eighty-six

Definition

To run out of an ingredient or dish, removing it from availability faster than you can say 'sorry, we're out.' Also used as a verb meaning to get rid of something or someone.

Example Usage

Eighty-six the salmon—just sold the last one.

Origin

Various theories including Delmonico's Restaurant code or rhyming slang for 'nix'

Fun Fact

Some claim it originated from Article 86 of the New York State Liquor Code, which covers refused service.

Source: American restaurant industry slang

Related Terms

Intermediate

supreming

The delicate process of removing citrus segments from their membranes, leaving you with perfect naked fruit wedges. Named 'supreme' because you'll feel like a culinary god when you finally master it without wasting half the fruit.

🍳 Food / Culinary

Intermediate

parcooked

Partially cooked food that's stopped mid-process to finish later, allowing restaurants to serve dishes quickly without sacrificing quality. The meal prep secret that makes 'cooked to order' actually feasible during rush.

🍳 Food / Culinary

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Palate Cleanser

A small, neutral-flavored bite served between courses to reset your taste buds. Usually a tiny sorbet that exists to remind you that you're eating at a place where meals have 'courses' and your credit card is about to have a really bad night.

🍳 Food / Culinary

Beginner

mirepoix

The holy trinity of French cooking: diced onions, carrots, and celery in a 2:1:1 ratio, sweated down to build flavor foundations. The aromatic base that makes everything taste better without stealing the spotlight.

🍳 Food / Culinary

Intermediate

Mise en Place

The French culinary philosophy of having everything in its place before you start cooking. Basically what your mom told you to do before starting any project, but in French so it sounds professional and costs $40,000 in culinary school tuition.

🍳 Food / Culinary

Beginner

Crudite

Raw vegetables arranged on a platter, which is literally just a veggie tray from the grocery store but spoken in French so you can serve it at a dinner party without shame. Add a ramekin of hummus and suddenly you're 'hosting.'

🍳 Food / Culinary

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