Restaurant Jargon Now Out of Control

[Waitman]

it was bad enough when people started to "source" things instead of buying them -- "I sourced this Slurpee at the 7-11" -- and driving a truck to a farm became "foraging" (people who wander the woods looking for chanterelles are still encouraged to use the term).

The everything became a program. A wine program, a cocktail program. Having a sommeliere buy wine he or she thinks will please his customers is not enough, we must let our customers know that our wine person a ferocious manager, possibly with a clipboard and a whistle, assembling not a "cellar" or a "selection" or even a "list," but a program. If you apply and provide appropriate references, you might be admitted to the program yourself.

Don't get me started on "mixologist."

Now we have the combination of pretentious procurement language and MBA beverage management jargon: The rye room (another cliche, but a tasty one) at the coming Capella restaurant in Georgetown, will feature a “hand harvested ice program.”

Lord help us.

[DonRocks]

Now we have the combination of pretentious procurement language and MBA beverage management: The rye room (another cliche, but a tasty one) at the coming Capella restaurant in Georgetown, will feature a “hand harvested ice program.”

Lord help us.

I think this is a promising "concept."

[lovehockey]

A phrase that peeves me is "cooked to perfection". I would hope so, because I'm paying for it.

[darkstar965]

A phrase that peeves me is "cooked to perfection". I would hope so, because I'm paying for it.

Absolutely. Whenever I hear that, I think "And what exactly does that mean?" and "Whose perfection?" It has an implied arrogance.

[Ericandblueboy]

Absolutely. Whenever I hear that, I think "And what exactly does that mean?" and "Whose perfection?" It has an implied arrogance.

What's so arrogant about saying something is cooked to perfection? Whether something tastes good is very subjective, but give a certain dish, how it ought to be cooked is fairly objective. One of the most important criteria about judging food is understanding whether something is properly cooked.

[darkstar965]

What's so arrogant about saying something is cooked to perfection? Whether something tastes good is very subjective, but give a certain dish, how it ought to be cooked is fairly objective. One of the most important criteria about judging food is understanding whether something is properly cooked.

Slightly different view here. Context matters. And this is just my own view which may well be different from what lovehockey has in mind about the term being a "pet peeve".

While I agree wholeheartedly with your closing sentence, to me the standard is the understanding and that is not the same as requiring (or even assuming) that every customer should thus be required to have all dishes cooked "properly" without checking for any informed preferences.

As example, I do think it important for people to know that a fine piece of fresh wild salmon is best cooked to a medium rare. Likewise with a truly exceptional steak. I'd even say they should try it that way at least once so they know and can then develop a palate based on experience.

But where maybe we diverge is I think whatever a customer wants (so long as not an unreasonable burden for a kitchen) should trump whatever is "proper," and particularly so if the customer fully knows what "proper" is but has a different preference. We all dine out to enjoy whatever food we order. If our informed preferences go a bit astray from the normal standard for a dish and the restaurant can easily accommodate, then IMHO, they should. Rather than a waiter not asking and then bringing something declared "cooked to perfection" to the table, I much prefer the waiter who uses language like "The chef recommends that X be cooked to medium rare for best results. Will that be okay?" To me, the former is mildly arrogant whereas the latter is hospitable, empathetic and customer focused.

[Mark Slater]

A phrase that peeves me is "cooked to perfection". I would hope so, because I'm paying for it.

That phrase is just asking for trouble. Perfection is relative and subjective. The term Charles left out of the original post concerning beverage programs is "curated". Another annoying word.

[deangold]

What's so arrogant about saying something is cooked to perfection? Whether something tastes good is very subjective, but give a certain dish, how it ought to be cooked is fairly objective. One of the most important criteria about judging food is understanding whether something is properly cooked.

Sous Vide can be done properly or not. Never can it be "dome to perfection" if perfection actually has a meaning other than following instructions.

[Ericandblueboy]

Wasn 't paying close attention last night. I was thinking "cooked to perfection" in the context of a review, not what a waiter would say to a diner. I would think that statement is already implied when you go to a restaurant and saying so is redundant and an empty promise.

[DonRocks]

Wasn 't paying close attention last night. I was thinking "cooked to perfection" in the context of a review, not what a waiter would say to a diner. I would think that statement is already implied when you go to a restaurant and saying so is redundant and an empty promise.

While I agree, I'd also point out that "cooked to perfection" predates the internet, so may get some type of grandfather clause.

[johnb]

Wasn 't paying close attention last night. I was thinking "cooked to perfection" in the context of a review, not what a waiter would say to a diner. I would think that statement is already implied when you go to a restaurant and saying so is redundant and an empty promise.

It's just meaningless puffery. What else would they say: "We cooked this dish and maybe it's OK and maybe it isn't?" "Cooked until done" "Cooked, not raw" Personally, when I see stuff like that on a menu, I assume I'm in at best a mid-level place or worse, not a truly serious one. Great restaurants, not to mention any type of business, don't need to make a written claim they have done what it is automatically expected they have done. Statements like that are most likely to be found on Applebee's or Cracker Barrel's menu, not in places where one ought to find oneself.

[Waitman]

Not to quibble, but "cooked to perfection" isn't jargon, though it is perhaps a cliche (or, at my house, standard operating procedure ). Jargon, when deployed, carries with it an extra dollop of pretense which appears to make the deployer feel more comfortable charging you an extra few dollars, and/or lording his or her culinary superiority over you. Cliches are (to me) annoying on a much lower level, and easily ignored.

Mr. Slater, a gentleman whose wine program I'd be tempted to join even if he called it that, had the correct idea with "curated."

[darkstar965]

Not to quibble, but "cooked to perfection" isn't jargon, though it is perhaps a cliche (or, at my house, standard operating procedure ). Jargon, when deployed, carries with it an extra dollop of pretense which appears to make the deployer feel more comfortable charging you an extra few dollars, and/or lording his or her culinary superiority over you. Cliches are (to me) annoying on a much lower level, and easily ignored.

Mr. Slater, a gentleman whose wine program I'd be tempted to join even if he called it that, had the correct idea with "curated."

Pretense. That's where I was going with "arrogance" up in posts 4 and 6. The context is key since mine was different from Eric's but in the context of a waiter using the term with a customer, it can be very pretentious though not cliched. With you on "curated," a marketing term intended to "elevate" the perceived sophistication (and thus value and price) of whatever is being sold by likening it to the Louvre, MoMA or Te Papa.

[qwertyy]

I'm agnostic about the issue as I've spent my evening roasting off some local product for my two-top.

[jiveturk21]

I'm not sure if this fits into this thread or not, but I am getting sick and tired of servers coming to the table and saying, "I have a wonderful blah blah blah for you tonight."

First of all, they don't have shit, the restaurant has it. Secondly, this has gotten so out of control that traffic reporters on the radio are now saying the same thing. "I have a backup on 66 eastbound." Give me a break!

[Michael Landrum]

I believe this perfectly expresses the dilemma, and a perfectly reasonable solution:

[MsDiPesto]

Curated is especially annoying when used by, say, a DJ, who announces that he has "curated" the audio program. OK Dude, you picked out some songs to play, just say that. I curate my iTunes playlist.