Glossary
Hospo words: M
40 terms you'll hear on shift.
- Macchiato
- Espresso marked with a small spoonful of milk foam.
- Macédoine
- A dice of roughly 5mm, larger than brunoise, used for vegetable salads and garnishes.
- Magnum
- A 1.5 litre bottle, equal to two standard bottles. Wine is said to age more slowly in large formats.
- Maillard reaction
- The browning reaction between amino acids and sugars above roughly 140C that creates the savoury flavours of crusts, roasted coffee and toast.
- Main course
- The central course of a meal.
- Maître d'
- Head of the front of house who manages bookings and seating.
- Malolactic fermentation
- A secondary fermentation in which bacteria convert sharp malic acid into softer lactic acid, giving creamier wines. Most reds and many Chardonnays go through it.
- Managed house
- A pub run by an employed manager for a company.
- Mandoline
- A slicer with an adjustable blade for very thin, even slices. A guard is essential.
- Mark-up
- The multiple applied to a wine's cost price to set its list price. Restaurants often use a sliding scale, with cash margin rising and percentage margin falling on dearer bottles.
- Marking the table
- Setting the correct cutlery for the next course in front of each guest after the previous course is cleared.
- Martyn's Law
- The UK law requiring certain venues and events to prepare for terrorist attacks, with duties scaled by capacity.
- Mezcal
- An agave spirit, often made by roasting agave hearts in earth pits, giving a smoky character. Tequila is technically a type of mezcal.
- Mezze
- Eastern Mediterranean and Middle Eastern small dishes served together.
- MICE
- Meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions, the business events travel segment.
- Microfoam
- Finely textured steamed milk with tiny, glossy bubbles, needed for latte art.
- Mignardises
- Small sweets served with coffee at the end of a meal, overlapping with petits fours.
- Mild
- A traditionally dark, malty and low-strength English ale, once the most popular beer in Britain.
- Milk punch
- A clarified punch where milk curdles with acidic ingredients and is strained out, leaving a silky, shelf-stable drink.
- Mince
- Chopping very finely, as with garlic or herbs. In butchery it also means meat put through a grinder.
- Minibar
- An in-room fridge of drinks and snacks. Many hotels now offer free or simplified minibars because checking them is costly.
- Minimum spend
- The amount a client must spend on food and drink to secure a space, with any shortfall charged.
- Minor variation
- A simplified process for small changes to a premises licence that will not affect the licensing objectives.
- Mirepoix
- Diced onion, carrot and celery, the aromatic base of French stocks, sauces and braises. Cut size depends on how long it will cook.
- Mise
- Short for mise en place.
- Mise check
- A walk around stations before service to make sure everything is prepped.
- Mise en place
- Everything prepped and in its place before service begins.
- Mise en place (FOH)
- The front of house equivalent of kitchen prep: polished glassware and cutlery, laid tables, stocked stations and briefed staff.
- Mixed gas
- A blend of carbon dioxide and nitrogen used to dispense stouts and smooth beers, giving a creamy head.
- Mixing glass
- A heavy glass vessel for stirring spirit-forward drinks over ice, such as Martinis and Manhattans.
- Mixologist
- A bartender specialising in cocktails.
- Mobile check-in
- Checking in to a hotel via an app or link before arrival.
- Modifier
- An option added to an item on the POS, such as no onions or medium rare.
- Monter au beurre
- Finishing a sauce by swirling in cold butter at the end, giving gloss, body and richness. Done just before service so the sauce does not break.
- Mother sauces
- Classic base sauces in French cooking.
- Motorway services
- Roadside service areas offering food, fuel and rest facilities.
- Muddle
- Crushing ingredients in a glass.
- Mystery diner
- Anonymous inspector of service.
Hospodality