Kitchen Vocabulary

Introduction

This is a list of vocabulary items related to the kitchen, designed to help you better understand and navigate this essential space in your home.

Fitted Kitchen and Free-standing Kitchen

A fitted kitchen is one where all the units have been purchased together and assembled according to a plan. In contrast, a free-standing kitchen consists of units that are not necessarily bought together at one time.

Kitchen Vocabulary

1. Cupboards

Cupboards, or cabinets, can be found at either floor level or eye level.

Eye Level Cupboards

In the eye level cupboards, you might find dry goods (such as flour, sugar, rice, pasta, and spices), as well as glasses and crockery (plates, bowls, etc.).

Floor Level Cupboards

In the floor level cupboards, you will find various items such as:

• Pots and Pans: Different types of containers used for cooking food.
  • Pots: Round containers.
  • Pans: Includes saucepans for cooking pasta and frying pans for frying food.
  • Baking tins and roasting tins: Used for cooking food in the oven.
  • Serving dishes: Made from either glass or china.
• Kitchen Implements: Other tools such as a blender (used for breaking down foods or making smooth liquid substances) and kitchen scales (for measuring and weighing food).

Drawer Contents

There is often a drawer in the top part of a floor level cupboard, where various items are kept, such as:

• Cutlery (US: silverware) – knives, forks, and spoons.
• Aluminium foil (metal paper).
• Cling film (thin plastic wrap).
• Freezer bags.
• Bread knife.
• Tin opener.
• Corkscrew (to open bottles of wine).
• Potato peeler (to take the skin off potatoes).
• Rolling pin (to roll out pastry).

On the top of the floor level cupboards, you often find a worktop or work surface, where you can prepare food. These surfaces are sometimes made of marble or hardwood and are easily cleaned. Common items kept on these surfaces include a toaster, microwave, oil, salt, and various sauces.

2. Major Appliances

Cooker

In British English, it’s called a cooker; in American English, a stove. This large, box-shaped device is used to cook and heat food either by putting the food inside or on top. It operates with gas or electricity and often includes an oven and four rings.

Fridge

Also known as a refrigerator. This appliance uses electricity to preserve food at a cold temperature. A fridge-freezer (US: refrigerator-freezer) has two parts for preserving food, one being a fridge and the other a freezer.

Dishwasher

A machine that washes dirty plates, cups, forks, etc.

Sink

A water basin fixed to a wall or floor with a drainpipe and generally a piped supply of water.

3. Additional Features

Kitchen Table

Larger kitchens may also contain a kitchen table and chairs, allowing you to eat in the same room.

4. Cooking Utensils

A well-equipped kitchen includes various cooking utensils that assist in food preparation. Here are some essential ones:

Preparation Utensils

• Cutting Board: A flat surface for cutting and chopping food, typically made of wood, plastic, or bamboo.
• Chef’s Knife: A versatile, all-purpose knife for chopping, slicing, and dicing ingredients.
• Paring Knife: A small knife for peeling, trimming, and slicing small fruits and vegetables.
• Vegetable Peeler: A tool for removing the skin from fruits and vegetables.
• Grater: A tool for shredding cheese, vegetables, and other ingredients.
• Kitchen Shears: Scissors for cutting poultry, fish, herbs, and other ingredients.
• Mixing Bowls: Large, deep bowls for mixing ingredients.
• Measuring Cups and Spoons: Tools for measuring liquids and dry ingredients.
• Whisk: A tool for beating and mixing ingredients, typically made of metal wires.
• Spatula: A flat, flexible tool for flipping and turning food in a pan.
• Tongs: A tool for grasping and lifting food.
• Rolling Pin: A cylindrical tool for flattening dough for baking.
• Can Opener: A tool for opening cans.
• Colander: A bowl-shaped tool with holes for draining liquid from cooked food.

5. Cooking Methods

Understanding different cooking methods is essential for preparing various dishes:

• Boiling: Cooking food in a liquid that has reached its boiling point.
• Simmering: Cooking food in a liquid just below boiling point.
• Roasting: Cooking food using dry heat in an oven.
• Baking: Cooking food surrounded by hot air in an oven.
• Frying: Cooking food in hot oil.
• Sautéing: Cooking food quickly in a hot pan with oil.
• Steaming: Cooking food by exposing it to steam from boiling water.

6. Cleaning Tools

Keeping the kitchen clean is vital. Here are some common cleaning tools:

• Dishcloth: A cloth used for washing dishes.
• Sponge: Used for scrubbing and cleaning surfaces.
• Dish Brush: A brush with a handle used for scrubbing dishes.
• Scrub Brush: Used for cleaning tough stains on various surfaces.
• Mop and Bucket: Used for cleaning the floor.
• Dish Rack: A rack for drying dishes after they have been washed.

Conclusion

Having a thorough understanding of kitchen vocabulary can greatly enhance your cooking and kitchen management skills. By familiarizing yourself with these terms, you’ll be better equipped to navigate recipes, use kitchen tools effectively, and maintain a clean and organized kitchen.

Related Pages:

• Exercise on kitchen vocabulary.