entremets

Definition

The French invented this to prove that one course per dish was pedestrian. A savory side or delicate dessert served between major courses, entremets exists purely to extend your dinner into a three-hour philosophical experience and justify those $300 tasting menus. It's culinary theater disguised as necessity.

Example Usage

After the fish course arrived an entremets of candied root vegetables that cost more than a decent bottle of wine—and it was gone in three bites.

Source: Classic French cuisine, Escoffier tradition

Related Terms

Intermediate

throw it in the fuck-it bucket

The philosophical moment when you stop caring about perfection and accept that a dish or situation is beyond salvation. Usually occurs around hour twelve of a double shift.

🍳 Food / Culinary

Advanced

grosse piece

A large, dramatic centerpiece for a buffet or display, often a whole animal or elaborate construction. It's basically food architecture designed to impress before anyone takes a bite.

🍳 Food / Culinary

Advanced

Béarnaise

A hollandaise variant made with tarragon, shallots, and red wine reduction instead of just lemon juice; hollandaise's more sophisticated older sibling who studied abroad.

🍳 Food / Culinary

Intermediate

cluttons

The chaotic jumble of mismatched kitchen utensils living in that one drawer everyone has—wooden spoons, whisks, mystery tools, and at least three things you've never used but can't throw away. It's where culinary organization goes to die a slow, tangled death.

🍳 Food / Culinary

Advanced

run the pass

To take charge of the expediting station, coordinating timing and quality control for all dishes leaving the kitchen. The conductor's podium of the culinary orchestra, where reputations are made or destroyed.

🍳 Food / Culinary

Advanced

Flambé

Setting food on fire at the table for dramatic effect and/or to burn off alcohol. It's cooking's answer to a magic show, minus the actual magic and plus occasional eyebrow loss.

🍳 Food / Culinary

Translate This Term

See “entremets” in Corporate Speak, Gen-Z Slang, Pirate Speak, and more.

Try the Translator

Share This Term

Post on X Share on Facebook Share on LinkedIn

Discover a Term

Beginner

Squeeze Page

A minimal landing page focused entirely on capturing email addresses, stripping away everything but the value propositio...