French and English Words in Cuisine

French and English share many words related to cooking and eating due to historical influences, particularly the Norman Conquest and the strong ties between French and English culinary traditions. Here’s a list of similar or identical words in both languages, grouped by category:

Ingredients

Banane - Banana
Chocolat - Chocolate
Orange - Orange
Vanille - Vanilla
Tomate - Tomato
Caramel - Caramel
Café - Coffee
Fromage - Cheese (related but not identical pronunciation)

Cooking Techniques

Griller - Grill
Pocher - Poach
Rôtir - Roast
Sauter - Sauté
Mariner - Marinate
Fumer - Smoke
Caraméliser - Caramelize

Cooking Utensils

Spatule - Spatula
Four - Oven (though “four” is pronounced differently in French)
Grille - Grill or Grate
Casserole - Saucepan or Dish (casserole in English)
Moulin - Mill (e.g., pepper mill)

Cooking Measurements

Gramme - Gram
Litre - Liter
Kilogramme - Kilogram
Cuillère - Spoon (as in “tablespoon” or “teaspoon”)

Meals and Dining

Menu - Menu
Plat - Plate/Dish
Dessert - Dessert
Salade - Salad
Buffet - Buffet
Soupe - Soup
Baguette - Baguette

Food Preparation

Purée - Purée
Crème - Cream
Beurre - Butter (similar to “butter” in shape but not pronunciation)
Pâte - Dough/Pasta
Confiture - Jam/Preserve
Sauce - Sauce
Farine - Flour (related to “farina” in older English usage)

Descriptions of Food

Délicieux - Delicious
Riche - Rich
Sucré - Sugary/Sweet
Épicé - Spicy
Croquant - Crunchy

Beverages

Thé - Tea
Vin - Wine
Limonade - Lemonade
Champagne - Champagne

Similar Concepts or Phrases

Bon appétit! - Enjoy your meal! (used internationally in English as well)
À la carte - Per the menu (directly adopted into English dining terminology)
Entrée - In French, “starter,” but in American English, it means “main course.”
Chef - Chef (short for “chef de cuisine” in French)

Why These Words Are Similar

Many culinary terms come from French, reflecting France’s historic influence on haute cuisine.
Loanwords entered English during the Norman period and were retained, especially in formal or culinary contexts.
Some words evolved to have slightly different meanings in the two languages (e.g., “entrée”).

These shared terms can make it easier to navigate French recipes and menus, especially for English speakers who love cooking and eating!

Paris Yank

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