corporate planner: An individual who plans meetings for companies
Corporation: A separate legal entity distinct from its owners
Cuisine: A French term used to describe a specific style of cooking or a certain country’s food in general, such as “Indian cuisine”
Culinary: Relating to the kitchen or cooking
Decant: To transfer liquid from one vessel to another, for instance to separate wine from any sediment
Demographics: The primary characteristics of your target audience, such as age, gender, ethnic background, income level, education level, and home ownership
Doing business as (DBA): A reference to your legal designation once you have selected a business name different from your own and registered it with the local or state government
Domain name: The address of an internet network
Dutch oven: A large, cast-iron kettle with a tight-fitting lid used for braising or stewing
Enophile: A connoisseur or lover of wines
Epicure: One who appreciates fine food and drink
Essence: Strong aromatic liquids created by distillation or infusion
Extrusion: In cooking, food extrusion is the process where mixed ingredients are pressed through an opening and cut into specific sizes.
Fancy food: Another name for “specialty food,” which is defined as food and beverages that are made in small batches with high-quality ingredients
Finger bowl: Small bowl of warm water typically scented with lemon to wash fingers after eating shellfish or food eaten with hands
Flexitarian: “Semi-vegetarianism” where one follows a diet that is mainly plant-based with the occasional consumption of meat products
Fondue: Traditionally a dish of melted cheese served communally using long-stemmed forks to dip in breads, now also includes other types of melted dipping sauces such as chocolate
Free-from: The current terminology for the food segment that is “free from” certain ingredients or processes. Examples are milk produced from cows that have not been treated with growth hormones, meats that have not had dyes added to them, and gluten-free or dairy-free products. Some “free-from” consumers are following a diet because of medical conditions, others are just doing it because they feel it is healthier.
Functional foods: Foods that are considered to have a potentially positive health impact and go beyond fundamental nutrition
Garde manger: French term for the kitchen professional in charge of cold foods, salads, and hors d’oeuvres
Gluten: A protein found in wheat and other grains. Those with celiac disease are allergic to it. Others have been discovered to have a sensitivity to gluten which has given rise to the gluten-free trend.
GMO: Stands for “genetically modified organism,” a controversial genetic engineering technique that, among other things, artificially selects for a desirable factor, like disease resistance or fast-growing or rot-resistant
Gourmet: Fine food and drink
High-touch: A term referring to events that require a high degree of care and handling
Homepage: The gateway to your internet website
Indemnification: A legal term meaning one party agrees to protect the other party from liability or damages related to an event
Infusion: The steeping of something in a liquid
Invoice: A document that indicates costs for goods or services owed by one individual or company to another
Irradiation: A method of sterilizing food using gamma rays
Liability: The legal responsibility for an act, especially as pertaining to insurance risks
Limited liability corporation (LLC): A business structure combining the tax structure of a partnership, yet protecting the owner from personal liability
Logo: A symbol used to identify or brand a business
Margin: Profit expressed as a percentage of the retail selling price (Margin = Profit/Retail Price). If a piece of candy sells for one dollar and it costs 50 cents to make it, meaning you make a 50-cent profit selling it for a dollar, the margin is 50 percent.
Markup: The amount added to the cost of goods or services to produce the desired profit
Matcha: Powdered green tea
Microblogging: A combination of blogging and instant messaging, where very short messages are sent to update subscribers about the microblog’s topic. Twitter is the most well-known microblog vehicle, limiting the microblogger to 140-character messages.
Millennials: Those born from the early 1980s to the early 2000s
Nutraceuticals: A food having medicinal benefit
Newsletter: A marketing piece that offers short, newsy pieces about your business. Newsletters may be sent through regular mail or email.
Partnership: A business owned equally by two or more persons
Pâtissier: The kitchen staff member who prepares desserts, pastries, ice creams, etc.
Pescetarian: One who follows a predominately vegetarian diet but does eat fish
Proposal: A document outlining what a business will do for a client and the price at which it will be done
Relational database: A set of data structured so that information can be accessed across different databases
Rotisseur: The kitchen staff member who roasts, broils, or fries foods
Saucier: The kitchen staff member who prepares sauces, stocks, and perhaps does the poaching of meats, fish, or poultry
Site: The location for an event
Sole proprietor: Business structure description of a company owned by one person
Specialty food: According to the Specialty Food Association (www.specialtyfood.com), specialty food is defined as “foods or beverages of the highest grade, style, and/or quality in their respective categories. Their specialty nature derives from a combination of some or all of the following qualities: uniqueness, origin, processing method, design, limited supply, unusual application or use, extraordinary packaging, or channel of distribution/sales.”
Supplier: The individual or company that sells goods or services to another company; term often used synonymously with “vendor”
Target market: The section of the market, or group of people, to whom a company hopes to sell its product
Telemarketing: Using the phone to generate new sales or leads
Toque: The traditional chef’s hat
Vendor: Most of the time in the specialty food business, “vendor” will refer to companies you work with that supply you with ingredients and supplies. If you cater events, “vendor” could refer to a company you hire to provide a certain aspect of the event catering—such as a florist for flowers for the buffet table or confectioner who makes the cake if baking is not your specialty.
Vendor agreement: A legal contract between food business professional and vendor
Venue: A site for an event
Website: A group of related documents posted on the internet, usually accessed through a homepage