NSSCO Hospitality 6156 key terms

A nutrient the body needs in large amounts to supply energy and build tissue: carbohydrate, protein and fat. Each contributes a different number of kilojoules per gram and appears in most meals on a menu.

A vitamin or mineral required only in small quantities for health, such as vitamin C or iron. These do not supply energy but support body functions, and they are easily lost through careless preparation or overcooking.

A pattern of eating that supplies all essential nutrients in the right proportions, with plenty of vegetables and fruit, starchy staples, moderate protein foods and limited fats and sugars. It is the standard against which a menu is judged.

The energy a resting body uses just to stay alive, covering breathing, circulation and cell activity. It depends on age, sex, body size and muscle mass, and it forms the largest part of most people's daily energy needs.

The total kilojoules a person needs each day, made up of basal metabolism plus physical activity and the energy used to digest food. Caterers use it to judge portion size and the suitability of a dish for a target group.

An illness caused by a shortage of a particular nutrient over time, such as scurvy from lack of vitamin C or anaemia from lack of iron. Recognising these conditions helps a caterer understand why certain foods must appear regularly on a menu.

The extent to which vitamins survive storage, preparation and cooking. Water-soluble vitamins leach into soaking or boiling water and are destroyed by heat, so quick cooking and minimal water protect them.

Official advice on healthy eating, such as eating more vegetables and less salt, sugar and saturated fat. Caterers apply these guidelines when planning menus for schools, hospitals and workplace canteens.

Heat transfer by direct contact, as when a pan heats food sitting against its base or a hot solid passes heat through a joint of meat. It is the slowest of the three heat transfer methods.

Heat transfer through a moving current of liquid or gas, such as hot air in an oven or simmering water around food. Fan ovens use forced convection to cook faster and more evenly than still ovens.

Heat transfer by invisible waves that do not need a medium, as in grilling, where infrared energy browns the surface of food. It acts quickly on the outside while the inside cooks more slowly.

A cooking method that uses water, steam or stock as the cooking medium, including boiling, poaching, steaming and stewing. These methods suit tough or delicate foods and help retain moisture.

A cooking method that uses hot air, hot fat or a hot surface without added liquid, such as roasting, grilling, baking and shallow frying. It produces browning and crispness through the Maillard reaction.

A technique that uses both dry and moist heat in sequence, such as braising or pot roasting, where food is browned first and then simmered with liquid. This tenderises tough cuts while building flavour.

The browning that occurs when amino acids and sugars react under dry heat, giving roast meat, toast and fried food their colour and savoury flavour. It begins at roughly 140 to 165 degrees Celsius.

The browning of sugar when heated, producing colour and a toffee flavour without protein. It explains why onions and sugar syrups darken during cooking and why overheated sugar turns bitter.

Briefly cooking food in boiling water and then cooling it quickly in iced water. It sets colour, loosens skins, removes strong flavours and prepares vegetables for freezing or later reheating.

The temperature range roughly between 5 and 63 degrees Celsius in which bacteria multiply fastest. Food should spend as little time as possible in this range during preparation, holding and cooling.

The transfer of harmful bacteria or allergens from one food, surface or utensil to another, for example when raw chicken juices drip onto salad. Separate boards, knives and storage prevent it.

Keeping food at temperatures that prevent harmful bacterial growth, using refrigeration below 5 degrees Celsius and hot holding above 63 degrees Celsius. It also covers accurate probe checks and recording readings.

A board whose colour signals the food group it is reserved for, commonly red for raw meat, blue for raw fish and green for vegetables. The system reduces cross-contamination between raw and ready-to-eat foods.

Bringing previously cooked food back to a safe serving temperature, which must reach at least 74 degrees Celsius and be reheated only once. Food must be cooled quickly before storage and never warmed slowly.

The practices that keep food safe from contamination, including clean hands, clean equipment, correct storage and pest control. It covers personal, kitchen and food handling habits rather than only visible dirt.

The cleaning and disinfecting of surfaces, equipment and utensils to reduce microorganisms to a safe level. It normally follows cleaning with detergent and is essential after contact with raw animal foods.

A cover is one guest served at a table; a cover charge is a fixed amount added to the bill for each guest, often for bread or table setting. Covers are the basic unit for measuring restaurant trade.

A formal service style in which food is presented on a serving dish and transferred to the guest's plate from the left with a spoon and fork. Plates are placed and cleared from the right.

Service in which dishes are finished or carved at a trolley beside the table, such as flambeing or tossing a salad. It adds theatre and requires skilled waiting staff and suitable equipment.

The French term for having everything in its place before service: ingredients prepared, equipment ready and stations stocked. It reduces delays and errors once guests begin to arrive.

The electronic till and software that record orders, send them to the kitchen and produce bills. It tracks sales by item and supports stock control, pricing decisions and management reports.

Suggesting a larger portion, an extra course or a premium item to a guest to increase the value of the sale. It must be honest and helpful rather than pushy to protect the guest experience.

The percentage of available rooms that are sold over a given period, calculated as rooms sold divided by rooms available. It is a core measure of how well accommodation is performing.

Total room revenue divided by the number of rooms sold, showing the average price achieved per occupied room. Read with occupancy, it reveals whether discounting is filling rooms profitably.

Total room revenue divided by the number of rooms available, combining price and occupancy into one figure. It allows fair comparison between hotels of different sizes and seasons.

The form a guest completes at check-in with name, address, contact details and payment method. It confirms identity, supports legal guest records and creates the basis of the guest account.

The running account of a guest's charges and payments during a stay, covering room, meals and extras. It is settled at check-out and must match the point of sale records.

An evening housekeeping visit in which the bed is opened, curtains drawn and towels refreshed. It is offered in upmarket hotels to prepare the room for sleep and signal attentive service.

A mobile cart stocked with clean linen, amenities, cleaning chemicals and a refuse bag. It must be arranged safely and never left blocking corridors or fire exits.

Thorough periodic cleaning of areas missed in daily work, such as behind furniture, under beds, curtains and light fittings. It is scheduled by a cleaning plan rather than done by chance.

A documented formula listing exact ingredients, quantities, method, portion size and yield for a dish. It ensures consistency, supports costing and allows any trained cook to reproduce the item.

Serving a consistent, specified amount of each item to every guest. It controls cost, keeps nutrition predictable and prevents complaints about uneven servings.

The usable quantity or number of portions a recipe produces after trimming, evaporation and cooking losses. Knowing yield prevents overbuying and underpricing of dishes.

Food cost divided by food sales, expressed as a percentage, showing how much of each sales unit is spent on ingredients. It is compared with a target to judge menu pricing and purchasing.

Sales revenue minus the direct cost of the food or drink sold, before overheads such as rent and wages. It measures the margin a menu or outlet generates to cover running costs.

Designing a menu that balances nutrition, cost, seasonality, equipment and guest expectations while avoiding repetition. It determines purchasing, staffing and the overall profitability of the operation.

A menu offering a set meal at a fixed price, with limited or no choice within each course. It simplifies purchasing and production and is common in hotels and function catering.

A menu on which every dish is priced and ordered separately, allowing free choice of courses and items. It demands more stock and skill but offers guests flexibility and higher spend.

A written description of the quality, size, grade and packaging a buyer expects for a particular item. It lets suppliers quote accurately and gives a clear standard for checking deliveries.

The procedure for checking delivered goods against the order and specification for quantity, quality and temperature before signing. It is the point where stock records and supplier claims begin.

Storing and using stock so that older items are used first, commonly by the first-in-first-out rule. It reduces waste and spoilage and keeps storeroom records accurate.