Cooktionary

At Ko, Mr. Peter Serpico in the background

Has your chef ever come home uttering the words of a kitchen? Your face tilts to the side and you squint your eyes as your face says "huh?" and he says something about a low-boy. Low-boy, what's that? Sounds like some kind of adolescent boy hired to run around the kitchen sweeping up purple Peruvian potato skins. But really it's a little fridge kept beLOW the counter height to store sauces and other things needed to easy access during service. (right, Erik?)

I'm beginning to pick up and even apply the kitchen lingo to real life, now. At Momofuku Ko I totally spotted the salamander right away. No, not a slimy amphibian from a pond, but a its kinda like a heat lamp - except it is used to cook food, not just heat it. . It applies heat food from above. (again- right, Erik?) Chang is rocking a gas salamander which is apparently better than the electric version.



Plus you can't forget the phrases they use during the dinner service rush. "in the weeds", "86'd" and "going down".



Recognize any of theses kitchen terms? If you can't then consider yourself lucky-maybe you chef talks about other things, things from real life, when he comes home.

• Ninth Pan or nine pan
• flat top
• robot coupe
• vita prep
• walk in
• tasting spoon
• santoku
• bain marie
• mise en place
• quenelle

There are definitely differences in kitchenspeak between different schools of cookery. Since Erik has mainly worked for the JG corp during his cheffing career that's the main one that he (and I) know.

DCW_NYC
-Hilary-