Mise en place your vocabulary with these culinary gems.
Cutting vegetables into thin, matchstick-sized strips because apparently the shape of a carrot matters. It's the knife skill that separates professional chefs from people who own a mandoline and a collection of band-aids.
The natural juices from cooked meat, served as a light sauce. Not to be confused with gravy, because jus is French and therefore fancier, thinner, and three times the price. Ordering something 'au jus' makes you sound worldly even at Arby's.
When a line cook temporarily helps another station that's drowning in tickets, because teamwork supposedly matters more than your own impending disaster. The kitchen's version of cross-training under fire.
A fancy French term for diced mixed vegetables served as a garnish, proving that everything sounds more sophisticated with an accent and an extra 'e'. Originally referring to ornamental flower pots (hence the name meaning 'female gardener'), it now describes the vegetable medley that makes your protein look less lonely on the plate. The culinary equivalent of putting flowers around the main event.
A drink (usually whiskey-based) served over crushed ice with mint, consumed on hot days or during horse races. It's not culinary, but bartenders use the term constantly.