# Hospodality — Iconic dishes, from the pass Source: https://www.hospodality.com · hello@hospodality.com ## Dishes (260) ### British classics #### Sunday roast The weekly ritual of British pubs: roast meat, roast potatoes, seasonal veg, Yorkshire pudding and gravy. At volume, joints are cooked the day before or early morning, rested and carved to order or portioned into hot holding, while potatoes are parboiled, roughed up and roasted in batches through service. It goes wrong when potatoes sit too long and go leathery, gravy skins over, or the kitchen runs out of beef at two o'clock. Front of house should know which joints remain, push early bookings, and sell the extra Yorkshire and cauliflower cheese side. - Key components: roast meat, roast potatoes, seasonal veg, Yorkshire pudding, gravy - Common allergens: gluten, egg and milk in Yorkshires; celery and sulphites possible in gravy; check the recipe - Kitchen section: roast and veg stations, with a dedicated carvery or pass carver #### Yorkshire pudding A batter of egg, milk and flour baked in smoking-hot fat until it rises into a crisp, hollow cup. Kitchens make batter the night before and rest it, then bake in tins in fat at very high heat, cycling trays every twenty minutes on a Sunday. Failures are flat puddings from cool fat or a crowded oven door, and soggy bases from being held too long under lamps. Many pubs now serve them with every roast, not just beef, and the floor can sell a giant Yorkshire filled with sausages or stew as a main. - Key components: eggs, milk, plain flour, beef dripping or oil - Common allergens: gluten, egg, milk; check the recipe - Kitchen section: roast or oven station #### Fish and chips Battered white fish, usually cod or haddock, deep-fried and served with thick-cut chips, mushy peas, tartare and lemon. Pros use cold, lightly carbonated batter, dredge the fish first, and fry at around 180C in clean oil, with chips blanched in advance and finished to order. Service problems are pale or greasy batter from overloaded fryers, fish steaming under the lamp, and tired oil. Servers should know the species, the sustainability story and whether the fryer is shared, and they upsell curry sauce, pickled onions and a pint. - Key components: white fish, batter, potatoes, frying fat, peas - Common allergens: fish, gluten; possibly milk or egg in batter, mustard and egg in tartare; check the recipe - Kitchen section: fry station #### Full English breakfast The cooked breakfast plate: bacon, sausage, eggs, beans, tomato, mushrooms, black pudding and toast or fried bread. Kitchens par-cook sausages and black pudding, hold beans hot, and cook eggs and bacon to order on the flat-top. It falls apart when eggs wait for slow sausages, beans run into everything, or a vegetarian swap is cooked on the meat griddle without warning. Front of house sells by egg style, toast choice and add-ons like extra hash browns, and must know which items have gluten or are cooked alongside meat. - Key components: bacon, sausages, eggs, beans, tomato, mushrooms, black pudding, toast - Common allergens: gluten in sausages, black pudding and toast; egg; possibly sulphites; check the recipe - Kitchen section: breakfast griddle and flat-top #### Beef Wellington Fillet of beef seared, wrapped in mushroom duxelles and often ham or a pancake, then encased in puff pastry and baked. Kitchens build Wellingtons ahead, chill them hard so the pastry stays crisp, and bake to a probe temperature before resting and slicing. The classic failure is a soggy base from wet duxelles or under-chilling, and uneven doneness when portions are inconsistent. It is a showpiece: servers sell it for two, carved at the table, with the cooking time flagged at order so guests aren't surprised by a thirty-minute wait. - Key components: beef fillet, mushroom duxelles, ham, puff pastry, egg wash - Common allergens: gluten, egg, milk in pastry; possibly mustard; check the recipe - Kitchen section: roast and larder for assembly #### Shepherd's pie and cottage pie Minced meat in gravy topped with mashed potato and baked until browned. Shepherd's pie is lamb, cottage pie is beef, and guests notice if you get it wrong. Kitchens make the filling in bulk, cool and portion into dishes, pipe mash and bake or regenerate to order. Problems are a runny base from under-reduced filling, a pale top, or a cold centre after reheating. Servers can sell it as proper comfort food, mention the meat, and pair with buttered greens or a red; it is a strong winter lunch special. - Key components: lamb or beef mince, onion, carrot, stock, mashed potato - Common allergens: milk in mash; celery, gluten and sulphites possible in gravy; check the recipe - Kitchen section: sauce or hot section, oven #### Scotch egg A boiled egg wrapped in sausage meat, breaded and deep-fried. Pub kitchens aim for a jammy yolk, which means precise boiling, an ice bath, careful peeling and even meat coating before crumbing and frying, then a short oven finish. Things go wrong with split meat, overcooked grey yolks, or a cold middle. Many places make them in batches and serve warm with brown sauce or mustard mayo. Behind the bar they are an easy upsell with a pint, and servers should ask if the guest wants it served warm or cold. - Key components: egg, sausage meat, flour, egg wash, breadcrumbs - Common allergens: egg, gluten; mustard possible in seasoning; check the recipe - Kitchen section: larder for prep, fry station to finish #### Ploughman's lunch A cold plate of cheese, ham or pork pie, pickle, pickled onion, apple, salad and crusty bread with butter. It is pure larder work: everything is portioned in advance and plated to order, so it is a great dish for a stretched kitchen. It fails when the cheese is fridge-cold and sweating, the bread is stale, or the plate looks like a supermarket afterthought. Good versions name the cheesemakers' regions and make their own chutney. Servers sell it as a light pub lunch and pair it with cider or a bitter. - Key components: hard cheese, ham or pork pie, chutney, pickles, apple, bread, butter - Common allergens: milk, gluten; mustard and sulphites in pickles possible; check the recipe - Kitchen section: larder or cold section #### Sticky toffee pudding A light date sponge soaked in toffee sauce and served warm with cream, custard or vanilla ice cream. Kitchens bake trays, portion and reheat with sauce in the oven or microwave, with sauce made in bulk and held warm. Failures are dry sponge from over-reheating, sauce that splits or crystallises, and a lukewarm middle. It is the most reliable dessert seller in British hospitality, so servers should mention it early, offer the choice of accompaniment, and suggest a sweet wine or a dessert-style stout alongside. - Key components: dates, flour, butter, sugar, eggs, toffee sauce - Common allergens: gluten, egg, milk; check the recipe - Kitchen section: pastry, with hot dessert finishing on the pass #### Eton mess Crushed meringue, whipped cream and strawberries, sometimes with a fruit coulis. It is assembled to order from components made ahead, which makes it easy at volume. It goes wrong when assembled too early, so the meringue dissolves into a sweet puddle, or when cream is over-whipped and grainy. In summer it is a natural seller tied to the British strawberry season, and kitchens rotate fruits through the year. Servers can mention it is naturally gluten-free in most recipes, while confirming the meringue and any garnish. - Key components: meringue, double cream, strawberries, coulis - Common allergens: egg, milk; usually no gluten but check the recipe - Kitchen section: pastry or cold dessert section #### Haggis, neeps and tatties Scotland's national dish: sheep's offal, oatmeal, onion, suet and spices cooked in a casing, served with mashed swede and potato and often a whisky sauce. Most kitchens buy haggis from a specialist butcher and steam or bake it, focusing their effort on the mash and sauce. Problems are dry, crumbly haggis from overcooking and an underseasoned neeps mash. It peaks around Burns Night in January. Servers can explain what is in it without scaring anyone, offer the vegetarian version, and suggest a dram. - Key components: haggis, swede, potato, butter, whisky sauce - Common allergens: gluten in oatmeal, milk in mash and sauce; possibly celery; check the recipe - Kitchen section: hot section #### Welsh rarebit Toast topped with a thick sauce of cheese, ale or milk, mustard and Worcestershire sauce, grilled until bubbling. Kitchens make the rarebit mix in bulk, chill it as a spreadable paste, and grill to order. It fails when the mix splits into grease, the toast goes soggy, or it is pale and underblistered. It works as a bar snack, a savoury course or a lunch with a poached egg on top, sometimes called a buck rarebit. Servers sell it with a pint and should flag the ale for anyone avoiding alcohol. - Key components: hard cheese, ale or milk, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, bread - Common allergens: milk, gluten, mustard, fish in Worcestershire sauce, possibly sulphites; check the recipe - Kitchen section: grill or larder #### Lancashire hotpot Lamb or mutton slowly baked with onions under overlapping slices of potato that turn crisp at the top and soft underneath. Kitchens cook it in large trays, then portion, or bake individual pots for presentation. It goes wrong when the potato top is pale or the meat is tough from rushing the cook. It is a winter classic, and many kitchens serve it with pickled red cabbage. Servers should describe the slow cook, push it as a hearty lunch, and pair it with a northern bitter or a rustic red. - Key components: lamb, onions, potatoes, stock, butter - Common allergens: milk in butter; celery and gluten possible in stock or thickening; check the recipe - Kitchen section: hot section and oven #### Cornish pasty A shortcrust or rough puff pastry crimped around beef skirt, potato, swede and onion, baked from raw so the filling steams inside. The protected name means only pasties made in Cornwall to the traditional recipe can be called Cornish pasties, so menus elsewhere should say pasty or Cornish-style. Bakeries make them in batches; the risk is an undercooked filling or a burst seam. Servers sell them as a portable lunch and can offer gravy or brown sauce, while noting the pepper-heavy seasoning. - Key components: beef skirt, potato, swede, onion, pastry - Common allergens: gluten, possibly milk and egg in pastry or glaze; check the recipe - Kitchen section: pastry or bakery #### Ulster fry Northern Ireland's cooked breakfast, distinguished by soda farls and potato bread fried in the pan alongside bacon, sausages, eggs, tomato and black or white pudding. Kitchens cook the breads on the griddle in fat so they crisp without burning, holding sausages and puddings par-cooked. It fails when the breads are greasy or pale and when eggs overcook waiting for the plate. Servers should explain the farls to visitors and know which components contain gluten, which is nearly all the bread side. - Key components: soda farl, potato bread, bacon, sausage, eggs, pudding, tomato - Common allergens: gluten, milk, egg; check the recipe - Kitchen section: breakfast griddle #### Bangers and mash Sausages with mashed potato, onion gravy and often peas. Kitchens par-cook sausages, finish on the grill or in the oven, and hold mash hot in a bain-marie with a film or butter seal. Problems are gluey mash from overworking, split sausages, and thin gravy. Good pubs name the butcher's sausage variety and make proper onion gravy. Servers can offer a choice of mash such as mustard or cheddar, and should know which sausages are gluten-free, as many contain rusk. - Key components: pork sausages, potatoes, butter, milk, onion gravy - Common allergens: gluten in rusk, milk; sulphites in sausages and possibly celery in gravy; check the recipe - Kitchen section: grill and hot section #### Toad in the hole Sausages baked in Yorkshire pudding batter so the batter rises around them. Kitchens brown sausages first, then pour rested batter into hot fat in individual tins or trays. It goes wrong when the batter is heavy and doughy beneath the sausages, or the tray sits and deflates. It is often served with onion gravy and greens. Servers can describe it as a Yorkshire pudding with sausages baked in, which helps visitors who think the name sounds alarming. - Key components: sausages, eggs, milk, flour, fat, onion gravy - Common allergens: gluten, egg, milk; sulphites possible; check the recipe - Kitchen section: oven and hot section #### Steak and ale pie Braised beef in ale gravy under a pastry lid, or fully encased in shortcrust. Kitchens braise in bulk, cool, portion into dishes and bake lids to order, or bake whole pies through service. A pie with just a puff lid on a bowl of stew annoys some guests, so menus should be honest. Failures are a soggy lid and a filling that is too thin. Servers should describe the pastry style, offer mash or chips, and note the alcohol in the gravy, which is cooked but still present. - Key components: beef chuck, ale, onions, stock, pastry - Common allergens: gluten, milk and egg in pastry; celery possible; check the recipe - Kitchen section: hot section, pastry #### Pie and mash with liquor A London working-class tradition: minced beef pie with mashed potato and a green parsley sauce known as liquor, often with stewed or jellied eels on the side. The pies are made in batches with a suet or shortcrust base and puff lid. Service is fast counter work. It goes wrong when the liquor is gloopy or the mash is lumpy. Front of house in modern venues should explain the liquor, which is parsley sauce traditionally made with eel stock, so check for fish. - Key components: minced beef, pastry, mash, parsley liquor - Common allergens: gluten, milk; fish if eel stock is used; check the recipe - Kitchen section: counter service from hot holding #### Bubble and squeak Leftover potato and cabbage or sprouts fried into a cake until browned. Kitchens mix mash and greens, form patties, chill and fry or griddle to order. It falls apart if the mix is too wet, and tastes of nothing if underseasoned. It is a brunch staple with a fried or poached egg and a natural way to use roast leftovers. Servers sell it as a hearty side or vegetarian brunch, checking that it was not fried in animal fat. - Key components: potato, cabbage or sprouts, butter, onion - Common allergens: milk; possibly gluten if dusted in flour; check the recipe - Kitchen section: griddle #### Kedgeree An Anglo-Indian dish of curried rice with smoked haddock, boiled egg, parsley and butter, traditionally eaten for breakfast. Kitchens poach fish in milk, cook rice in advance, and toss to order in a pan with spices and butter, topped with a soft egg. Problems are dry rice, too much salt from the smoked fish, and an overcooked egg. It sells well on brunch menus. Servers should mention the curry spicing is gentle and that fish, egg and milk are present. - Key components: smoked haddock, rice, eggs, curry spices, butter, parsley - Common allergens: fish, egg, milk; check the recipe - Kitchen section: hot section or brunch station #### Cullen skink A Scottish soup of smoked haddock, potatoes, onions and milk or cream. Kitchens make a base in bulk and finish with fresh flaked fish to order so it isn't stringy. It goes wrong when the soup splits from boiling, or the fish is overpowering. It is a winter starter or lunch with bread. Servers should mention the smoked fish, as some guests expect a mild chowder, and recommend it with buttered oatcakes or sourdough. - Key components: smoked haddock, potato, onion, milk, cream - Common allergens: fish, milk; check the recipe - Kitchen section: soup or hot section #### Beef and Yorkshire pudding carvery The carvery format serves roast meats from a heated counter with self-service veg and gravy. Kitchens keep several joints going, staggering cooking so fresh meat arrives through service. It goes wrong when trays run low and look picked over, or the meat dries out under heat lamps. The carver is front of house as much as kitchen, managing portion control and pace. Staff should explain allergen information for each tray, because self-service makes cross-contact more likely. - Key components: roasted joints, Yorkshire puddings, potatoes, veg, gravy - Common allergens: gluten, egg, milk in Yorkshires; celery possible in gravy; check the recipe - Kitchen section: carvery counter supported by roast section #### Gammon, egg and chips A thick gammon steak grilled and served with a fried egg or pineapple, chips and peas. Kitchens buy cured gammon steaks, snip the fat to stop curling, and grill to order. It goes wrong when the gammon is overcooked and salty-dry. It is a pub stalwart with an older crowd and an easy upsell to a double portion. Servers should ask egg or pineapple, or both, and know the cure contains nitrites if asked. - Key components: gammon steak, egg, pineapple, chips, peas - Common allergens: egg; check the recipe for sulphites and other additives in the cure - Kitchen section: grill and fry #### Chicken tikka masala Often described as a British curry-house invention, though origin claims vary: grilled marinated chicken in a creamy, mildly spiced tomato sauce. Curry-house kitchens use a base gravy, a spice mix and cream, finishing each portion in a pan in a few minutes. Failures are an oversweet sauce or chicken that is dry from double-cooking. It remains a top seller. Servers should explain spice level, mention nuts often feature, and recommend naan or pilau rice. - Key components: chicken tikka, tomato, onion, cream, spices - Common allergens: milk; nuts commonly used; possibly mustard; check the recipe - Kitchen section: tandoor and curry pans #### Coronation chicken Cold chicken in a curry-spiced mayonnaise with dried fruit, created for a mid-twentieth-century royal occasion. Kitchens make it in batches for sandwiches, jackets and salads. It goes wrong when overdressed and claggy or under-spiced. It sells in cafés, delis and afternoon teas. Staff should know that it contains egg in the mayonnaise and that recipes often include almonds. The best versions poach whole birds, pull the meat by hand and toast the spices before folding them through, rather than relying on raw curry powder. Label batches with time and date, keep them cold, and offer it as a jacket topping to move the last of a tub. - Key components: chicken, mayonnaise, curry powder, apricot or mango chutney - Common allergens: egg, mustard; nuts possible; check the recipe - Kitchen section: larder #### Pork pie Seasoned chopped pork in a hot-water crust pastry, filled with jelly after baking. Most venues buy from a specialist, though some larders make their own. It fails when the pastry is soft or the jelly hasn't set, leaving gaps. Pork pies are served cold with pickle and mustard, often on a ploughman's. Servers should know where it is made, as Melton Mowbray pies have a protected name. Staff can sell it as a bar snack. - Key components: pork, hot-water crust pastry, jelly - Common allergens: gluten; possibly egg in glaze; check the recipe - Kitchen section: larder #### Faggots and peas Meatballs made from pork offal, belly and breadcrumbs, wrapped in caul fat and braised in gravy, served with mushy peas. It is a revived Black Country and Welsh classic. Kitchens make in batches, braise and hold in gravy. It fails when the texture is too dense or the offal flavour is too strong. Servers should describe it honestly as a savoury liver-rich meatball and suggest it to curious guests. Served with a pint of bitter it is cheap to make and earns a good margin. - Key components: pig's liver, pork belly, breadcrumbs, onion, gravy, peas - Common allergens: gluten; celery and sulphites possible; check the recipe - Kitchen section: hot section #### Potted shrimps Small brown shrimps preserved in spiced butter with mace and nutmeg, served with toast. Kitchens buy peeled shrimps, warm them in clarified butter, pot and chill. Failures are grainy butter or overpowering spice. It is a classic starter and pairs well with a crisp white. Servers should note the shellfish allergen clearly. Pots keep for several days under their butter seal, which makes them ideal for a small kitchen with uneven trade. Serve them just below room temperature so the butter softens, with hot brown toast and a lemon wedge, and suggest a glass of Muscadet or a dry English white. - Key components: brown shrimps, butter, mace, nutmeg, toast - Common allergens: crustaceans, milk, gluten in toast; check the recipe - Kitchen section: larder #### Black pudding A blood sausage made with pig's blood, fat and oatmeal or barley, sliced and fried or grilled. Kitchens buy from specialists. Problems are dry, crumbly slices from overcooking. It appears on breakfasts, salads with scallops, and in Scotch eggs. Servers should be ready to explain it and note the gluten content. Good kitchens buy from a named producer, slice thick, and cook gently so the outside crisps without the centre crumbling. Front of house can lead with pairings that make it approachable, such as scallops and apple or a poached egg, and should mention to curious guests that it is made with blood. - Key components: pig's blood, fat, oatmeal, onion, spices - Common allergens: gluten; check the recipe - Kitchen section: griddle #### Jellied eels Chopped eel boiled in spiced stock, which sets to a jelly as it cools. It is an East End London tradition, served cold with vinegar. It is mostly sold at specialist shops. Staff should be honest about the texture, and note eel sustainability questions. Some modern venues serve warm stewed eels or a smoked eel starter instead, which is easier to sell. Servers can point visitors towards the tradition with curiosity rather than squeamishness, offer chilli vinegar, and recommend it as part of a pie and mash meal for the full experience. - Key components: eel, stock, vinegar - Common allergens: fish; check the recipe - Kitchen section: specialist counter #### Liver and onions Lamb's or calf's liver sliced, seared quickly so it stays pink, served with caramelised onions, mash and gravy. Kitchens slice liver to order and cook onions in bulk. It fails when liver is overcooked and grainy. Servers should ask how the guest likes it cooked and describe it as a classic bistro-pub dish. Soak liver briefly in milk if it is strong, trim membrane and sinews, and dust lightly in seasoned flour just before it goes into a very hot pan. Pink in the middle is the default, so servers should check, and they can sell it with crispy bacon as a value lunch. - Key components: liver, onions, mash, gravy - Common allergens: milk in mash; gluten if floured; celery possible in gravy; check the recipe - Kitchen section: hot section #### Scampi and chips Langoustine tails, or sometimes cheaper substitutes, breaded and fried. Kitchens may make their own or buy frozen. The menu should say what the shellfish is. It goes wrong when overcooked and rubbery. Servers should flag crustaceans and offer tartare sauce. Many pubs serve breaded scampi from frozen, so menus should say wholetail or reformed honestly. Frying in small batches at the right temperature keeps it crisp. Servers can upsell mushy peas and a wedge of lemon, and the dish works in a basket as a bar snack too. - Key components: langoustine, breadcrumbs, chips, tartare - Common allergens: crustaceans, gluten, egg, mustard possible in tartare; check the recipe - Kitchen section: fry station #### Trifle Layers of sponge soaked in sherry, fruit or jelly, custard and whipped cream. Kitchens build trifles in glasses ahead of service. It fails when the custard is too loose or the sponge dissolves. It sells well at Christmas. Servers should flag alcohol and the allergens. Build in individual glasses so portions are even and the layers show, set the jelly and custard firmly, and add cream and decoration only on the day. In December, servers sell it as a festive pudding; year round, a seasonal fruit version with English sparkling wine replacing sherry modernises it nicely. - Key components: sponge, sherry, fruit, jelly, custard, cream - Common allergens: gluten, egg, milk, sulphites in sherry; check the recipe - Kitchen section: pastry #### Bread and butter pudding Buttered bread layered with dried fruit and baked in custard. It uses up day-old bread and brioche. Kitchens bake trays, portion and reheat. Failures are dry tops or scrambled custard. Servers should offer cream or custard alongside. Brioche or panettone makes richer versions, especially at Christmas. Soak the bread well before baking so the custard penetrates, and bake gently in a water bath for a silky set. Portion with a hot knife once rested. Servers can offer cream, custard or ice cream, and highlight it as a no-waste dessert. - Key components: bread, butter, eggs, milk, cream, sugar, dried fruit - Common allergens: gluten, egg, milk; check the recipe - Kitchen section: pastry #### Apple crumble Stewed apples topped with a crumble of flour, butter and sugar, baked until golden. Kitchens make the crumble mix in bulk and bake to order or in batches. It fails when the topping is soggy or the fruit is too tart. It sells with custard. Servers can offer gluten-free versions if available. Kitchens can freeze crumble topping raw and bake from frozen for the crispest results. Bramley apples break down while dessert apples keep shape, so mixing the two gives texture. Seasonal swaps such as rhubarb in spring or blackberry in autumn keep it fresh. Servers should always ask custard, cream or ice cream. - Key components: apples, flour, butter, sugar - Common allergens: gluten, milk; possibly nuts in toppings; check the recipe - Kitchen section: pastry #### Spotted dick A steamed suet sponge with currants, served with custard. Kitchens steam in moulds or bake in trays. It fails if dense or undercooked. Servers can explain the name and push it as a nostalgic winter pudding. Individual pudding basins steamed in batches and held warm keep service simple, and a microwave blast with a splash of custard revives a portion without drying it. Suet is traditionally beef, so vegetarian guests need a vegetable suet version. Servers should explain the currants and offer a jug of hot custard. - Key components: suet, flour, currants, sugar, milk - Common allergens: gluten, milk; check the recipe - Kitchen section: pastry #### Treacle tart Shortcrust pastry filled with golden syrup, breadcrumbs and lemon, baked until set. Kitchens make whole tarts and slice. It goes wrong if overbaked and hard. Servers recommend clotted cream or ice cream. Bake it until just set with a slight wobble, rest it, and cut with a hot knife. A little cream and egg in the filling softens it. Slices warmed gently stay soft. Servers sell it as a sweet, nostalgic pudding and can point out it pairs well with a tawny port or a strong coffee. - Key components: shortcrust, golden syrup, breadcrumbs, lemon - Common allergens: gluten, milk, egg; check the recipe - Kitchen section: pastry #### Cream tea Scones with clotted cream and jam, served with tea. The order of cream and jam is a regional debate between Devon and Cornwall. Kitchens bake scones daily. Failures are dry scones or stale ones. Staff can sell it as a simple afternoon treat. Bake scones daily or bake from frozen dough through the afternoon so they arrive warm. Keep clotted cream properly chilled and portioned. Servers can play up the Devon versus Cornwall order debate, offer tea choices, and upsell to a full afternoon tea or a glass of fizz. - Key components: scones, clotted cream, jam, tea - Common allergens: gluten, milk, egg; check the recipe - Kitchen section: pastry #### Afternoon tea A tiered stand of finger sandwiches, scones with cream and jam, and small cakes, served with tea or Champagne. Kitchens prep sandwiches and pastries in advance, assembling stands to booking times. It fails when sandwiches dry out or the stand arrives with missing items. It is a high-margin booking product. Front of house should take dietary needs at booking. Sandwiches are made close to service under damp cloths, and scones baked last. Allergy versions must be built separately and labelled. Servers should explain each tier, top up tea, and offer to box leftovers. - Key components: sandwiches, scones, clotted cream, jam, pastries, tea - Common allergens: gluten, milk, egg, nuts possible; check the recipe - Kitchen section: pastry and larder #### Ham, egg and chips Thick-cut roast ham with fried eggs and chips, a café and pub classic that lives or dies on the quality of the ham. Kitchens roast or boil a gammon joint, glaze it, and carve thick slices to order, warming them gently so they stay moist. It goes wrong when pre-sliced ham dries out on the plancha or the eggs arrive with hard yolks. Servers can name the cure and the glaze, offer piccalilli or English mustard, and sell it as an honest lunch that costs little to produce and earns well. - Key components: roast ham, eggs, chips, mustard or piccalilli - Common allergens: egg, mustard; sulphites possible in piccalilli; check the recipe - Kitchen section: larder for carving, fry station #### Fish pie Mixed fish, usually smoked haddock, salmon and white fish, sometimes prawns, in a béchamel under mashed potato, baked until golden. Kitchens poach fish in milk, use the milk for the sauce, and assemble individual dishes ahead to bake to order. It goes wrong when the fish overcooks into rubbery chunks, the sauce weeps or the top stays pale. It is a family favourite and strong Friday special. Servers must call out the shellfish if prawns are in, and suggest peas or greens alongside. - Key components: white and smoked fish, salmon, béchamel, mashed potato - Common allergens: fish, milk, gluten; crustaceans if prawns used; egg if hard-boiled egg added; check the recipe - Kitchen section: hot section and oven #### Chicken, leek and ham pie A creamy pie of poached chicken, ham hock and leeks under puff or shortcrust. Kitchens poach and pick chicken, make a velouté from the stock, chill the filling hard and top with pastry. Warm filling under raw pastry gives a soggy, sunken lid, the most common fault. It sells as a lighter alternative to steak pies and pairs with mash and greens. Servers should know the pastry type and whether there is mustard or tarragon in the sauce. - Key components: chicken, ham hock, leeks, cream sauce, pastry - Common allergens: gluten, milk, egg; mustard and celery possible; check the recipe - Kitchen section: hot section and pastry #### Rib of beef for two A bone-in rib roasted or grilled whole, rested and carved at the pass or the table, served with chips, sauce and salad. Kitchens dry-age or buy aged ribs, cook to a probe temperature, and rest for at least as long as half the cooking time. It goes wrong when the kitchen fires it late and the rest is cut short, or when the server fails to warn the table about timings. It is a premium sharing dish. Servers should explain weight and price per gram, and push a bottle of red with it. - Key components: bone-in rib of beef, chips, peppercorn or béarnaise sauce - Common allergens: milk and egg in sauces; mustard possible; check the recipe - Kitchen section: grill ### Brunch and café #### Eggs Benedict Toasted muffin topped with ham, poached egg and hollandaise. It is American in origin but a fixture of British brunch. Kitchens poach eggs in batches and hold hollandaise warm. It fails when hollandaise splits or eggs are overcooked. Servers offer Royale with salmon or Florentine with spinach. Hollandaise is made in batches and held in a warm bain-marie for a limited time, under strict food-safety rules because of the eggs. Servers should check how the guest likes their yolk, offer sourdough instead of muffins, and sell a Bloody Mary or a fresh juice alongside. - Key components: English muffin, ham, poached egg, hollandaise - Common allergens: gluten, egg, milk; check the recipe - Kitchen section: brunch station #### Avocado on toast Crushed or sliced avocado on sourdough, often with chilli, lime, feta, seeds or a poached egg. Cafés prep avocado close to service and hold it covered with citrus to slow browning. It goes wrong with unripe, hard avocados, brown purée, or soggy toast from building too early. Ripeness is the hidden logistics challenge, so kitchens buy in staggered batches. Servers sell add-ons such as eggs, bacon or halloumi, and flag gluten and any seeds or dairy. - Key components: sourdough, avocado, lime, chilli, optional egg or feta - Common allergens: gluten, egg and milk with add-ons, sesame possible; check the recipe - Kitchen section: brunch station #### Pancake stack Thick American-style buttermilk pancakes with toppings such as bacon and maple syrup, berries and yoghurt or banana and caramel. Kitchens make batter in batches and cook on the griddle to order. It goes wrong when pancakes are pale, raw in the centre or tough from overmixing. Servers offer topping options and flag gluten, milk and egg. Rest the batter briefly and avoid overmixing. Servers can recommend savoury and sweet versions. - Key components: flour, buttermilk, eggs, baking powder, toppings - Common allergens: gluten, milk, egg; check the recipe - Kitchen section: griddle #### Bacon sandwich Back or streaky bacon in white bread, a bap or sourdough, with brown or red sauce, the café classic that funds many a morning trade. Kitchens cook bacon in batches on the griddle or in the oven and hold it briefly, but the best venues cook to order. It goes wrong when the bacon is flabby, the bread is cold or the sauce argument turns into a complaint. Servers should offer the choice of bread and sauce and an egg add-on, and it pairs naturally with a mug of tea. - Key components: bacon, bread or bap, butter, sauce - Common allergens: gluten, milk; check the recipe and sauces - Kitchen section: griddle #### Eggs Florentine and eggs Royale Variations on eggs Benedict: Florentine swaps the ham for wilted spinach, Royale for smoked salmon, both on toasted muffins with poached eggs and hollandaise. Kitchens poach eggs in batches, refresh them in iced water and reheat in seconds. They fail when the spinach is watery and floods the muffin, or the hollandaise splits. Servers should flag fish in the Royale and offer sourdough instead of muffins. Squeeze the spinach well. - Key components: muffin, spinach or smoked salmon, poached eggs, hollandaise - Common allergens: gluten, egg, milk, fish in Royale; check the recipe - Kitchen section: brunch station #### Granola bowl Baked oats, nuts and seeds with yoghurt, fruit and honey. Cafés bake granola in house in large trays and store it airtight. It goes wrong when the granola is stale, burnt or too sweet. Servers can offer plant-based yoghurt and must flag nuts and gluten in oats. Kitchens can offer seasonal fruit and compotes to keep it fresh. Servers can sell it as a healthy breakfast and offer a smoothie alongside. - Key components: oats, nuts, seeds, honey, yoghurt, fruit - Common allergens: gluten, nuts, milk, sesame possible; check the recipe - Kitchen section: larder #### Porridge Oats cooked slowly with milk or water, topped with fruit, honey or a Scottish salt-and-cream approach. Kitchens make a base in batches and finish to order. It fails when it is gluey or thin. Servers can offer plant milk and note that oats may contain gluten unless certified. Kitchens can soak oats overnight for a creamier texture. Servers can recommend toppings such as berries, banana, honey, nuts or seeds. - Key components: oats, milk or water, toppings - Common allergens: gluten, milk; check the recipe - Kitchen section: brunch station #### French toast Thick slices of brioche or bread soaked in egg, milk and sugar and fried in butter, with sweet or savoury toppings. Kitchens soak to order to avoid sogginess and finish in the oven for thick slices. It fails when the middle is raw custard or the outside burns. Servers sell it with bacon and maple or berries and mascarpone. Servers can offer it as a sweet or savoury dish. - Key components: brioche or bread, eggs, milk, butter, sugar - Common allergens: gluten, egg, milk; check the recipe - Kitchen section: griddle #### Smashed eggs and halloumi brunch A plate of fried halloumi, eggs, avocado, tomatoes and sourdough that has become the vegetarian answer to the full English. Kitchens griddle halloumi to order because it turns rubbery when held. It goes wrong when halloumi squeaks rather than melts. Servers sell it as the veggie brunch. Kitchens can offer chilli jam or harissa as a condiment. Servers can recommend it with a fresh juice or coffee. - Key components: halloumi, eggs, avocado, tomato, sourdough - Common allergens: milk, egg, gluten; check the recipe - Kitchen section: griddle #### Toasted sandwich A cheese toastie or a ham and cheese toasted sandwich, grilled in a press or on a flat-top. Cafés build in advance and toast to order. It fails when the cheese isn't melted or bread burns. Servers sell add-ons such as kimchi or onion. A good toastie needs plenty of cheese right to the edges and buttered bread on the outside. Servers can offer a side of soup or salad. - Key components: bread, cheese, butter, fillings - Common allergens: gluten, milk, mustard possible; check the recipe - Kitchen section: grill #### Breakfast burrito A flour tortilla wrapped around scrambled eggs, potatoes, cheese, salsa and sausage or bacon. Kitchens scramble eggs in batches. It fails when soggy. Servers sell it as a takeaway breakfast. Kitchens can wrap them in foil for takeaway. Servers can recommend them with hot sauce and coffee. Hold the fillings separately and assemble to order, because a burrito wrapped too early turns soggy. Grill the outside seam-side down to seal it. Servers should flag gluten, egg and dairy. - Key components: tortilla, eggs, potato, cheese, salsa, meat - Common allergens: gluten, egg, milk; check the recipe - Kitchen section: griddle #### Bircher muesli Oats soaked overnight in apple juice, yoghurt or milk with grated apple, seeds and nuts. Kitchens make it the night before. It fails when it is too thick. Servers flag nuts and dairy. It was developed in Switzerland as a health food. Kitchens can offer it with seasonal fruit. Servers can recommend it as a light breakfast. Grate the apple in just before serving to keep it fresh. - Key components: oats, apple, yoghurt, nuts, seeds - Common allergens: gluten, milk, nuts; check the recipe - Kitchen section: larder #### Smoked salmon and scrambled eggs Soft scrambled eggs with sliced smoked salmon on toast or a bagel. Kitchens cook eggs gently to order. It fails when eggs are rubbery. Servers flag fish, egg and dairy. Cook the eggs low and slow, stirring constantly, and take them off the heat while still soft. Servers can recommend it with a glass of Champagne or Bucks Fizz. - Key components: eggs, butter, smoked salmon, toast or bagel - Common allergens: fish, egg, milk, gluten; check the recipe - Kitchen section: brunch station #### Turkish eggs Poached eggs on garlicky yoghurt with chilli butter and bread, known as çilbir. Kitchens poach to order. It fails when the yoghurt is cold and the butter clumps. Servers sell it as a brunch favourite. The contrast of cool yoghurt, hot eggs and spiced butter makes the dish. Servers can recommend it with sourdough and a strong coffee. Use thick yoghurt at room temperature. - Key components: eggs, yoghurt, garlic, butter, Aleppo pepper, bread - Common allergens: egg, milk, gluten; check the recipe - Kitchen section: brunch station #### Sausage roll Seasoned sausage meat wrapped in puff pastry and baked. Bakeries and cafés make in batches. They fail when the pastry is raw underneath. Servers sell them warm with coffee or as a snack. Kitchens can add flavours such as fennel, apple or black pudding. Vegan versions are popular. Servers can sell them as a snack or lunch with salad. - Key components: sausage meat, puff pastry, egg wash - Common allergens: gluten, milk, egg; check the recipe - Kitchen section: bakery #### Bagel with cream cheese A boiled and baked bagel spread with cream cheese, plain or loaded. Cafés toast to order. It fails when stale. Servers offer toppings. Smoked salmon is the classic topping, or salt beef for New York-style deli fillings. Kitchens toast the bagel to order. Servers can sell it as a quick breakfast or lunch. Buy from a good baker and freeze if necessary; a stale bagel is obvious. - Key components: bagel, cream cheese, toppings - Common allergens: gluten, milk, sesame; check the recipe - Kitchen section: larder #### Jacket potato A baked potato with crisp skin and toppings such as beans, cheese, tuna mayonnaise or chilli. Cafés bake in batches. It fails when the skin is soft. Servers explain the toppings. Bake on a bed of salt for crisp skin and fluffy insides. Servers can recommend toppings and sides such as coleslaw. Many kitchens par-bake in the morning and finish to order, which keeps the skin crisp. - Key components: baking potato, butter, toppings - Common allergens: milk; others vary by topping; check the recipe - Kitchen section: oven ### French #### Steak frites Grilled or pan-fried steak, often bavette, entrecôte or onglet, with thin chips and a sauce such as béarnaise or peppercorn. Bistro kitchens portion steaks in advance, season and cook to order on a hot grill, resting each piece before plating. It goes wrong when the grill is overloaded and steaks stew, when temperatures drift from what was ordered, or when chips go limp waiting for meat. Servers must take the cooking temperature, explain the cut, and offer a sauce choice; it is a fast, profitable dish that pairs naturally with house red. - Key components: steak, chips, béarnaise or peppercorn sauce, salad - Common allergens: egg and milk in béarnaise; milk and possibly sulphites in peppercorn sauce; check the recipe - Kitchen section: grill and fry #### Coq au vin Chicken braised in red wine with lardons, mushrooms and baby onions, traditionally made with an older bird. Kitchens marinate overnight, brown, braise in bulk and hold in the sauce, garnishing to order. It fails when the sauce is thin and acidic, or the chicken is dry because breast was braised as long as leg. Using thighs and legs solves most problems. Servers can sell it as a slow-cooked classic and suggest mash or buttered noodles, mentioning that the wine is cooked but present. - Key components: chicken, red wine, lardons, mushrooms, shallots, stock - Common allergens: sulphites in wine, celery possible, gluten if flour-thickened; check the recipe - Kitchen section: sauce or hot section #### Boeuf bourguignon Beef braised slowly in red wine with lardons, mushrooms and onions, the Burgundian stew that anchors winter menus. Kitchens use chuck or cheek, brown in batches, braise for hours, then reduce the liquor to coat. Problems are tough meat from under-braising, an over-reduced, bitter sauce, and grey colour from rushed browning. It holds well, which makes it ideal for banqueting. Servers should push it with mash or pommes purée and a Burgundy or Beaujolais. - Key components: braising beef, red wine, lardons, mushrooms, onions, stock - Common allergens: sulphites, possibly celery and gluten; check the recipe - Kitchen section: sauce or hot section #### Confit de canard Duck legs salted, then cooked slowly in their own fat until tender, stored in the fat and crisped to order. Kitchens make it in large batches, so service is simply a hot pan or oven to crisp the skin. It goes wrong when legs are oversalted from a long cure, or the skin is flabby because the pan wasn't hot enough. It sells with pommes sarladaises, lentils or a frisée salad. Servers can call it slow-cooked duck leg and recommend a southwestern French red. - Key components: duck legs, salt, garlic, thyme, duck fat - Common allergens: usually none of the fourteen major allergens, but sides vary; check the recipe - Kitchen section: hot section #### Bouillabaisse The Marseille fish stew: several kinds of rockfish and shellfish in a saffron and fennel-scented broth, served with rouille and croutons. Kitchens make a deep fish soup base from bones and heads, then poach portioned fish to order in the broth. It goes wrong when fish overcooks or the broth lacks depth. It is often served in two stages, broth then fish. Servers must flag shellfish, fish and the egg and garlic in the rouille, and explain any pre-order rules. - Key components: mixed fish, shellfish, fennel, saffron, tomato, rouille, croutons - Common allergens: fish, crustaceans, molluscs, egg, gluten; check the recipe - Kitchen section: fish section #### Moules marinières Mussels steamed with white wine, shallots, garlic, parsley and butter or cream. Kitchens clean and debeard mussels in advance, discard open ones, and cook each portion in a covered pan in minutes. Problems are gritty mussels, unopened shells served to guests, and overcooked shrinking meat. It is a fast, high-margin dish. Servers should offer frites and bread for the juices, flag molluscs, and know that cream versions add milk. Pots go out bubbling in their own juices. - Key components: mussels, white wine, shallots, garlic, parsley, butter or cream - Common allergens: molluscs, sulphites, milk; check the recipe - Kitchen section: fish section #### French onion soup Slowly caramelised onions in beef stock, topped with a crouton and melted Gruyère under the grill. Kitchens caramelise onions in bulk over hours, then build the soup and gratinate to order in ovenproof bowls. It fails when onions are pale and sweet rather than deep, or when bowls arrive too hot to touch without warning. Servers should warn about the heat, mention it contains beef stock, and sell it as a hearty starter for two. - Key components: onions, beef stock, wine or cognac, bread, Gruyère - Common allergens: gluten, milk, celery possible, sulphites; check the recipe - Kitchen section: soup or hot section #### Soufflé A baked dish of egg whites folded into a base, savoury such as cheese or sweet such as chocolate or Grand Marnier. Kitchens prepare bases and buttered moulds ahead, whisk whites to order and bake for around ten to fifteen minutes. It goes wrong when whites are overwhipped or the oven door opens. Timing is everything, so servers take soufflé orders at the start of the meal or warn of the wait, and deliver straight from the oven to the table. - Key components: egg whites, a flavoured base, butter, sugar - Common allergens: egg, milk, gluten possible; check the recipe - Kitchen section: pastry or hot section #### Croque monsieur and croque madame A ham and cheese toastie with béchamel and Gruyère, grilled or baked until bubbling; the madame adds a fried egg on top. Cafés and bistros assemble in advance and bake to order. It goes wrong when the bread is soggy or the cheese burns. It is a strong lunch or brunch item. Servers should explain the madame and recommend a salad on the side. Make béchamel thick so it holds, and finish under the salamander for a blistered top. - Key components: bread, ham, Gruyère, béchamel, egg on the madame - Common allergens: gluten, milk, egg; mustard possible; check the recipe - Kitchen section: grill or salamander #### Quiche Lorraine A shortcrust tart filled with bacon, eggs and cream. Kitchens blind-bake cases, then fill and bake slowly so the custard sets without weeping. It goes wrong when the pastry is soggy or the custard is rubbery from a hot oven. It sells at lunch with a green salad. Staff should know that traditional Lorraine has no cheese, though many versions add it. Bake whole quiches and cut into neat wedges once rested. Warm gently rather than blasting, so the custard stays smooth. - Key components: shortcrust pastry, bacon, eggs, cream - Common allergens: gluten, egg, milk; check the recipe - Kitchen section: pastry or larder #### Ratatouille A Provençal stew of courgette, aubergine, peppers, onion and tomato with herbs and olive oil. Good kitchens cook each vegetable separately before combining so textures stay distinct. It fails when it turns to mush or is waterlogged. It is a vegan staple and side. Servers can recommend it with grilled lamb or fish. It tastes better the next day, which suits batch cooking, and a neat tian of sliced vegetables makes a smart plated version. Servers can sell it as a vegan main with crusty bread or polenta, and recommend a Provençal rosé. Check the stock and any cheese garnish if guests are vegan. - Key components: aubergine, courgette, peppers, tomato, onion, olive oil - Common allergens: usually none of the major fourteen; check the recipe - Kitchen section: veg section #### Duck à l'orange Roast duck with a bittersweet orange sauce built on a gastrique of caramel and vinegar, finished with stock and citrus. Kitchens often roast crowns or legs separately, carving breast pink. It fails when the sauce is cloying or the skin is flabby. Servers can position it as a retro classic. Keep the sauce balanced with fresh juice and zest added at the end, and score and render the skin properly. A carved breast and confit leg on the same plate shows off two techniques. Servers should check cooking preference for the breast and suggest a Pinot Noir. - Key components: duck, orange, sugar, vinegar, stock - Common allergens: celery and sulphites possible; check the recipe - Kitchen section: roast and sauce #### Sole meunière Dover sole dusted in flour, pan-fried in butter and served with brown butter, lemon and parsley. Kitchens cook it whole and may fillet at the table. It goes wrong when the butter burns or the fish sticks. It is a premium dish. Servers should explain filleting and the price. A whole Dover sole is one of the priciest fish on a menu, so the cook must be perfect. Classic service fillets it at the guéridon, which takes skill and practice. Servers should check whether the guest wants it on the bone, offer new potatoes and spinach, and suggest a white Burgundy. - Key components: Dover sole, flour, butter, lemon, parsley - Common allergens: fish, gluten, milk; check the recipe - Kitchen section: fish section #### Blanquette de veau Veal poached in white stock with onions and mushrooms, finished with a cream and egg-yolk liaison. Kitchens poach in bulk and finish the sauce gently. It fails when the sauce splits. Servers recommend it with rice. Kitchens poach the veal gently so it stays pale, never browning it, and add the egg yolk liaison at the last moment off the boil. Servers can explain the white stew as a gentle French classic, ask about veal sourcing, and pair with a white Burgundy or Chenin. - Key components: veal, stock, onions, mushrooms, cream, egg yolk - Common allergens: milk, egg, celery possible; check the recipe - Kitchen section: sauce section #### Cassoulet A slow-baked casserole from the southwest of white beans with confit duck, sausage and pork, under a crust. Kitchens cook beans and meats separately, then layer and bake. It fails when beans are hard. It sells in winter. Proper cassoulet takes days to build, with the crust broken and pushed back in several times during baking. Kitchens portion from large earthenware dishes or bake individual pots. Servers sell it as a hearty sharing dish, warn of its richness, and match it with a southwestern red such as Cahors or Madiran. - Key components: white beans, duck confit, Toulouse sausage, pork - Common allergens: gluten if breadcrumbs used, sulphites in sausage, celery possible; check the recipe - Kitchen section: hot section #### Steak tartare Finely chopped raw beef mixed with shallot, capers, cornichons, mustard, seasoning and often a raw egg yolk. Kitchens chop to order from a well-trimmed fillet or topside, keeping everything ice-cold, because pre-chopped beef discolours and carries more risk. It goes wrong when the meat is minced to paste or under-seasoned, or when hygiene shortcuts are taken. Servers must make clear the beef and egg are raw, check the guest is comfortable, and offer frites or toast; some venues mix it tableside as theatre. - Key components: raw beef, shallot, capers, cornichons, Dijon mustard, egg yolk - Common allergens: egg, mustard; Worcestershire sauce adds fish; gluten in toast; check the recipe - Kitchen section: larder #### Salade niçoise A composed salad from Nice of tomatoes, olives, egg, anchovy or tuna, green beans and potatoes in many modern versions, dressed with olive oil. Kitchens prep each element and plate to order, sometimes with seared fresh tuna. It fails when the eggs are grey-yolked or the salad is drowned. Purists argue about cooked vegetables. Servers should flag fish and egg and offer it as a light summer lunch with rosé. - Key components: tomatoes, olives, egg, tuna or anchovy, beans, potatoes, dressing - Common allergens: fish, egg, mustard in dressing; check the recipe - Kitchen section: larder #### Gratin dauphinois Thinly sliced potatoes baked slowly in cream and milk infused with garlic, until tender with a browned top. Kitchens bake trays, press and chill them overnight, then cut neat portions and reheat to order, which gives clean layers. It fails when the cream splits or potatoes stay firm. It is a premium side that lifts steak and lamb. Servers can upsell it, noting dairy. Some kitchens add cheese, which purists say makes it a gratin savoyard. - Key components: potatoes, cream, milk, garlic, nutmeg - Common allergens: milk; check the recipe - Kitchen section: veg or hot section #### Escargots de Bourgogne Snails baked in their shells or a dish with garlic and parsley butter, served with bread. Most kitchens buy prepared snails and pipe the butter in advance, then bake to order until sizzling. It goes wrong when the butter burns or the snails are chewy. Servers explain tongs and forks, and push bread for the butter. Snails are molluscs for allergen purposes. Serve on special snail plates with a dozen or half-dozen. - Key components: snails, butter, garlic, parsley, bread - Common allergens: molluscs, milk, gluten; check the recipe - Kitchen section: hot starters #### Pot au feu Beef and vegetables simmered slowly in water, served with broth first and then meat with mustard, gherkins and coarse salt. Kitchens simmer large batches. It fails when the broth is cloudy or bland. Servers can sell it as French comfort food. Cook the different cuts for different times and skim constantly so the broth stays clear. Keep the vegetables whole and add them in stages. Servers can serve the broth first as a starter and the meat as the main, and offer Dijon mustard, cornichons and sea salt alongside. - Key components: beef shin and other cuts, marrow bone, leeks, carrots, turnips - Common allergens: celery, mustard on the side; check the recipe - Kitchen section: hot section ### Italian #### Spaghetti carbonara Pasta with guanciale, egg yolk, Pecorino Romano and black pepper, emulsified into a glossy sauce with pasta water and no cream in the Roman tradition. Kitchens render guanciale ahead, cook pasta to order and toss with the egg mix off the heat. It goes wrong when the eggs scramble, the sauce is dry, or cream is used to make it foolproof and purists complain. Servers can explain the Roman style, and offer a vegetarian alternative as there is pork in the base. - Key components: spaghetti, guanciale, egg yolks, Pecorino, black pepper - Common allergens: gluten, egg, milk; check the recipe - Kitchen section: pasta station #### Lasagne Layers of pasta sheets with ragù, béchamel and Parmesan, baked until bubbling. Kitchens build full trays, bake, chill and portion cleanly, then regenerate each slice to order. It goes wrong when slices collapse because the tray wasn't set, or the edges burn while the middle is cold. It is a dependable lunch dish. Servers can offer salad on the side and flag the gluten, milk and egg. A crisp edge piece is a selling point for many guests. - Key components: pasta sheets, ragù, béchamel, Parmesan - Common allergens: gluten, egg, milk, celery possible; check the recipe - Kitchen section: hot section and oven #### Risotto Short-grain rice such as Arborio or Carnaroli cooked slowly with stock, finished with butter and Parmesan until creamy. Kitchens par-cook rice partway, spread and chill it, then finish to order in a few minutes. It fails when it is gluey, chalky or too thick to flow. Classic risotto should be all'onda, moving like a wave on the plate. Servers can describe the flavour, warn of a short wait, and note that the stock may not be vegetarian. - Key components: risotto rice, stock, onion, wine, butter, Parmesan - Common allergens: milk, celery in stock, sulphites; check the recipe - Kitchen section: hot section #### Margherita pizza Neapolitan-style pizza with tomato, mozzarella and basil, baked in a very hot oven. Kitchens ferment dough slowly, ball it, and stretch to order. It goes wrong when the base is soggy, burnt or underproved. Servers should know the oven type and offer extras. A Neapolitan-style oven running at over 400C bakes a pizza in about ninety seconds, so the pizzaiolo must manage the fire and turn pizzas constantly. Dough that is underproved or too cold tears. Servers can explain the leopard-spotted crust and offer buffalo mozzarella or nduja as an upgrade. - Key components: dough, tomato, mozzarella, basil, olive oil - Common allergens: gluten, milk; check the recipe - Kitchen section: pizza oven #### Osso buco Cross-cut veal shin braised in white wine and stock, served with gremolata and often risotto alla milanese. Kitchens braise in bulk and hold in the sauce. It fails when meat is tough or the sauce is thin. Servers can explain the marrow and pair with a Barolo or Barbera. Tie each shank so it holds shape during braising, and serve whole, bone and marrow on show. Gremolata of lemon zest, garlic and parsley is added at the last minute for freshness. Servers can offer a marrow spoon and suggest saffron risotto, and should check that the veal is sourced responsibly. - Key components: veal shin, wine, stock, vegetables, gremolata - Common allergens: celery, sulphites, gluten if floured; check the recipe - Kitchen section: hot section #### Tiramisu Savoiardi biscuits dipped in coffee, layered with mascarpone cream and cocoa. Kitchens make trays a day ahead so they set. It fails when it is soggy or too loose. Servers should flag raw egg in many recipes and the alcohol. Kitchens that use raw eggs should source them carefully, or pasteurise using a cooked sabayon or Italian meringue method. Serving in individual glasses avoids messy portions. Servers sell it as the classic Italian finish and can pair it with an espresso, a Marsala or an amaretto, while noting caffeine and alcohol. - Key components: savoiardi, coffee, mascarpone, eggs, sugar, cocoa - Common allergens: gluten, egg, milk; check the recipe - Kitchen section: pastry #### Cacio e pepe Roman pasta of Pecorino Romano, black pepper and starchy pasta water, usually with tonnarelli or spaghetti. With only three ingredients, technique is everything: toasted cracked pepper, finely grated cheese and an emulsion made off the direct heat so the cheese melts rather than clumps. At volume, kitchens mix a cheese paste with a little cool water to stabilise it. It goes wrong when the sauce goes stringy or greasy. Servers should sell it as deceptively simple and note that it is vegetarian only if the cheese uses non-animal rennet, which Pecorino usually does not. - Key components: pasta, Pecorino Romano, black pepper, pasta water - Common allergens: gluten, milk; egg if fresh egg pasta; check the recipe - Kitchen section: pasta station #### Tagliatelle al ragù Fresh egg ribbons with a slow-cooked Bolognese-style meat sauce of beef and pork, soffritto, wine, milk and a little tomato. Kitchens cook ragù for hours in large batches, holding it chilled, and toss portions with fresh pasta and butter to order. It fails when the ragù is watery, tomato-heavy or underseasoned, or the pasta is overcooked. Servers can explain the difference from the British spaghetti Bolognese and offer Parmesan at the table. - Key components: egg tagliatelle, beef and pork mince, soffritto, wine, milk - Common allergens: gluten, egg, milk, celery, sulphites; check the recipe - Kitchen section: pasta station #### Gnocchi Soft dumplings of potato and flour, sometimes ricotta, boiled and served with butter and sage, tomato or pesto, or pan-fried until golden. Kitchens bake floury potatoes for dryness, rice them while hot, mix lightly and cut, then freeze or blanch and hold. It goes wrong when gnocchi turn gummy from overworking or disintegrate in the water. Servers can sell crisp pan-fried gnocchi as a vegetarian main and check egg, as many recipes contain it. - Key components: potatoes, flour, egg, sauce - Common allergens: gluten, egg, milk; check the recipe - Kitchen section: pasta station #### Vitello tonnato Thinly sliced cold poached or roasted veal covered in a creamy sauce of tuna, anchovy, capers and mayonnaise. Kitchens cook the veal pink, chill, slice very thin and dress just before service. It goes wrong when the sauce is too thick or fishy. It is a Piedmontese summer starter. Servers should explain the meat-and-fish pairing, which surprises guests. Slice the meat on a slicer for even, wafer-thin portions. - Key components: veal, tuna, anchovy, capers, egg yolk, olive oil - Common allergens: fish, egg, mustard possible; check the recipe - Kitchen section: larder #### Arancini Sicilian fried rice balls stuffed with ragù, mozzarella or peas, breaded and deep-fried. Kitchens make them from cooled risotto, freeze and fry to order. They fail when the centre is cold or the cheese doesn't melt. Arancini are an easy bar snack and starter. Servers should explain the filling and the gluten and dairy. A good arancino should be crisp, hot right through and well seasoned. Freezing shaped balls makes them easy to fry quickly. Servers can sell three to share, explain the shape, which varies by region, and note that a vegetarian version needs vegetable stock in the risotto. - Key components: risotto rice, filling, breadcrumbs, egg - Common allergens: gluten, egg, milk, celery possible; check the recipe - Kitchen section: fry station #### Burrata A pouch of fresh mozzarella filled with stracciatella and cream, served at room temperature with tomatoes, oil or other toppings. Kitchens buy it fresh and must use it within days. It fails when served fridge-cold or past its best. It is a high-margin starter. Servers should mention dairy and suggest sharing. Pair with seasonal produce: heritage tomatoes in summer, roasted squash in autumn, blood orange in winter. Take burrata out of the fridge half an hour before service. Servers should push it as a sharing starter, suggest extra bread to mop up the cream, and recommend a crisp Italian white. - Key components: burrata, olive oil, tomatoes or seasonal produce, bread - Common allergens: milk, gluten in bread; check the recipe - Kitchen section: larder #### Bistecca alla fiorentina A thick T-bone steak from Tuscany grilled over embers and served rare, priced by weight. Kitchens bring it to room temperature, grill hard and rest it. It fails if the centre is cold or overcooked. It is a sharing showpiece. Servers explain the weight, cooking style, and sides. A typical steak weighs more than a kilo and serves two or three. It is cooked rare by tradition, so servers should discuss doneness openly. Rest it well, carve off the bone, and serve with white beans, rocket or roast potatoes. Suggest a Chianti Classico or Brunello. - Key components: T-bone steak, salt, olive oil, rosemary - Common allergens: usually none of the major fourteen; check the recipe - Kitchen section: grill #### Panna cotta Cream set with gelatine and flavoured with vanilla, served with fruit or caramel. Kitchens set them in moulds the day before. It fails when it is too rubbery. Servers should note gelatine for vegetarians unless agar is used. The right texture is a gentle wobble that just holds its shape. Use the minimum gelatine and test each batch. Unmould by dipping briefly in hot water. Seasonal fruit compotes or a drizzle of aged balsamic make it look fresh. Servers can recommend it as a lighter dessert option. - Key components: cream, sugar, gelatine, vanilla - Common allergens: milk; check the recipe - Kitchen section: pastry #### Saltimbocca Thin veal escalopes topped with prosciutto and sage, pan-fried and finished with white wine and butter. Kitchens prep escalopes and cook fast. It fails when the veal is tough. Servers can sell it as a Roman classic. The name means jumps in the mouth. Pound escalopes thin and evenly, secure the ham and sage with a cocktail stick, and cook in a very hot pan for a minute each side before deglazing. Servers should remind the kitchen to remove sticks before serving and suggest buttered spinach and a light red. - Key components: veal, prosciutto, sage, wine, butter - Common allergens: milk, sulphites, gluten if floured; check the recipe - Kitchen section: hot section #### Minestrone A thick vegetable soup with beans and pasta or rice, varying by season and region. Kitchens make a large batch. It fails when pasta goes soft in holding, so add pasta to order. Servers can sell it as a vegan option if stock and pesto allow. Use seasonal vegetables, and a Parmesan rind in the pot adds depth, though it makes the soup unsuitable for vegans. Servers can offer pesto or grated cheese on the side, and sell it as a hearty, wholesome lunch with bread, or a cheaper starter for value seekers. - Key components: vegetables, beans, pasta, tomato, stock - Common allergens: gluten, celery; milk if Parmesan rind used; check the recipe - Kitchen section: soup section #### Melanzane alla parmigiana Layers of fried aubergine, tomato sauce, mozzarella and Parmesan, baked. Kitchens fry aubergine in bulk, layer trays and bake. It fails when it is greasy or watery. Servers sell it as a vegetarian main. Salting aubergine slices and pressing them dry helps prevent sogginess, while baking or grilling rather than frying lightens it. Let it rest before cutting so the layers hold. Servers can explain that it is vegetarian only if the Parmesan is a vegetarian alternative, and suggest a green salad on the side. - Key components: aubergine, tomato, mozzarella, Parmesan, basil - Common allergens: milk, gluten if floured, egg if dipped; check the recipe - Kitchen section: hot section #### Fritto misto A mix of battered fried seafood and vegetables, served with lemon. Kitchens fry to order in light batter. It fails when greasy. Servers flag fish, shellfish and gluten. Use a very light batter or simple flour dusting, fry in small batches at a high temperature, and drain well before salting. Serve immediately, as it softens quickly. Servers can sell it as a sharing plate with a glass of Prosecco or a crisp white, and offer aioli alongside the lemon. - Key components: squid, prawns, small fish, vegetables, flour - Common allergens: fish, crustaceans, molluscs, gluten; check the recipe - Kitchen section: fry station #### Pesto alla genovese with trofie Basil pounded with pine nuts, garlic, Parmesan, Pecorino and olive oil, tossed with short twisted trofie, often with potato and green beans in the Ligurian way. Kitchens blitz pesto cold in small batches, sometimes blanching the basil so it stays green, and store it under oil. It goes wrong when pesto oxidises to brown, turns bitter from over-blending, or splits on a hot pan. Servers must flag nuts clearly, as pine nuts are a tree-nut concern for many guests, and mention that hard cheeses may not be vegetarian. - Key components: basil, pine nuts, garlic, Parmesan, Pecorino, olive oil, pasta - Common allergens: nuts, milk, gluten; check the recipe - Kitchen section: pasta station ### Spanish and Portuguese #### Paella A Valencian rice dish cooked in a wide, shallow pan, traditionally with rabbit, chicken and beans; seafood versions are popular abroad. Kitchens make a deep sofrito and stock in advance, then cook pans to order or to a booked time, letting a crisp socarrat form on the base. It fails when the rice is stirred to a risotto, under-seasoned or wet. A proper paella takes twenty minutes or more, so servers should warn of the wait, sell it for two or more, and flag shellfish. - Key components: bomba or similar rice, stock, saffron, sofrito, meat or seafood - Common allergens: crustaceans, molluscs, fish, celery possible; check the recipe - Kitchen section: hot section with paella burners #### Tortilla española A thick omelette of potatoes and onion slowly confited in olive oil, then set with egg and flipped. Kitchens make several in the morning and serve by the slice, warm or at room temperature. It goes wrong when overcooked and dry; many prefer a slightly runny centre, so it pays to ask house style. Servers can sell a slice as a tapa and note it is vegetarian and usually gluten-free. - Key components: potatoes, onion, eggs, olive oil - Common allergens: egg; check the recipe - Kitchen section: hot tapas or larder #### Patatas bravas Fried potato chunks with a spicy tomato or paprika sauce and often aioli. Kitchens par-cook potatoes and fry to order. It goes wrong when the potatoes are soft and the sauce is lifeless. It is a top-selling tapa. Servers can tell guests about heat level and egg in the aioli. Some kitchens fry the potatoes twice for extra crunch, and dress them at the pass so the sauce doesn't soften them. Servers can recommend it as an essential order with a cold beer, and should know whether the bravas sauce is vegan and if the fryer is shared with fish or gluten. - Key components: potatoes, bravas sauce, aioli - Common allergens: egg in aioli; check the recipe - Kitchen section: fry station #### Gambas al ajillo Prawns cooked in sizzling olive oil with garlic, chilli and parsley, served in the earthenware dish with bread. Kitchens heat individual cazuelas and cook to order in minutes. It goes wrong when the garlic burns or the prawns are overcooked. Servers warn the dish is very hot and push bread for the oil, flagging crustaceans. Use shell-on prawns for flavour or peeled for ease, and keep the dish moving straight from the burner to the table. - Key components: prawns, olive oil, garlic, chilli, parsley - Common allergens: crustaceans, gluten in bread; check the recipe - Kitchen section: hot tapas #### Croquetas Small fried croquettes of thick béchamel with ham, chicken, mushroom or cod, breaded. Kitchens make the béchamel very thick, chill overnight, shape, crumb and freeze. They fail when they burst in the fryer or are cold inside. Servers can sell them by the piece and flag gluten, milk and egg. Jamón versions are the classic, while mushroom, spinach or salt cod widen the range. Fry from frozen at a moderate temperature so the centre melts before the outside burns. Servers can sell a mixed plate and recommend a glass of fino sherry, explaining the creamy centre. - Key components: béchamel, filling, breadcrumbs, egg - Common allergens: gluten, milk, egg; fish in bacalao versions; check the recipe - Kitchen section: fry station #### Jamón ibérico Cured ham from Iberian pigs, graded by diet and breed, hand-carved into thin slices. Venues buy whole legs and carve on a stand. It fails when sliced too thick or left to sweat under lights. Servers should explain grades and serve at room temperature. Top grades come from free-range acorn-fed pigs and carry a premium price. Hand carving from the leg shows skill and creates theatre at the bar. Serve on a warmed plate so the fat glistens. Servers can recommend a fino or manzanilla sherry and explain the difference between ibérico and serrano. - Key components: cured ham - Common allergens: usually none; check supplier specification - Kitchen section: larder or bar carving station #### Pulpo a la gallega Galician octopus boiled until tender, sliced over potatoes and dressed with olive oil, paprika and salt. Kitchens cook octopus in advance and warm slices to order. It fails when rubbery. Servers should flag molluscs. Octopus is often frozen first, which helps tenderise it, then simmered until a skewer slides in easily. It is traditionally served on a wooden board with smoked paprika and coarse salt. Servers can recommend it as a tapa or larger plate with a glass of Albariño, the classic Galician pairing. - Key components: octopus, potatoes, olive oil, paprika - Common allergens: molluscs; check the recipe - Kitchen section: hot tapas #### Pimientos de Padrón Small green peppers blistered in olive oil and sprinkled with sea salt; most are mild, an occasional one is fiery. Kitchens fry them to order in seconds. They fail when undercooked or soggy. Servers can sell them as the playful bar snack. Kitchens fry them in very hot oil in a pan until blistered, then shake with flaky salt and serve at once. Servers can play up the roulette of the occasional hot one, recommend them with a beer or a glass of fino, and note they are naturally vegan and gluten-free. - Key components: Padrón peppers, olive oil, sea salt - Common allergens: usually none; check the recipe - Kitchen section: hot tapas #### Gazpacho A chilled Andalusian soup of tomatoes, peppers, cucumber, garlic, olive oil and vinegar, often thickened with bread. Kitchens blend in bulk and chill. It fails when watery or too acidic. Servers should mention bread may contain gluten. Blend well and chill overnight for the flavour to develop, then season again before serving. Garnishes of diced cucumber, pepper, croutons and oil add texture. Servers can sell it as a refreshing summer starter, offer a gluten-free version without bread if possible, and recommend a dry sherry or rosé. - Key components: tomatoes, peppers, cucumber, garlic, olive oil, bread, vinegar - Common allergens: gluten, sulphites in vinegar; check the recipe - Kitchen section: larder #### Bacalhau à Brás Portuguese shredded salt cod with matchstick fried potatoes, onions and soft scrambled egg, finished with olives and parsley. Kitchens soak salt cod for a day or more, changing the water, then flake. It goes wrong when overcooked or oversalted. Servers flag fish and egg. Bacalhau is central to Portuguese food culture, said to be cooked in hundreds of ways. Brás should be soft and creamy rather than dry. Servers can explain the salt-cod tradition, and pair it with a glass of Vinho Verde or a crisp Portuguese white. - Key components: salt cod, potatoes, onion, eggs, olives - Common allergens: fish, egg; check the recipe - Kitchen section: hot section #### Pastel de nata A Portuguese custard tart in flaky pastry, baked at very high heat until the top blisters. Bakeries laminate dough, form shells and bake to order. They fail when the custard is pale. Servers suggest cinnamon and coffee. The custard is often made with a sugar syrup, which keeps it silky. Ovens need to run very hot, often over 250C, so the tops blister quickly while the pastry crisps. Bakeries sell them warm, dusted with cinnamon and icing sugar. They make an easy upsell with an espresso or a glass of port. - Key components: puff pastry, egg yolks, milk, sugar - Common allergens: gluten, egg, milk; check the recipe - Kitchen section: pastry #### Francesinha A Porto sandwich stacked with steak, ham and sausage, covered in melted cheese and drowned in a beer and tomato sauce, often with a fried egg and chips. Kitchens make the sauce ahead. It fails when the bread is mush. Servers should present it as a feast. The sauce is the secret: kitchens make it from a stock with beer, tomato and spices, sometimes port, and keep it hot so it melts the cheese. Servers can warn guests that it is enormous and offer it to share, with chips and a cold beer. - Key components: bread, steak, ham, sausage, cheese, beer sauce, egg - Common allergens: gluten, milk, egg, sulphites; check the recipe - Kitchen section: grill #### Piri piri chicken Chicken marinated in chilli, garlic, lemon and oil and grilled over charcoal, linked to Portuguese and Mozambican cooking. Kitchens marinate overnight and grill in batches. It fails when the skin burns before the inside is cooked. Servers explain heat levels. Spatchcocking the bird or using thighs cooks it evenly. Baste regularly with more piri piri sauce. Kitchens can make a mild, medium and hot version. Servers sell half or whole chickens, offer chips and salad, and suggest a light, chilled Portuguese red or a lager. - Key components: chicken, piri piri chilli, garlic, lemon, oil - Common allergens: usually none; check the recipe - Kitchen section: grill #### Churros con chocolate Fried dough sticks dusted in sugar and served with thick hot chocolate. Kitchens pipe batter into hot oil to order. They fail when greasy. Servers can sell them as a dessert or a late-night snack. Churros must be fried fresh, as they go limp and greasy in minutes. Keep the chocolate thick enough to coat the churro. Servers can sell them as a shareable dessert, a late-night snack, or a brunch treat with coffee. - Key components: flour, water, oil, sugar, chocolate - Common allergens: gluten, milk, possibly egg; check the recipe - Kitchen section: fry station ### Indian and South Asian (incl. British curry house) #### Chicken tikka Boneless chicken marinated in yoghurt, ginger, garlic and spices, threaded onto skewers and cooked in a tandoor. Kitchens marinate overnight and cook skewers to order in the clay oven at very high heat, resting briefly before serving. It goes wrong when the marinade is too wet and won't char, or the chicken is cooked through twice and dries out. Servers can sell it as a starter or main with salad and mint raita, and should know whether food colouring is used, which some guests avoid. - Key components: chicken, yoghurt, ginger, garlic, garam masala, chilli - Common allergens: milk; mustard possible; check the recipe - Kitchen section: tandoor #### Butter chicken Murgh makhani: tandoori chicken in a smooth sauce of tomatoes, butter, cream and fenugreek, mild and rich. Kitchens cook chicken in the tandoor and make makhani sauce in bulk, finishing each portion in a pan. It goes wrong when the sauce splits or is too sweet. It is a crowd-pleaser and a good gateway dish. Servers should flag dairy and nuts, as many recipes use cashews. It is a good recommendation for guests who want something gentle and creamy, with garlic naan to scoop the sauce. - Key components: tandoori chicken, tomato, butter, cream, kasuri methi - Common allergens: milk, nuts possible; check the recipe - Kitchen section: tandoor and curry #### Lamb rogan josh A Kashmiri-style braise of lamb in a sauce coloured by mild Kashmiri chilli, with fennel, ginger and warming spices. Restaurant kitchens braise lamb shoulder in bulk, while curry houses often finish pre-cooked lamb in base gravy. It fails when the lamb is tough or the sauce tastes only of tomato. Servers can describe it as medium heat and aromatic rather than fiery, and pair it with a fruity red or a lager. - Key components: lamb, Kashmiri chilli, yoghurt, ginger, fennel, onion - Common allergens: milk; mustard possible; check the recipe - Kitchen section: curry section #### Chicken korma A mild, creamy curry with ground nuts, cream and gentle spice. In curry houses it is made from base gravy with cream, ground almonds or coconut, and sugar. It goes wrong when too sweet or bland. It is a common choice for children and spice-shy guests. Servers must flag nuts clearly. A good korma is aromatic with cardamom and saffron rather than sugary. Restaurant-style versions braise the chicken in a yoghurt and nut base. Servers should ask about nut allergies before recommending it, suggest it for children, and offer a peshwari naan, which also contains nuts. - Key components: chicken, cream, ground nuts or coconut, onion, mild spices - Common allergens: milk, nuts; check the recipe - Kitchen section: curry section #### Lamb biryani Layered rice and spiced lamb, sealed and cooked slowly so the rice absorbs the meat's aromas, often finished with saffron and fried onions. Proper dum biryani is made in large sealed pots, while curry houses may stir-fry rice with meat to order. It fails when rice is broken or the meat dry. Servers explain the style and offer raita alongside. Serving it from a sealed pot with the pastry lid broken at the table makes a memorable moment. - Key components: basmati rice, lamb, yoghurt, onions, saffron, spices - Common allergens: milk, nuts possible; check the recipe - Kitchen section: curry section #### Dal makhani Black lentils and kidney beans slow-cooked with butter and cream until velvety. Kitchens cook dal overnight on a low heat. It fails when undercooked or grainy. It is a vegetarian staple and a great side. Servers flag dairy. It is often finished with a swirl of cream and a knob of butter, and smoky versions are made by placing hot charcoal in a bowl inside the pot and covering it. Servers can sell it with naan or rice as a rich vegetarian main, and note it is one of the dishes that tastes better the next day. - Key components: black urad dal, kidney beans, butter, cream, tomato, spices - Common allergens: milk; check the recipe - Kitchen section: curry section #### Tarka dal Yellow lentils cooked soft and finished with a tempering of ghee or oil with cumin, garlic and chilli. Kitchens cook lentils in bulk and temper each portion. It fails when it is too thick or bland. Servers sell it as a side or vegan main if oil is used. The tempering should sizzle as it hits the dal, ideally at the table or just before service. Servers can recommend it as an essential side dish or as a cheap, comforting vegetarian main, and should check whether the kitchen uses ghee or oil for vegan guests. - Key components: yellow lentils, turmeric, ghee or oil, cumin, garlic, chilli - Common allergens: milk if ghee used, mustard possible; check the recipe - Kitchen section: curry section #### Saag paneer Paneer cheese cooked in a spiced spinach purée, sometimes with mustard greens. Kitchens blanch and purée greens and fry paneer cubes. It goes wrong when the greens turn grey. Servers flag dairy and suggest it as a vegetarian main. Fry the paneer until golden before adding to the greens, so it doesn't fall apart. Adding the cream at the end keeps the colour bright. Servers can recommend it with naan or roti, and offer a tofu version for vegans if the kitchen makes one. - Key components: spinach, paneer, onion, garlic, ginger, spices, cream - Common allergens: milk, mustard possible; check the recipe - Kitchen section: curry section #### Chana masala Chickpeas cooked in a tangy spiced onion and tomato gravy, often with amchur. Kitchens make large batches. It goes wrong when bland or mushy. It is usually vegan. Servers recommend it with bhatura or rice. Use dried chickpeas soaked overnight for best texture, or good tinned ones for speed. A sprinkle of garam masala and fresh coriander at the end lifts the dish. Servers can recommend it as a vegan main or side, and pair with a cold beer or a mango lassi. - Key components: chickpeas, onion, tomato, ginger, garlic, spices - Common allergens: usually none of the major fourteen; check the recipe - Kitchen section: curry section #### Onion bhaji Sliced onions in a spiced gram flour batter, deep-fried into crisp fritters. Kitchens mix batter just before service and fry in batches. They fail when they are doughy in the middle. Servers can note gram flour is naturally gluten-free but check for added wheat flour and shared fryers. Slice onions thinly and salt them first to draw out moisture, which helps the batter cling. Fry at a moderate temperature so they cook through before browning. Servers can sell them as a starter with mint yoghurt and mango chutney. - Key components: onions, gram flour, spices, oil - Common allergens: check the recipe for wheat flour and shared fryer use - Kitchen section: fry station #### Samosa Triangular pastries filled with spiced potato and peas or meat, deep-fried. Kitchens fold and freeze, then fry to order. They fail when greasy or cold inside. Servers sell them with chutneys. Fold the pastry tight to avoid oil getting in, and fry at a moderate temperature for a blistered, crisp finish. Vegetable versions are usually vegan, though check the pastry. Servers can sell them as a starter or snack with tamarind and mint chutneys, and note that the filling can be spicy. - Key components: pastry, potato, peas, spices - Common allergens: gluten; check the recipe - Kitchen section: fry station #### Naan Leavened flatbread slapped onto the wall of a tandoor and brushed with butter or ghee, with garlic, peshwari or keema versions. Kitchens make dough balls in advance. It fails when it is doughy or burnt. Servers should note gluten, milk and often egg. The tandoor chef stretches the dough by hand and slaps it onto the clay wall, where it cooks in about a minute. Brush with ghee or butter immediately. Servers can upsell garlic, cheese or keema naan, and offer a basket to share for the table. - Key components: flour, yoghurt or milk, yeast, butter - Common allergens: gluten, milk, egg possible; nuts in peshwari; check the recipe - Kitchen section: tandoor #### Chicken jalfrezi A curry-house stir-fry of chicken with onions, peppers and green chillies in a thick, hot sauce. Kitchens cook it quickly in a pan with base gravy. It fails when the vegetables are soggy. Servers describe it as fairly hot. It should be a dry, punchy curry with charred peppers and onion. Cook on high heat with the vegetables added late so they stay crunchy. Servers can recommend it to guests who want a hot curry with plenty of texture, and suggest a cold lager. - Key components: chicken, peppers, onions, green chillies, tomato, spices - Common allergens: check the recipe for mustard and other allergens - Kitchen section: curry section #### Vindaloo A dish with roots in Goan Portuguese cooking, vinegar and garlic marinated pork; British curry houses made it a very hot chicken or lamb curry. Kitchens use chilli and vinegar for punch. It goes wrong when it is just heat without flavour. Servers should warn it is very hot. A more authentic Goan style marinates pork in vinegar, garlic and Kashmiri chilli for a day. Servers can offer both styles if the menu allows, and recommend it with plain rice and raita to cool things down. - Key components: meat, vinegar, garlic, chilli, spices - Common allergens: sulphites in vinegar; check the recipe - Kitchen section: curry section #### Masala dosa A South Indian fermented rice and lentil crêpe filled with spiced potato, served with sambar and coconut chutney. Kitchens ferment batter overnight and cook each dosa to order on a flat griddle. It goes wrong when the batter has not fermented or the dosa sticks. Servers sell it as naturally gluten-free in many recipes while checking. The dosa should be thin and crisp, almost glassy at the edges. Kitchens may serve them very large and rolled. Servers can explain sambar and chutney, and recommend a filter coffee or lassi alongside. - Key components: rice, urad dal, potato, mustard seeds, curry leaves, sambar, chutney - Common allergens: mustard; check the recipe - Kitchen section: dosa griddle #### Pani puri Hollow crisp puris filled with spiced potato or chickpeas, then flooded with tangy tamarind and mint water and eaten in one bite. Kitchens buy or fry puris, prep fillings and keep the flavoured waters chilled, assembling only at the table or the moment of service. It fails when puris go soft from sitting with water inside. Servers should explain how to eat it, deliver quickly and note gluten in the puris. - Key components: puri shells, potato, chickpeas, tamarind water, mint water - Common allergens: gluten; check the recipe - Kitchen section: chaat counter #### Papdi chaat Crisp fried wafers topped with potato, chickpeas, yoghurt, tamarind and green chutneys, sev and pomegranate. It is street-food assembly: every element is prepped, and the dish is built in seconds just before going out. It goes wrong when the wafers soften. Servers can describe it as sweet, sour and crunchy and flag dairy and gluten. It must be eaten straight away. - Key components: papdi wafers, potato, chickpeas, yoghurt, chutneys, sev - Common allergens: gluten, milk; check the recipe - Kitchen section: chaat counter #### Lamb seekh kebab Spiced minced lamb moulded onto long skewers and cooked in the tandoor or on a grill. Kitchens mix the mince with onions, herbs and spices, chill it so it holds, and skewer in advance. It goes wrong when the mix is too wet and falls off the skewer. Servers suggest it as a starter with mint chutney. Serve it sizzling on a hot iron platter with onions for theatre. - Key components: lamb mince, onion, ginger, garlic, coriander, spices - Common allergens: check the recipe; egg or gram flour binders possible - Kitchen section: tandoor #### Goan fish curry Fish cooked in a coconut sauce soured with tamarind or kokum and spiced with chilli and coriander. Kitchens make the base in bulk and poach the fish to order. It fails when the fish breaks up. Servers flag fish and suggest rice. Use firm white fish such as monkfish or hake so it holds together. The tangy, coconut-rich sauce is a great match for plain rice. Servers can describe it as medium heat, fragrant and slightly sour, and suggest an off-dry white wine. - Key components: white fish, coconut, tamarind, chilli, spices - Common allergens: fish, mustard possible; check the recipe - Kitchen section: curry section #### Hyderabadi haleem Slow-cooked wheat, lentils and meat pounded into a thick, porridge-like stew, popular during Ramadan. Kitchens cook it for many hours. It fails when the texture is lumpy. Servers explain the texture and note gluten. It is often topped with fried onions, lemon and coriander. Kitchens may sell it only during Ramadan, which creates demand. Servers can explain the dish's place in the Ramadan iftar and offer it with naan. - Key components: wheat, lentils, meat, spices, fried onions - Common allergens: gluten, milk if ghee used; check the recipe - Kitchen section: curry section #### Sri Lankan hoppers Bowl-shaped crêpes of fermented rice flour and coconut milk, crisp at the edges and soft in the middle, often with an egg cooked inside, served with sambols and curries. Kitchens cook each hopper in a small pan. It fails when the batter isn't fermented. Servers explain how to tear and eat. String hoppers, made from pressed rice noodles, are a different dish. - Key components: rice flour, coconut milk, egg, sambols - Common allergens: egg; fish in some sambols; check the recipe - Kitchen section: hopper pans #### Kathi roll Grilled meat, paneer or egg wrapped in a paratha with onions and chutney, a Kolkata street food. Kitchens grill fillings and cook parathas fresh. It goes wrong when the paratha is greasy. Servers sell it as a quick lunch. Kitchens can roll an egg into the paratha for extra richness. Wrap in paper for easy eating. Servers can sell it as a lunch item or street-food snack, and offer a mix of fillings such as chicken tikka, paneer or spiced potato. - Key components: paratha, filling, onion, chutney - Common allergens: gluten, milk, egg possible; check the recipe - Kitchen section: griddle ### Chinese #### Peking duck Duck air-dried, glazed and roasted until the skin is lacquered and crisp, then carved and served with thin pancakes, cucumber, spring onion and hoisin. Kitchens scald, dry and glaze ducks over a day, roasting in batches in special ovens. It goes wrong when the skin is soft from poor drying or the duck sits too long after carving. Many venues carve at the table. Servers should explain the courses and pre-orders and flag gluten and soy. - Key components: duck, maltose glaze, pancakes, hoisin, cucumber, spring onion - Common allergens: gluten, soya, sesame possible; check the recipe - Kitchen section: roast section #### Kung pao chicken A Sichuan stir-fry of diced chicken, dried chillies, Sichuan peppercorns, peanuts and a sweet, sour and savoury sauce. Woks cook it in seconds once ingredients are prepped. It fails when chillies burn bitter or chicken overcooks. Servers must flag peanuts. Prep is everything: chicken diced and velveted in cornflour, sauce pre-mixed in a jug, chillies snipped and seeds shaken out. Servers should warn of the numbing peppercorn, describe it as medium-hot, and recommend steamed rice and a cold lager or an off-dry Riesling. - Key components: chicken, dried chilli, Sichuan pepper, peanuts, soy, vinegar - Common allergens: peanuts, soya, gluten; check the recipe - Kitchen section: wok station #### Mapo tofu Soft tofu in a fiery, numbing sauce of doubanjiang, fermented black beans, chilli oil, Sichuan peppercorn and minced beef or pork. Woks build the sauce and slide the tofu in gently. It goes wrong when tofu breaks up. Servers explain the numbing sensation and offer a vegan version if available. Silken or soft tofu is blanched in salted water first so it firms slightly and holds together. The sauce should be glossy, red and tingling. Servers can recommend it with plenty of steamed rice and warn that it is hot and numbing. - Key components: tofu, doubanjiang, chilli, Sichuan pepper, minced meat - Common allergens: soya, gluten; check the recipe - Kitchen section: wok station #### Sweet and sour pork Battered fried pork in a sweet and sour sauce with peppers, onion and pineapple, a Cantonese dish adapted widely in the West. Kitchens fry pork twice for crunch, then toss in sauce to order. It fails when the batter goes soggy. Servers sell it as a mild crowd-pleaser. The sauce should be glossy and balanced, not neon and sticky. Servers can sell it as a family favourite, often to children or spice-shy guests, and pair it with egg fried rice. - Key components: pork, batter, vinegar, sugar, ketchup, peppers, pineapple - Common allergens: gluten, egg possible, soya; check the recipe - Kitchen section: wok and fry #### Char siu Cantonese barbecued pork marinated in honey, hoisin, soy and five-spice, roasted until glossy and slightly charred. Kitchens roast strips in batches and slice to order. It fails when dry. Servers suggest it with rice or noodles. Kitchens often hang the pork in a vertical oven so it roasts evenly, basting with more glaze near the end for a lacquered finish. The red colour traditionally comes from fermented bean curd or colouring. Servers can recommend it in bao, on rice or as part of a roast meat platter. - Key components: pork, honey, hoisin, soy, five-spice - Common allergens: soya, gluten, sesame possible; check the recipe - Kitchen section: roast section #### Xiaolongbao Soup dumplings: thin pleated wrappers holding minced pork and a gelatinous stock that melts when steamed. Kitchens make aspic the day before, fold dumplings by hand and steam in baskets to order. They fail when wrappers tear. Servers explain how to eat them safely. A good dumpling has at least eighteen pleats and a wrapper thin enough to see the soup through. Steam for a few minutes and serve immediately with black vinegar and ginger. Servers should tell guests to bite a small hole and sip the soup first, since it is scalding. - Key components: flour wrapper, pork, aspic, ginger, vinegar - Common allergens: gluten, soya, sesame possible; check the recipe - Kitchen section: dim sum #### Har gow Translucent wheat-starch dumplings filled with prawn, steamed in bamboo baskets, a dim sum essential. Kitchens fold by hand. They fail when wrappers are thick. Servers flag crustaceans. The wheat starch dough is delicate and must be pleated while warm, so skilled dim sum chefs are prized. The prawn filling should be bouncy and lightly seasoned with sesame oil and white pepper. Servers can recommend them as a dim sum essential and note that wheat starch may still contain gluten. - Key components: wheat starch wrapper, prawns, bamboo shoot - Common allergens: crustaceans, gluten, sesame possible; check the recipe - Kitchen section: dim sum #### Siu mai Open-topped dumplings of pork and prawn, often topped with roe or carrot. Kitchens fold and steam. They fail when dry. Servers flag shellfish. Kitchens make big batches of filling, mixing pork and chopped prawns until sticky, and wrap with thin yellow wonton skins. Steam to order in bamboo baskets. Servers can recommend them with har gow as the classic dim sum duo and offer chilli oil. - Key components: pork, prawns, wonton wrapper, mushroom - Common allergens: crustaceans, gluten, egg, soya; check the recipe - Kitchen section: dim sum #### Egg fried rice Day-old rice stir-fried at high heat with egg, spring onion, soy and sometimes peas. The cold, dry rice is the secret: freshly cooked rice clumps. Wok cooks toss each portion in under two minutes. It goes wrong when rice is steamed rather than fried, oversalted or, more seriously, when cooked rice is kept warm for hours, which is a known food-safety risk; rice should be cooled fast and held cold. Servers sell it as the default side and should flag egg and soy. - Key components: cooked rice, eggs, spring onion, soy sauce, oil - Common allergens: egg, soya, gluten in soy sauce; check the recipe - Kitchen section: wok station #### Chow mein Stir-fried egg noodles with vegetables and a meat or seafood, in a soy-based sauce. Kitchens blanch noodles ahead and fry to order with high heat. It fails when noodles stick or are greasy. Servers explain the protein options. Cantonese crispy versions pan-fry the noodles into a cake and pour the sauce on top. Servers can explain the difference between soft and crispy noodles, offer chicken, beef, prawn or vegetable options, and sell it as a main or side. - Key components: egg noodles, vegetables, protein, soy sauce, oyster sauce - Common allergens: gluten, egg, soya; molluscs in oyster sauce; check the recipe - Kitchen section: wok station #### Salt and pepper squid Squid dusted in seasoned starch, deep-fried and tossed with salt, pepper, chilli, garlic and spring onion. Kitchens score and cut squid in advance and fry to order. It goes wrong when the squid is rubbery or the coating heavy. Servers flag molluscs and sell it as a starter. It is a British Chinese restaurant favourite and also works as a bar snack. Fry in very hot oil quickly so the squid stays tender. Servers can recommend it with a cold beer or as part of a shared starter selection. - Key components: squid, cornflour, salt, pepper, chilli, garlic - Common allergens: molluscs, gluten possible; check the recipe - Kitchen section: fry and wok #### Hot and sour soup A thickened broth flavoured with vinegar and white pepper, with tofu, mushrooms, bamboo shoot and egg ribbons. Kitchens make the base and finish with egg to order. It fails when gloopy. Servers flag soya, egg and gluten. Balance is everything: the sourness from vinegar and heat from white pepper should both be clear. Kitchens drizzle the beaten egg into the simmering soup in a thin stream so it forms ribbons. Servers can sell it as a warming starter. - Key components: stock, vinegar, white pepper, tofu, mushrooms, egg - Common allergens: soya, egg, gluten; check the recipe - Kitchen section: wok or soup #### Dan dan noodles Sichuan noodles with chilli oil, preserved vegetable, minced pork and sesame paste or peanuts. Kitchens prepare the sauce in bowls and add hot noodles. It goes wrong when the sauce clumps. Servers flag sesame and peanuts. Kitchens make chilli oil in house in big batches, which defines the dish. Servers should tell guests to mix everything well from the bottom of the bowl and warn about heat. It pairs well with a cold beer or jasmine tea. - Key components: wheat noodles, chilli oil, pork, sesame paste, Sichuan pepper - Common allergens: gluten, sesame, soya, peanuts possible; check the recipe - Kitchen section: noodle station #### Crispy aromatic duck A British Chinese restaurant classic: duck steamed with spices then deep-fried, shredded and served with pancakes and hoisin. Kitchens pre-steam and fry to order. It fails when dry. Servers sell quarter, half or whole. It comes with a stack of pancakes for guests to roll themselves. Steaming ahead means service is only a few minutes in the fryer, but ducks held too long after steaming dry out, so batch to the expected covers. Servers can shred the duck at the table with two forks as a small piece of theatre and flag the hoisin for soya and gluten. - Key components: duck, five-spice, pancakes, hoisin, cucumber, spring onion - Common allergens: gluten, soya, sesame possible; check the recipe - Kitchen section: fry station #### Steamed whole fish with ginger and spring onion A whole fish, often sea bass, steamed and finished with soy, ginger, spring onion and a splash of hot oil. Kitchens steam to order. It fails when overcooked. Servers explain the bones. Fish should be very fresh, scored so it cooks evenly, and steamed until the flesh just pulls from the bone. The sizzle of hot oil poured over the aromatics at the pass releases fragrance and is part of the theatre. Servers can offer to fillet at the table, and suggest it as a centrepiece for sharing. - Key components: whole fish, ginger, spring onion, soy, oil - Common allergens: fish, soya, gluten; check the recipe - Kitchen section: steam and wok #### Cheung fun Steamed rice noodle rolls filled with prawn, char siu or beef, dressed with sweet soy. Kitchens steam the batter on trays and roll. It fails when torn. Servers flag fillings. Rice noodle rolls are steamed on special trays or cloth so they come out silky and thin. Kitchens cut them into sections for serving. Servers can recommend them as part of a dim sum spread, and explain the dish's slippery texture. - Key components: rice flour batter, filling, sweet soy sauce - Common allergens: soya, gluten, crustaceans if prawn; check the recipe - Kitchen section: dim sum ### Japanese #### Sushi and nigiri Seasoned rice topped with or rolled around raw fish, seafood or vegetables. Kitchens cook and season rice in batches, held at body temperature, and slice fish to order. It goes wrong when rice is cold and hard, fish is poorly handled, or temperature control slips. Servers explain the cuts and should flag fish, crustaceans, sesame and soy. Rice should be seasoned and held at body temperature for the best eating. Servers can recommend omakase where available, and suggest sake, green tea or a crisp beer. - Key components: sushi rice, rice vinegar, fish, nori - Common allergens: fish, crustaceans, molluscs, sesame, soya, gluten in soy; check the recipe - Kitchen section: sushi counter #### Sashimi Slices of raw fish or seafood served without rice, with wasabi, soy and daikon. Chefs cut to order from carefully sourced fish, which should be handled to suit raw use. It fails when knife work is ragged or fish isn't fresh. Servers explain species and origin. Fish intended for raw service needs careful handling and, for some species, freezing to control parasites, following the supplier and local guidance. Plating should be precise and cold. Servers can recommend a mixed platter and sake. - Key components: raw fish or seafood, daikon, wasabi, soy - Common allergens: fish, molluscs, crustaceans, soya, gluten; check the recipe - Kitchen section: sushi counter #### Tonkotsu ramen Wheat noodles in a rich, cloudy pork-bone broth boiled for many hours, topped with chashu pork, egg, spring onion and nori. Kitchens boil bones in huge pots and assemble bowls in seconds. It goes wrong when the broth is thin. Servers explain spice add-ons. Shops make broth daily, with a tare seasoning, aroma oil, noodles and toppings combined in each bowl. The noodles are cooked for seconds and served firm. Servers can explain spice levels and extras such as eggs or chashu, and tell guests to eat quickly, as noodles soften. - Key components: pork bone broth, wheat noodles, chashu, egg, tare - Common allergens: gluten, egg, soya, sesame; check the recipe - Kitchen section: ramen station #### Chicken katsu curry Breaded fried chicken cutlet with a thick, mild Japanese curry sauce and rice. Kitchens crumb cutlets in advance and fry to order. It fails when the crumb is soggy. Servers sell it as a mild crowd-pleaser. The sauce is usually made from a roux of onions, carrots, curry powder and flour, and is gentle and slightly sweet. Many UK chains have made it a hit. Servers can sell it as a filling lunch, offer a tofu or vegetable version, and recommend pickles on the side. - Key components: chicken, panko, egg, curry sauce, rice - Common allergens: gluten, egg, soya, celery possible; check the recipe - Kitchen section: fry station #### Tempura Seafood and vegetables in a light, lacy batter, fried and served with tentsuyu dipping sauce. Kitchens mix ice-cold batter in small amounts. It fails when heavy. Servers flag gluten and shellfish. Use ice-cold water and barely mix the batter, leaving lumps, for a light coat. Fry in small batches at high heat and serve immediately. Servers can sell it as a starter or alongside sushi, with tentsuyu and grated daikon. - Key components: prawns, vegetables, flour, egg, iced water - Common allergens: gluten, egg, crustaceans, soya; check the recipe - Kitchen section: fry station #### Gyoza Pan-fried dumplings with pork and cabbage, crisp-bottomed and steamed on top. Kitchens fold and freeze, then cook to order. They fail when stuck. Servers offer dipping sauce. The classic technique is to fry, add water, cover to steam, then uncover so the base crisps again into a lacy skirt. Servers can sell them as a starter with soy, vinegar and chilli oil, and offer vegetable versions. - Key components: wrappers, pork, cabbage, garlic, ginger - Common allergens: gluten, soya, sesame; check the recipe - Kitchen section: griddle #### Chirashi A bowl of seasoned sushi rice scattered with sliced raw fish, tamagoyaki, pickles and garnishes. Kitchens assemble from prepped sushi-counter mise en place, making it a useful way to use trim beautifully. It fails when the rice is cold or the fish is sliced too early and dries. Servers can sell it as a good-value way to try several fish, and must flag raw fish, egg and sesame. - Key components: sushi rice, raw fish, tamagoyaki, pickles, nori - Common allergens: fish, egg, sesame, soya, possibly crustaceans; check the recipe - Kitchen section: sushi counter #### Okonomiyaki A savoury pancake of cabbage and batter with pork or seafood, cooked on a griddle and topped with sauce, mayonnaise, bonito flakes and seaweed. Kitchens mix to order. It fails when raw in the middle. Servers explain the dancing bonito. The name roughly means cook what you like, and recipes vary between regional styles. Kitchens keep batter and cabbage separate until the order comes in, so the cabbage stays crunchy. Servers can recommend a cold Japanese beer alongside. - Key components: flour, egg, cabbage, pork or seafood, sauce, mayonnaise, bonito - Common allergens: gluten, egg, fish, soya, crustaceans possible; check the recipe - Kitchen section: teppan griddle #### Yakitori Skewered chicken, from thigh to heart to skin, grilled over charcoal and seasoned with salt or tare. Kitchens skewer in the afternoon. It fails when burnt or raw. Servers explain the cuts. Small yakitori bars grill dozens of cuts on charcoal, with a chef constantly turning skewers. Tare is a soy and mirin glaze that builds over use. Servers can sell skewers by the piece and pair them with a beer or sake. - Key components: chicken, tare or salt, spring onion - Common allergens: soya, gluten in tare; check the recipe - Kitchen section: charcoal grill #### Miso soup Dashi broth with dissolved miso paste, tofu, seaweed and spring onion. Kitchens make dashi in batches and whisk miso in off the boil. It fails when boiled. Servers should note dashi usually contains fish. Add miso off the boil, as boiling dulls flavour. Kitchens make it in small batches to stay fresh. Servers can recommend it as an accompaniment to sushi or a set meal, and explain that vegan versions use kombu dashi. - Key components: dashi, miso, tofu, wakame, spring onion - Common allergens: soya, fish, gluten possible; check the recipe - Kitchen section: soup station #### Black cod with miso Sablefish marinated for days in sweet miso, then grilled or roasted until caramelised. Kitchens marinate in advance and cook to order. It fails when it burns. Servers sell it as a signature dish. The long marinade gives a deep sweet and savoury flavour. Cook under a hot grill until the edges caramelise. Servers can recommend it as a premium main with pickled ginger, and pair it with sake or an aromatic white. - Key components: black cod, white miso, mirin, sake, sugar - Common allergens: fish, soya; check the recipe - Kitchen section: grill #### Udon Thick wheat noodles in a dashi broth or stir-fried, topped with tempura, tofu or beef. Kitchens blanch to order. It fails when soggy. Servers flag gluten. Fresh or frozen udon gives the best chewy texture. Popular toppings include tempura, tofu, beef or curry. Servers can recommend hot udon in winter and cold udon with dipping sauce in summer. Kitchens portion frozen blocks for speed and refresh cold noodles in iced water. - Key components: udon noodles, dashi, soy, toppings - Common allergens: gluten, soya, fish; check the recipe - Kitchen section: noodle station #### Donburi A rice bowl topped with simmered meat, fish or egg, such as oyakodon or gyudon. Kitchens prep toppings and assemble quickly. It fails when soupy. Servers sell it as a fast lunch. Oyakodon means parent and child, chicken and egg. Kitchens cook each portion in a small pan with dashi and soy, adding beaten egg at the end so it is just set. Servers can sell it as a hearty lunch and offer miso soup alongside. - Key components: rice, simmered topping, egg, onion - Common allergens: egg, soya, gluten; check the recipe - Kitchen section: hot section #### Edamame Young soybeans in the pod, boiled and salted or tossed with chilli and garlic. Kitchens blanch from frozen to order. It fails when cold. Servers flag soya. Serve hot with flaky salt or spicy garlic. Servers can recommend it as a snack while guests decide on the menu and tell them to pop the beans from the pods. Batch-blanching speeds service, but each portion should be tossed hot in seasoning to order. - Key components: soybeans, salt - Common allergens: soya; check the recipe - Kitchen section: hot starters #### Matcha desserts Green tea powder in ice cream, cakes, tiramisu or mochi. Kitchens whisk matcha fresh. It fails when bitter. Servers explain the flavour. Good-quality matcha has a vibrant green colour and grassy flavour. Kitchens sift it to avoid lumps and use it in ice cream, cheesecake, crème brûlée and mochi. Servers can explain that it contains caffeine and recommend it for an unusual dessert. - Key components: matcha, cream, sugar - Common allergens: milk, egg, gluten; check the recipe - Kitchen section: pastry ### Korean and Southeast Asian #### Korean fried chicken Chicken double-fried for a thin, glassy crust, then glazed in gochujang, soy garlic or served plain with salt. Kitchens marinate, coat in a starch batter, fry once to cook and again to crisp. It goes wrong when the glaze makes it soggy, so sauce at the last moment. It is huge with beer as chimaek. Servers sell it by the half or whole bird and flag gluten, soya and sesame. - Key components: chicken, potato or corn starch, gochujang, soy, garlic - Common allergens: gluten, soya, sesame; check the recipe - Kitchen section: fry station #### Bibimbap Rice topped with seasoned vegetables, beef, a fried egg and gochujang, mixed at the table; the dolsot version is served sizzling in a stone bowl. Kitchens prep the namul vegetables in advance. It fails when the bowl isn't hot enough to crisp the rice. Servers explain how to mix it. Kitchens can make the dish to order in a very hot stone bowl so the rice crackles. Servers should tell guests to add gochujang to taste and mix it well, and offer tofu for a vegetarian option. - Key components: rice, vegetables, beef, egg, gochujang, sesame oil - Common allergens: egg, soya, sesame, gluten; check the recipe - Kitchen section: hot section #### Kimchi Fermented cabbage with chilli, garlic, ginger and often fish sauce or salted shrimp. Kitchens ferment batches over days. It fails when underfermented or oversoured. Servers explain it is often not vegan. Kitchens make kimchi in big batches and ferment at room temperature before chilling. It gets sourer as it ages, so older kimchi is used in stews and fried rice. Servers can explain it as a side, an ingredient or a snack. - Key components: napa cabbage, gochugaru, garlic, ginger, fish sauce - Common allergens: fish, crustaceans possible; check the recipe - Kitchen section: larder #### Korean barbecue Meats such as bulgogi, galbi and pork belly grilled at the table and eaten with lettuce, ssamjang and banchan. Kitchens marinate and slice in advance. It fails when grills smoke out the room. Servers must guide guests on cooking and safety. Banchan are small side dishes served free with the meal, such as kimchi and pickled vegetables. Servers can explain how to wrap meat in lettuce with garlic, chilli and sauce, and sell soju or beer. - Key components: marinated beef, pork belly, lettuce, ssamjang, banchan - Common allergens: soya, sesame, gluten; check the recipe - Kitchen section: larder for prep, table grills #### Tteokbokki Chewy rice cakes simmered in a spicy, sweet gochujang sauce with fish cake and egg. Kitchens cook to order. It fails when the sauce burns. Servers warn of heat. It is a popular street food in Korea. Kitchens soak hard refrigerated rice cakes briefly so they cook evenly, and add water to the sauce as it reduces. Overcooked rice cakes turn gluey and collapse. Servers should mention that many fish cakes contain wheat, flag the heat, and suggest cheese on top, a popular modern addition that softens the spice. - Key components: rice cakes, gochujang, fish cake, egg - Common allergens: gluten, soya, fish, egg; check the recipe - Kitchen section: hot section #### Pad Thai Thai stir-fried rice noodles with tamarind, fish sauce, egg, tofu or prawns, bean sprouts and crushed peanuts. Woks cook each portion. It fails when noodles clump. Servers must flag peanuts, fish and shellfish. Kitchens soak dried rice noodles until pliable, not soft, and stir-fry in small batches in a very hot wok. The dish should be balanced between sweet, sour and savoury. Servers can sell it as a crowd-pleaser and offer lime wedges and chilli flakes. - Key components: rice noodles, tamarind, fish sauce, egg, prawns, peanuts - Common allergens: peanuts, fish, crustaceans, egg, soya; check the recipe - Kitchen section: wok station #### Thai green curry A curry of coconut milk and green chilli paste with chicken or vegetables, Thai basil, aubergine and lime leaf. Good kitchens pound or blend paste in-house, fry it in cracked coconut cream until fragrant, then simmer the protein briefly. It goes wrong when the sauce is thin and sweet, or the paste is raw-tasting because it wasn't fried. Servers should note that fish sauce and shrimp paste are standard, so vegetarian versions need a separate paste, and suggest jasmine rice. - Key components: green curry paste, coconut milk, chicken, Thai aubergine, basil, fish sauce - Common allergens: fish, crustaceans in shrimp paste; check the recipe - Kitchen section: wok or curry section #### Tom yum A hot and sour Thai soup of lemongrass, galangal, lime leaf, chilli and lime, usually with prawns. Kitchens make the aromatic broth and cook prawns to order. It goes wrong when it lacks balance. Servers explain that the aromatics are not eaten. Tom yum nam khon is the creamy version with evaporated milk or coconut. Servers can explain the heat and sourness and recommend it as a starter. - Key components: stock, lemongrass, galangal, lime leaf, chilli, prawns, fish sauce - Common allergens: crustaceans, fish, milk if creamy style; check the recipe - Kitchen section: soup or wok #### Massaman curry A mild, rich Thai curry with Persian-influenced spices, coconut, potato, peanuts and slow-cooked beef or chicken. Kitchens braise in bulk. It goes wrong when too sweet. Servers flag peanuts. It is milder than green or red curry, with cinnamon, cardamom and cloves. Kitchens slow-cook the beef until tender. Servers can recommend it for guests who want a mild curry and pair it with jasmine rice. - Key components: beef, coconut milk, potato, peanuts, massaman paste - Common allergens: peanuts, fish, crustaceans; check the recipe - Kitchen section: curry section #### Som tam Green papaya salad pounded in a mortar with chilli, garlic, lime, fish sauce, palm sugar, tomatoes and peanuts. Kitchens pound each portion. It fails when watery. Servers ask about heat. It is traditionally pounded in a clay mortar with a wooden pestle, bruising the papaya and releasing flavour. Servers can recommend it with sticky rice and grilled chicken, and warn about heat. - Key components: green papaya, chilli, lime, fish sauce, peanuts, dried shrimp - Common allergens: peanuts, fish, crustaceans; check the recipe - Kitchen section: larder #### Pho Vietnamese noodle soup of clear, spiced beef or chicken broth with rice noodles, thin-sliced meat and fresh herbs. Kitchens simmer bones with charred onion, ginger, star anise and cinnamon for hours, then assemble to order. It fails when the broth is cloudy or bland. Servers explain the herb plate and sauces. The broth is the heart of pho. Kitchens slice raw beef paper-thin and let the boiling broth cook it in the bowl, so the broth must be at a rolling boil at the pass. - Key components: bone broth, rice noodles, beef or chicken, herbs, lime - Common allergens: fish in fish sauce; soya and gluten in hoisin; check the recipe - Kitchen section: noodle station #### Banh mi A Vietnamese baguette sandwich with pâté, cold cuts or grilled meat, pickled carrot and daikon, coriander, chilli and mayonnaise. Kitchens prep fillings in advance. It fails when the baguette is soft. Servers sell it at lunch. A light, crisp baguette is essential, often made with rice flour. Pickled vegetables add crunch and acidity. Servers can offer fillings such as pork belly, lemongrass chicken or tofu. - Key components: baguette, pâté or meat, pickles, coriander, chilli, mayonnaise - Common allergens: gluten, egg, soya, fish possible; check the recipe - Kitchen section: larder #### Summer rolls Fresh rice paper rolls with prawns, herbs, noodles and lettuce, served with peanut or nuoc cham dip. Kitchens roll ahead and cover. They fail when the rice paper dries. Servers flag shellfish and peanuts. Rice paper is softened briefly in warm water and rolled tight so fillings don't slip out. Servers can recommend them as a light starter and offer vegetarian versions with tofu. - Key components: rice paper, prawns, vermicelli, herbs, lettuce - Common allergens: crustaceans, peanuts, fish; check the recipe - Kitchen section: larder #### Nasi goreng Indonesian fried rice with kecap manis, shrimp paste, chilli and garlic, topped with a fried egg and crackers. Woks cook to order. It fails when soggy. Servers flag shellfish. Kecap manis, a sweet soy sauce, gives the dish its colour and flavour. Prawn crackers and pickles are traditional sides. Servers can recommend it as a lunch or brunch dish with a fried egg on top. - Key components: rice, kecap manis, shrimp paste, chilli, egg - Common allergens: crustaceans, soya, egg, gluten; check the recipe - Kitchen section: wok station #### Beef rendang A dry Indonesian and Malaysian curry of beef slow-cooked in coconut and spices until almost all liquid evaporates. Kitchens cook for hours. It fails when stopped too early. Servers explain it is rich rather than saucy. It is often served at festivals and celebrations. The paste is made from many aromatics and the beef is cooked until the coconut caramelises. Servers can recommend it with rice and describe it as rich and spicy. - Key components: beef, coconut, lemongrass, galangal, chilli, kerisik - Common allergens: check the recipe for fish or shrimp paste - Kitchen section: curry section #### Chicken satay Marinated chicken skewers grilled over charcoal and served with peanut sauce, cucumber and rice cakes. Kitchens skewer in advance. It fails when dry. Servers flag peanuts. Kitchens can marinate the chicken overnight and grill it to order on charcoal. Servers can sell it as a starter and should always mention the peanut sauce. Overcooked skewers turn dry quickly, so grill in small batches and soak wooden skewers so they don't burn. - Key components: chicken, turmeric, lemongrass, peanut sauce - Common allergens: peanuts, soya, fish; check the recipe - Kitchen section: grill #### Laksa A spicy coconut noodle soup from Malaysia and Singapore with prawns, tofu puffs, egg and noodles. Kitchens make the laksa paste. It fails when the broth splits. Servers flag shellfish. Curry laksa is coconut-rich, while asam laksa from Penang is sour and fish-based. Servers can explain both styles and recommend the dish as a filling main. Kitchens fry the paste until fragrant before adding stock and coconut. - Key components: laksa paste, coconut milk, noodles, prawns, tofu puffs, egg - Common allergens: crustaceans, fish, soya, egg, gluten; check the recipe - Kitchen section: noodle station #### Hainanese chicken rice Poached chicken served with rice cooked in chicken fat and stock, plus chilli, ginger and soy sauces. Kitchens poach whole birds and ice-bath them. It fails when overcooked. Servers explain sauces. It is a national dish in Singapore. The rice is cooked in chicken stock with garlic and ginger. Servers can explain the three sauces and recommend it as a simple, comforting meal. - Key components: chicken, rice, chicken fat, ginger, chilli sauce - Common allergens: soya, sesame; check the recipe - Kitchen section: hot section #### Adobo The Filipino braise of chicken or pork in vinegar, soy, garlic, bay and pepper. Kitchens braise in bulk. It fails when it is too sharp. Servers suggest rice. It is sometimes called the national dish of the Philippines. Kitchens braise until the sauce reduces and glazes the meat. Servers can recommend it with garlic rice and a fried egg. Some versions add coconut milk. - Key components: chicken or pork, vinegar, soy, garlic, bay - Common allergens: soya, gluten; check the recipe - Kitchen section: hot section #### Japchae Korean stir-fried sweet potato glass noodles with vegetables, beef and sesame. Kitchens cook elements separately and toss. It fails when greasy. Servers flag sesame. It is often served at celebrations. The glass noodles should be glossy and chewy. Servers can offer a vegetarian version and recommend it as a side or main. Cook each vegetable separately so colours stay bright, then toss everything with soy, sugar and sesame oil. - Key components: sweet potato noodles, vegetables, beef, soy, sesame oil - Common allergens: soya, sesame, gluten; check the recipe - Kitchen section: wok station ### Middle Eastern and North African #### Hummus A purée of chickpeas, tahini, lemon and garlic, served with olive oil, paprika and warm bread. Good kitchens cook dried chickpeas until very soft, sometimes peeling them, and blend while warm with iced water for a whipped texture. It goes wrong when grainy, too lemony or served fridge-cold. Toppings such as spiced lamb or whole chickpeas turn it into a main. Servers must flag sesame in the tahini, a serious allergen, and sell it as the anchor of a mezze spread. - Key components: chickpeas, tahini, lemon, garlic, olive oil - Common allergens: sesame; gluten in bread; check the recipe - Kitchen section: larder #### Falafel Fritters of soaked raw chickpeas or broad beans blended with herbs, onion and spices, deep-fried. Kitchens soak but never cook the pulses, blend the mix coarse and fry to order. They fail when they disintegrate or are dense and dry. Servers can sell them in wraps or mezze with tahini and pickles, flagging sesame and any shared fryer. Green falafel gets its colour from parsley and coriander. Servers can recommend falafel as a vegan main. - Key components: chickpeas or fava beans, herbs, onion, garlic, cumin - Common allergens: sesame in sauce; check the recipe and fryer for gluten - Kitchen section: fry station #### Shawarma Marinated meat stacked on a vertical rotisserie, shaved thin and served in flatbread or on a plate with garlic sauce, pickles and salad. Kitchens build cones in the morning. It fails when shavings are undercooked or the meat dries. Servers explain sauces and portion options. The meat is marinated overnight and stacked tightly so it roasts evenly. Shave only the cooked outer layer. Servers can recommend it in a wrap or on a plate with chips, salad and pickles. - Key components: marinated chicken or lamb, flatbread, garlic sauce, pickles - Common allergens: gluten, milk, sesame, egg in some garlic sauces; check the recipe - Kitchen section: rotisserie #### Lamb tagine A Moroccan stew of lamb slow-cooked with spices, onions, dried fruit such as apricots or prunes, and often almonds, traditionally in a conical clay pot. Kitchens braise in batches and finish in the tagine for presentation. It fails when the sauce is cloying. Servers serve it with couscous and flag nuts. Preserved lemon and olives add sharpness to balance the sweet fruit. Servers can recommend it with couscous or bread, and explain the clay pot. - Key components: lamb, ras el hanout, onion, dried fruit, almonds, preserved lemon - Common allergens: nuts, gluten in couscous; check the recipe - Kitchen section: hot section #### Couscous Steamed semolina granules, served with stews or as a salad. Kitchens hydrate and fluff with butter or oil. It fails when clumped. Servers flag gluten. Traditional couscous is steamed several times above a stew in a couscoussier, which makes it fluffy. Kitchens can flavour it with herbs, lemon, dried fruit or spices. Servers can recommend it as a side for tagines or grilled meats. - Key components: durum wheat semolina, stock or water, butter or oil - Common allergens: gluten, milk if butter used; check the recipe - Kitchen section: veg or hot section #### Shakshuka Eggs poached in a spiced sauce of tomatoes and peppers, served in the pan with bread. Kitchens make sauce in bulk and poach eggs to order in individual pans. It fails when eggs overcook. Servers sell it at brunch with feta or merguez. It is popular across North Africa and the Middle East. Kitchens can cook several pans at once. Servers can recommend extras such as feta, chorizo or avocado, and suggest bread for dipping. - Key components: tomatoes, peppers, onion, cumin, paprika, eggs - Common allergens: egg, gluten in bread, milk if feta; check the recipe - Kitchen section: hot section #### Baba ganoush Smoky aubergine charred whole, mashed with tahini, lemon and garlic. Kitchens char over flame. It fails when bitter. Servers flag sesame. Char the aubergine on an open flame or grill until it collapses, so the flesh turns soft and smoky. Scoop and drain the flesh before mixing so it isn't watery. Servers can recommend it as part of a mezze spread with warm flatbread, and note that it is naturally vegan. - Key components: aubergine, tahini, lemon, garlic - Common allergens: sesame; check the recipe - Kitchen section: larder #### Tabbouleh A parsley salad with bulgur, tomato, mint, lemon and olive oil. Kitchens chop herbs finely. It fails when wet. Servers flag gluten in bulgur. Proper tabbouleh is mostly parsley, with only a little bulgur. Chop the herbs by hand with a sharp knife so they don't bruise. Dress just before serving. Servers can recommend it as a fresh side for grilled meats or as part of a mezze spread, and offer a quinoa version for gluten-free guests. - Key components: parsley, bulgur, tomato, mint, lemon, oil - Common allergens: gluten; check the recipe - Kitchen section: larder #### Fattoush Levantine salad with toasted or fried pitta, sumac and pomegranate molasses. Kitchens dress at the last moment. It fails when bread sogs. Servers flag gluten. Sumac adds a lemony tang. The bread should be crisp and added at the last moment. Servers can recommend it as a fresh, light salad, and offer it alongside grilled meats or as part of a mezze. - Key components: lettuce, tomato, cucumber, pitta, sumac, dressing - Common allergens: gluten; check the recipe - Kitchen section: larder #### Mixed grill Kofta, shish taouk and lamb cutlets grilled over charcoal with rice, bread and salad. Kitchens skewer in advance. It fails when meats are dry. Servers sell it as sharing. Each meat needs different cooking times, so the grill chef must plan the order. Charcoal adds smoky flavour. Servers can recommend it as a sharing platter with garlic sauce, hummus and bread. - Key components: kofta, chicken skewers, lamb chops, rice, bread - Common allergens: gluten, milk, sesame; check the recipe - Kitchen section: grill #### Manakish Levantine flatbread topped with za'atar and olive oil, cheese or minced meat. Kitchens bake to order. It fails when burnt. Servers flag sesame. It is a popular Levantine breakfast or snack, baked in very hot ovens. Za'atar is a mix of thyme, sumac and sesame. Servers can recommend it with labneh, tomatoes and mint tea. Kitchens stretch dough balls to order and bake on stone, and fold them for takeaway. - Key components: dough, za'atar, oil, cheese - Common allergens: gluten, sesame, milk; check the recipe - Kitchen section: oven #### Baklava Layers of filo pastry with chopped nuts, soaked in syrup. Kitchens bake trays. It fails when soggy. Servers flag nuts. The filo is brushed with clarified butter between each layer, cut before baking, and soaked with cool syrup while hot so it absorbs evenly. Pistachio and walnut are the most common nuts. Servers can sell it with Turkish coffee or mint tea and should always flag tree nuts. - Key components: filo, nuts, butter, syrup - Common allergens: gluten, nuts, milk; check the recipe - Kitchen section: pastry #### Chicken pastilla A Moroccan pie of spiced chicken, egg and almonds in thin warqa pastry, dusted with sugar and cinnamon. Kitchens assemble in advance. It fails when the pastry is soggy. Servers explain sweet and savoury. It is a celebratory dish in Morocco, combining sweet and savoury. Kitchens can make individual pies for plated service. Servers can explain the flavours and recommend it as a starter or main. - Key components: chicken, egg, almonds, warqa pastry, sugar - Common allergens: gluten, egg, nuts, milk; check the recipe - Kitchen section: pastry #### Ful medames Stewed fava beans with olive oil, lemon, garlic and cumin. Kitchens cook in bulk. It fails when bland. Servers sell it at breakfast. It is an Egyptian breakfast staple. Kitchens cook the beans slowly, then mash lightly and dress with oil and lemon. Servers can recommend it with bread, boiled eggs and pickles, and note that it is naturally vegan. - Key components: fava beans, oil, lemon, garlic, cumin - Common allergens: usually none; check the recipe - Kitchen section: hot section #### Kibbeh Bulgur and minced lamb shells stuffed with spiced meat and pine nuts, fried. Kitchens shape in advance. They fail when cracked. Servers flag gluten and nuts. There are many versions, including baked and raw. Kitchens can shape kibbeh into torpedo shapes by hand. Servers can sell them as a mezze item with yoghurt. The shell must be thin and even, which takes practice, and the mix chilled so it holds. - Key components: bulgur, lamb, onion, pine nuts - Common allergens: gluten, nuts; check the recipe - Kitchen section: fry station #### Mansaf The Jordanian dish of lamb cooked in fermented dried yoghurt, over rice with nuts. Kitchens braise lamb. It fails when the sauce splits. Servers explain it. It is often served at celebrations on a large platter for sharing. The jameed sauce is tangy and rich. Servers can explain it is traditionally eaten by hand, and offer cutlery. Kitchens dissolve jameed slowly and stir constantly so it does not curdle. - Key components: lamb, jameed yoghurt, rice, nuts - Common allergens: milk, nuts; check the recipe - Kitchen section: hot section ### Americas #### Smash burger Balls of beef mince pressed hard onto a very hot flat-top so they form a thin, deeply browned crust, topped with American cheese and served in a soft bun. Kitchens portion balls by weight, keep them cold and smash with a heavy press, often two patties per burger. It goes wrong when the griddle isn't hot enough, the patties stick, or buns are untoasted and collapse. UK rules mean minced beef is normally served cooked through. Servers sell doubles, fries and shakes, and flag gluten, milk, sesame and mustard. - Key components: beef mince, American cheese, bun, onions, pickles, sauce - Common allergens: gluten, milk, sesame, egg and mustard in sauces; check the recipe - Kitchen section: flat-top griddle #### Barbecue brisket Beef brisket smoked low and slow over hardwood for twelve hours or more until tender, with a dark bark. Kitchens smoke overnight, rest and hold in warmers, slicing to order. It fails when sliced too early, held too long or cut with the grain. Servers explain lean versus fatty slices and sell by weight with sides such as slaw and pickles. Kitchens often hold briskets wrapped in butcher paper. - Key components: brisket, salt, pepper, wood smoke, sauce - Common allergens: mustard, celery or sulphites possible in sauces and rubs; check the recipe - Kitchen section: smoker #### Pulled pork Pork shoulder smoked or slow-roasted until it shreds, mixed with its juices and sauce. Kitchens cook large batches and hold hot. It fails when it is dry or swamped in sauce. Servers sell it in buns, tacos or platters. The smoker should run at a low steady temperature, with pork cooked until it reaches a high internal temperature so the collagen breaks down. Servers can sell it with slaw and pickles and offer it as a sandwich, platter or taco filling. - Key components: pork shoulder, dry rub, barbecue sauce, bun - Common allergens: gluten in bun, mustard and celery possible; check the recipe - Kitchen section: smoker #### Buffalo wings Chicken wings fried crisp and tossed in a sauce of hot sauce and butter, served with blue cheese dip and celery. Kitchens par-cook wings and fry to order. They fail when soggy. Servers explain heat levels and flag celery and milk. The sauce is simply hot sauce and butter, tossed with the wings at the last moment. Wings should be crisp and juicy. Servers can sell them by the half-dozen or dozen and offer ranch or blue cheese dips. - Key components: chicken wings, hot sauce, butter, blue cheese dip, celery - Common allergens: milk, celery, egg in dip; check the recipe - Kitchen section: fry station #### Mac and cheese Macaroni in a cheese sauce, often baked with a crumb top. Kitchens make sauce in bulk and bake to order. It fails when it is grainy or split. Servers sell it as a side or main and flag dairy and gluten. A blend of cheeses adds depth, and a crisp breadcrumb top adds crunch. Kitchens can bake in individual skillets for presentation. Servers can sell it as a side with burgers or barbecue and upsell additions such as bacon or truffle. - Key components: macaroni, cheddar, milk, butter, flour, breadcrumbs - Common allergens: gluten, milk, mustard possible; check the recipe - Kitchen section: hot section #### Tacos al pastor Mexican tacos of pork marinated in chillies and achiote, cooked on a vertical spit, shaved onto corn tortillas with pineapple, onion and coriander. Kitchens build the trompo in the morning. They fail when tortillas are cold or stale. Servers explain heat and salsas. The trompo is topped with pineapple, which caramelises as it roasts. Servers can recommend a margarita or Mexican beer. - Key components: pork, guajillo chilli, achiote, pineapple, corn tortilla - Common allergens: check the recipe; corn tortillas are often gluten-free but blends vary - Kitchen section: rotisserie and plancha #### Ceviche Raw fish cured in lime juice with chilli, onion and coriander, a Peruvian classic. Kitchens slice fish to order and dress at the last moment, as the acid changes texture fast. It fails when left too long and goes chalky. Servers explain that it is raw and flag fish. Leche de tigre, the citrus marinade, is sometimes served as a shot alongside. Servers can recommend it as a starter and pair it with a pisco sour. - Key components: white fish, lime juice, chilli, red onion, coriander - Common allergens: fish; check the recipe - Kitchen section: larder #### Guacamole Crushed avocado with lime, onion, chilli, coriander and salt. Kitchens make it in small batches. It fails when brown or bland. Servers sell it with tortilla chips. Ripe avocados are crucial and must be bought in staggered batches. Make in small batches throughout service and cover tightly to prevent browning. Servers can recommend it as a starter with tortilla chips or a side, and note that it is vegan and gluten-free. - Key components: avocado, lime, onion, chilli, coriander - Common allergens: usually none; check the recipe - Kitchen section: larder #### Burrito A large flour tortilla rolled around rice, beans, meat, salsa and cheese. Kitchens run it as an assembly line. It fails when it bursts. Servers explain fillings. The assembly line approach lets kitchens serve guests very quickly. Wrapping tightly in foil helps it hold together. Servers can explain filling choices, extras and salsas, and recommend it as a filling lunch. - Key components: flour tortilla, rice, beans, meat, salsa, cheese - Common allergens: gluten, milk; check the recipe - Kitchen section: assembly line #### Nachos Tortilla chips with melted cheese, jalapeños, salsa, sour cream and guacamole. Kitchens layer and bake. It fails when chips sog. Servers sell them to share. Layering the chips and cheese evenly and baking briefly means every chip gets topping. Add cold toppings such as sour cream and guacamole after baking. Servers can sell nachos as a sharing snack with beer or margaritas. - Key components: tortilla chips, cheese, salsa, jalapeños, sour cream - Common allergens: milk; check the recipe - Kitchen section: hot section #### Clam chowder A New England soup of clams, potatoes and onions in a creamy base. Kitchens make the base and add clams to order. It fails when floury. Servers flag molluscs. The base is made with onions, celery, potatoes and bacon, thickened lightly and finished with cream. Kitchens add fresh clams at the end so they stay tender. Servers can recommend it as a starter or lunch with crackers. - Key components: clams, potatoes, onion, cream, bacon - Common allergens: molluscs, milk, gluten; check the recipe - Kitchen section: soup section #### Fried chicken and waffles Buttermilk fried chicken on a waffle with maple syrup and hot sauce, a sweet and savoury American brunch dish. Kitchens brine and fry to order. It fails when greasy. Servers sell it at brunch. The combination of crispy chicken, waffles and syrup works well at brunch. Servers can offer hot sauce and maple syrup and pair it with coffee or a Bloody Mary. - Key components: chicken, buttermilk, flour, waffle, maple syrup - Common allergens: gluten, egg, milk; check the recipe - Kitchen section: fry station #### Empanadas Baked or fried pastry turnovers filled with beef, chicken or cheese, found across Latin America. Kitchens fill and crimp ahead. They fail when they burst. Servers sell them as starters. Fillings vary widely across Latin America, from beef with olives to cheese and corn. Kitchens can bake them in batches. Servers can offer a mixed selection with chimichurri. Seal edges well and rest them chilled so they hold in the oven. - Key components: dough, filling - Common allergens: gluten, egg, milk; check the recipe - Kitchen section: pastry or fry #### Feijoada Brazil's black bean stew with pork cuts and sausage, served with rice, greens and orange. Kitchens cook in large pots. It fails when the beans are hard. Servers sell it at weekends. It is sometimes called the national dish of Brazil. The stew is traditionally served on Saturdays. Servers can recommend a caipirinha. Kitchens soak beans overnight and add salted cuts after desalting them in water. Farofa, toasted cassava flour, is a classic side. - Key components: black beans, pork, sausage, rice, collard greens - Common allergens: check the recipe for sulphites in cured meats - Kitchen section: hot section #### Jerk chicken Jamaican chicken marinated in Scotch bonnet, allspice and thyme, grilled over charcoal or wood. Kitchens marinate overnight. It fails when burnt outside, raw within. Servers sell it with rice and peas and warn about heat. The marinade is fiery and aromatic, and the chicken is often cooked over pimento wood in Jamaica. Servers can recommend it with rice and peas and fried plantain, and suggest a rum punch or ginger beer. - Key components: chicken, Scotch bonnet, allspice, thyme, spring onion - Common allergens: check the recipe; soya possible in marinade - Kitchen section: grill #### Lobster roll Lobster meat in a toasted buttered bun, dressed with mayonnaise or butter. Kitchens cook and pick lobster. It fails when the roll is soggy. Servers flag shellfish and price. There are two main styles: Maine, served cold with mayonnaise, and Connecticut, served warm with butter. Kitchens toast the buns in butter just before filling. Servers can sell it as a premium summer special and pair it with a crisp white or beer. - Key components: lobster, brioche or hot dog bun, butter or mayonnaise - Common allergens: crustaceans, gluten, milk, egg; check the recipe - Kitchen section: larder #### Poutine A Québécois dish of chips topped with cheese curds and gravy. Kitchens fry chips to order. It fails when soggy. Servers sell it as a late-night snack. The cheese curds should squeak and only soften in the hot gravy. Kitchens can add toppings such as pulled pork. Servers can sell it as a bar snack or late-night dish. Gravy should be hot and well seasoned, and the chips fresh. - Key components: chips, cheese curds, gravy - Common allergens: milk, gluten, celery possible; check the recipe - Kitchen section: fry station #### Key lime pie A Florida pie with a lime custard filling in a biscuit base, topped with whipped cream or meringue. Kitchens bake and chill. It fails when runny. Servers sell it in summer. It should be tart and creamy. Key limes are small and aromatic, though many kitchens use regular limes. Servers can recommend it as a refreshing dessert. Kitchens bake briefly to set the filling and chill well before slicing. - Key components: lime juice, condensed milk, egg yolks, biscuit base - Common allergens: gluten, egg, milk; check the recipe - Kitchen section: pastry ### Desserts and pastry #### Crème brûlée A baked vanilla custard with a thin sheet of caramelised sugar on top, cracked with a spoon. Pastry sections bake ramekins in a low-temperature water bath until just set with a wobble, chill them for hours, then sugar and torch to order. It goes wrong when the custard is overcooked and grainy, when the sugar is torched unevenly and burns bitter, or when it is torched too early and the top softens in the fridge. The crack is the theatre, so servers should deliver it immediately. It flags egg and milk, and works with a glass of Sauternes or a sweet Tokaji. - Key components: cream, egg yolks, sugar, vanilla - Common allergens: egg, milk; check the recipe - Kitchen section: pastry #### Chocolate fondant An individual chocolate pudding baked so the outside sets while the centre stays molten. Kitchens fill buttered, cocoa-dusted moulds ahead and chill them, then bake to order for a precise number of minutes. It fails when overbaked into a sponge, underbaked and collapsing, or stuck in the mould. Because it takes around twelve minutes, servers should take the order with mains or warn the table, and pair it with vanilla ice cream or crème fraîche. - Key components: dark chocolate, butter, eggs, sugar, flour - Common allergens: gluten, egg, milk, soya in chocolate possible; check the recipe - Kitchen section: pastry #### Tarte Tatin An upside-down tart of apples caramelised in butter and sugar under a pastry lid, turned out after baking. Kitchens make individual or whole tarts, often in the afternoon, and warm them through service. It fails when the caramel is pale or burnt, the apples collapse into purée, or the pastry is soggy. Servers can sell it for two with crème fraîche or calvados cream, and mention that a whole tart may need to be ordered at the start of the meal. - Key components: apples, butter, sugar, puff or shortcrust pastry - Common allergens: gluten, milk, possibly egg; check the recipe - Kitchen section: pastry #### Lemon tart A crisp sweet pastry case filled with a sharp, silky lemon custard, sometimes brûléed. Kitchens blind-bake cases to a deep golden colour, fill with a lemon, egg and cream mix and bake low until barely set, then chill and slice with a hot knife. It goes wrong when the filling curdles or the pastry shrinks. Servers can sell it as a refreshing finish after a rich meal and pair it with crème fraîche or raspberry sorbet. - Key components: sweet pastry, lemons, eggs, sugar, cream, butter - Common allergens: gluten, egg, milk; check the recipe - Kitchen section: pastry #### Cheesecake Either a baked New York style with cream cheese and eggs, or a set version thickened with gelatine or cream, on a biscuit base. Kitchens make whole cakes and slice cold. Baked versions crack when the oven is too hot or they cool too fast, and set versions weep when underset. Servers should know which style it is, the toppings, and whether gelatine is used for vegetarians. Toppings such as fruit compote, salted caramel or chocolate add variety. - Key components: cream cheese, sugar, eggs or cream, biscuit base - Common allergens: gluten, milk, egg; check the recipe - Kitchen section: pastry #### Pavlova A meringue with a crisp shell and soft, marshmallow centre, topped with cream and fruit; both Australia and New Zealand claim it. Kitchens bake meringue nests slowly and store them dry, assembling to order. It fails when humidity softens the meringue or it is topped too early. Servers can sell it as light and naturally gluten-free in most recipes, while checking. Seasonal fruit keeps it fresh, from berries in summer to poached rhubarb in spring. - Key components: egg whites, sugar, cornflour, vinegar, cream, fruit - Common allergens: egg, milk; check the recipe - Kitchen section: pastry #### Profiteroles Choux pastry buns filled with crème pâtissière or cream and covered in chocolate sauce. Kitchens bake choux in batches, freeze or store dry and fill to order so they stay crisp. They fail when the choux collapses or goes soggy. Servers offer them to share. Kitchens can serve them in a tower as a croquembouche for celebrations. Servers can sell them as a classic French dessert and pour the chocolate sauce at the table. - Key components: choux pastry, cream or crème pâtissière, chocolate sauce - Common allergens: gluten, egg, milk; check the recipe - Kitchen section: pastry #### Chocolate brownie A dense, fudgy chocolate traybake, served warm with ice cream or on a café counter. Kitchens bake large trays and cut neatly once cold. It fails when it is overbaked and cakey or so underbaked it can't be cut. Servers should know whether it contains nuts, which many recipes do, and offer it warm. It is a popular takeaway item in cafés. Servers can recommend it warm with vanilla ice cream. - Key components: chocolate, butter, sugar, eggs, flour - Common allergens: gluten, egg, milk, nuts possible, soya; check the recipe - Kitchen section: pastry #### Bakewell tart A shortcrust tart with a layer of jam and an almond frangipane, topped with flaked almonds or, in the iced version, white icing and a cherry. Kitchens bake whole tarts. It fails when the frangipane is dry. Servers must flag nuts. It is linked to the Derbyshire town of Bakewell, though stories about its origin vary. Servers can recommend it with tea or custard. Kitchens bake whole tarts and slice with a warm knife. - Key components: shortcrust, jam, frangipane, almonds - Common allergens: gluten, egg, milk, nuts; check the recipe - Kitchen section: pastry #### Victoria sponge Two butter sponges sandwiched with jam and cream or buttercream, dusted with sugar. Café and pastry kitchens bake in batches. It fails when dense or dry. Servers sell slices with tea. It is a staple of the British afternoon tea. Kitchens weigh the eggs and match other ingredients for perfect proportions. Servers can sell it by the slice or whole for celebrations. - Key components: butter, sugar, eggs, flour, jam, cream - Common allergens: gluten, egg, milk; check the recipe - Kitchen section: pastry #### Millionaire's shortbread Shortbread base, caramel and a chocolate top, cut into squares. Kitchens make trays. It fails when the caramel is runny or the chocolate cracks off. Servers sell it at the counter. Bake the shortbread until golden and cook the caramel until thick before setting. Cut with a hot knife for clean squares. Servers can sell it at the café counter with coffee. - Key components: shortbread, condensed milk caramel, chocolate - Common allergens: gluten, milk, soya possible; check the recipe - Kitchen section: pastry #### Croissant A laminated, yeasted pastry made by folding butter into dough repeatedly, then shaping, proving and baking. Bakeries laminate over a day or two. They fail when the butter melts into the dough, giving bready results. Servers sell them fresh in the morning. The butter should be cold and pliable, so laminating needs a cool room. Proofing at the right temperature gives the honeycomb inside. Servers can sell them plain, with butter and jam, or as almond croissants. - Key components: flour, butter, yeast, milk, sugar - Common allergens: gluten, milk, egg in wash; check the recipe - Kitchen section: bakery #### Gelato and sorbet Italian-style ice cream churned denser and served slightly warmer than ice cream, and dairy-free fruit sorbets. Kitchens churn bases and store at the correct temperature. It fails when icy. Servers can offer tasters and flag allergens per flavour. Gelato is churned slowly and stored at a warmer temperature than ice cream, so it is soft and dense. Servers can recommend affogato, a scoop of gelato drowned in espresso. - Key components: milk, cream, sugar, flavourings; fruit and sugar for sorbet - Common allergens: milk, egg, nuts depending on flavour; check the recipe - Kitchen section: pastry #### Crêpes Thin French pancakes served with butter and sugar, lemon, chocolate or flambéed as crêpes Suzette. Kitchens rest the batter and cook to order. They fail when thick or torn. Servers sell them with toppings. Crêpes Suzette are flambéed with orange liqueur, a classic tableside dish. Servers can explain the theatre and recommend it as a sharing dessert. Kitchens can make crêpes ahead and stack them with paper, reheating to order. - Key components: flour, eggs, milk, butter - Common allergens: gluten, egg, milk; check the recipe - Kitchen section: pastry or crêpe station #### Christmas pudding A dark, rich steamed pudding of dried fruit, suet, breadcrumbs, spices, treacle and alcohol, made weeks or months ahead to mature. Most kitchens buy from a specialist or make a big batch in the autumn, then steam or microwave portions through December. It goes wrong when reheated portions are dry or cold in the middle, or when brandy butter runs out mid-service. Flaming it at the table is lovely theatre but needs a careful, trained pair of hands. Servers should flag gluten, nuts and alcohol, and offer brandy butter, custard or cream. - Key components: dried fruit, suet, breadcrumbs, flour, eggs, spices, brandy or stout - Common allergens: gluten, egg, nuts possible, sulphites in dried fruit and alcohol; check the recipe - Kitchen section: pastry #### Mince pies Small shortcrust pies filled with mincemeat of dried fruit, spices, suet and often brandy, served warm at Christmas. Kitchens bake hundreds in batches and warm to order. They go wrong when the pastry is thick and dry, or when they come out of the microwave scalding inside. Servers can sell them with brandy cream as a festive add-on with coffee, flagging gluten, sulphites and any nuts. Pastry can be made with butter or lard. - Key components: shortcrust pastry, mincemeat, icing sugar - Common allergens: gluten, milk, sulphites, nuts possible; check the recipe - Kitchen section: pastry #### Rice pudding Short-grain pudding rice cooked slowly in milk with sugar and vanilla, baked to a skin or stirred on the hob, served with jam or fruit compote. Kitchens make large batches. It goes wrong when stodgy or thin. Servers can sell it as nostalgic, warm and simple, and flag milk; many recipes are gluten-free. Kitchens can make it on the hob for a creamy texture or bake it for a skin. Servers can offer jam, nutmeg or poached fruit. - Key components: pudding rice, milk, cream, sugar, vanilla - Common allergens: milk; check the recipe - Kitchen section: pastry #### Cranachan A Scottish dessert of toasted oats, whisky, honey, whipped cream and raspberries, layered in glasses. Kitchens toast oats and whip cream ahead, assembling close to service. It fails when the oats go soft. Servers sell it with a dram and flag alcohol and gluten. It is often served on Burns Night or Hogmanay. Servers can recommend it as a celebration of Scottish produce. - Key components: oats, raspberries, double cream, honey, whisky - Common allergens: gluten, milk; check the recipe - Kitchen section: pastry #### Knickerbocker glory A tall sundae of ice cream, fruit, jelly, sauce and cream, served in a tall glass with a long spoon. Kitchens assemble to order from prepped components. It fails when it melts before it reaches the table. Servers sell it to families and seaside visitors. It is linked with British seaside cafés. Kitchens can use seasonal fruit and house-made sauces to modernise it. Servers can recommend it as a fun sharing dessert. - Key components: ice cream, fruit, jelly, sauce, whipped cream, wafers - Common allergens: milk, egg, gluten in wafers, nuts possible; check the recipe - Kitchen section: pastry or ice cream counter #### Chocolate mousse Melted chocolate folded with whipped egg whites or cream, set in pots. Kitchens make batches in the morning. It fails when grainy or split. Servers flag raw egg in many recipes. Use good dark chocolate and fold carefully to keep air in. Servers can recommend it as a light but rich dessert, with cream or shortbread on the side. - Key components: dark chocolate, eggs, cream, sugar - Common allergens: egg, milk, soya possible; check the recipe - Kitchen section: pastry #### Clafoutis A French baked batter pudding, traditionally with whole cherries. Kitchens bake individual dishes. It fails when rubbery. Servers warn about stones in traditional versions. It comes from the Limousin region of France, and other fruits are sometimes used, in which case the dish may be called a flaugnarde. Kitchens bake to order in individual dishes and serve warm. Servers can recommend it with cream or ice cream. - Key components: cherries, eggs, milk, flour, sugar - Common allergens: gluten, egg, milk; check the recipe - Kitchen section: pastry #### Jam roly-poly A suet pastry spread with jam, rolled and steamed or baked, served with custard. Kitchens bake in batches. It fails when dense. Servers sell it as a school-dinner throwback. Kitchens can bake it in a roll wrapped in parchment and foil. Servers can recommend it with hot custard as a nostalgic winter pudding. The roll should be light, with jam spread to the edges but not leaking. - Key components: suet pastry, jam, custard - Common allergens: gluten, milk, egg in custard; check the recipe - Kitchen section: pastry ### Bar snacks and small plates #### Pork scratchings Pieces of pork rind cooked until hard and crunchy, salted and served in a bag or bowl. Most pubs buy from producers, while gastropubs make crackling-style versions in house by boiling, drying and frying rind until it puffs. They go wrong when they are tooth-breakingly hard or stale and chewy. Servers sell them as the classic pint companion; they are generally gluten-free but always check the seasoning and any shared fryer. - Key components: pork rind, salt, seasonings - Common allergens: usually none; check the recipe and seasoning - Kitchen section: bar or fry station #### Sausage rolls and pork pies at the bar Bar-counter pastries served cold or warmed, often with mustard or piccalilli. Pubs bake in house or buy from local bakers, keeping a small display. They go wrong when served warm on the outside and fridge-cold within, or when the display is left out too long, which is a food-safety issue. Servers should know where they are made and sell them with a pint. Label clearly for allergens. - Key components: pastry, pork, mustard or pickle - Common allergens: gluten, egg, milk, mustard; check the recipe - Kitchen section: bar counter supported by the larder #### Chips with dips Skin-on or triple-cooked chips served with aioli, ketchup, curry sauce or truffle mayonnaise. Kitchens blanch chips in batches and fry to order. They fail when limp or underseasoned. Servers sell them as the default sharing snack. Triple-cooked chips give a glassy crust. Servers can recommend dips and sell chips as a sharing snack with drinks. Kitchens can rotate a seasonal dip. - Key components: potatoes, oil, salt, dips - Common allergens: egg and mustard in mayonnaise; check the fryer for gluten - Kitchen section: fry station #### Calamari Squid rings or strips dusted in seasoned flour or semolina, fried quickly and served with lemon and aioli. Kitchens prep squid in advance and fry to order. They fail when rubbery or greasy. Servers flag molluscs, gluten and egg in dips. Kitchens can tenderise squid by scoring it. Servers can recommend it as a starter or sharing plate with a crisp white wine. - Key components: squid, flour or semolina, lemon, aioli - Common allergens: molluscs, gluten, egg; check the recipe - Kitchen section: fry station #### Charcuterie board A selection of cured meats with pickles, mustard and bread. Larders slice to order and plate at room temperature. It goes wrong when meats are fridge-cold or sliced too early so they dry. Servers explain each item and suggest a wine. Kitchens can source from British producers and Italian or Spanish specialists. Servers can explain each item and pair with red wine. - Key components: cured meats, pickles, mustard, bread - Common allergens: gluten, mustard, sulphites, milk possible; check the recipe - Kitchen section: larder #### Cheese board A selection of cheeses with crackers, chutney, fruit and nuts. Kitchens temper cheese for an hour. It fails when cheese is cold or cut badly. Servers explain the cheeses and pair with port or wine. Arrange cheeses from mild to strong and serve each with the right accompaniment. Servers can recommend wine, port or cider pairings and explain each cheese's origin. - Key components: cheeses, crackers, chutney, fruit, nuts - Common allergens: milk, gluten, nuts, sulphites; check the recipe - Kitchen section: larder #### Olives and nuts Marinated olives and roasted or spiced nuts served at the bar. Kitchens marinate olives in batches. They fail when stale. Servers flag nuts and stones. Kitchens can warm olives with orange zest and herbs for a better snack. Servers can sell them as a bar snack while guests order drinks. Keep portions consistent, store nuts airtight, and never refill a guest's bowl with others' leftovers. - Key components: olives, oil, herbs, nuts - Common allergens: nuts; sulphites possible in olives; check the recipe - Kitchen section: bar or larder #### Sourdough with whipped butter Freshly baked sourdough with cultured or flavoured butter, sold as a starter. Kitchens bake in house or buy in. It fails when stale. Servers sell it as a paid starter. Seaweed butter, brown butter or cultured butter add interest. Servers can recommend it as a starter while guests wait for food. Many venues charge for bread, so servers should present it as a dish rather than a freebie. - Key components: sourdough, butter, salt - Common allergens: gluten, milk; check the recipe - Kitchen section: larder or bakery #### Fried chicken bites Boneless chicken pieces in buttermilk, coated and fried, served with hot sauce or mayo. Kitchens marinate in advance. They fail when greasy. Servers sell them as bar snacks. Kitchens can offer several sauces. Servers can sell them with beer or cocktails as a bar snack. They should be cooked through to a safe core temperature and kept crisp, so fry in batches. - Key components: chicken, buttermilk, flour, spices - Common allergens: gluten, milk, egg; check the recipe - Kitchen section: fry station #### Mini sliders Small burgers in soft buns, often in threes, for sharing or canapé service. Kitchens portion small patties. They fail when the patties dry out. Servers sell them as sharing. Kitchens can offer a mixed selection of beef, chicken and vegetarian. Servers can recommend them as sharing bar food. Toast the buns and keep the patties juicy, since small patties overcook fast. - Key components: patties, buns, cheese, sauce - Common allergens: gluten, milk, sesame, egg, mustard; check the recipe - Kitchen section: grill #### Whitebait Tiny whole fish dusted in flour and deep-fried, served with lemon and tartare. Kitchens fry to order. It fails when greasy. Servers flag fish and gluten. Fry in small batches and season well. Servers can sell it as a traditional British starter or bar snack. Dust in seasoned flour just before frying so it stays light. - Key components: whitebait, flour, lemon, tartare - Common allergens: fish, gluten, egg in tartare; check the recipe - Kitchen section: fry station #### Devilled eggs Boiled eggs with the yolk mashed with mayonnaise, mustard and paprika and piped back in. Kitchens prep in batches. They fail when the yolks are grey. Servers flag egg and mustard. They are a retro classic now back in fashion. Kitchens can add toppings such as crispy bacon or trout roe. Servers can recommend them as a bar snack. - Key components: eggs, mayonnaise, mustard, paprika - Common allergens: egg, mustard; check the recipe - Kitchen section: larder #### Halloumi fries Sticks of halloumi coated and fried, served with yoghurt, pomegranate and honey. Kitchens fry to order. They fail when rubbery. Servers sell them as a vegetarian snack. Serve straight away while crisp. Servers can recommend them as a vegetarian sharing snack. Pat the halloumi dry, coat lightly, and fry hot. Servers should flag milk and gluten. - Key components: halloumi, flour, yoghurt, pomegranate - Common allergens: milk, gluten; check the recipe - Kitchen section: fry station #### Loaded fries Fries topped with cheese sauce, pulled meat, jalapeños and sauces. Kitchens assemble to order. They fail when soggy. Servers sell them to share. Kitchens can build toppings to suit different cuisines, such as kimchi, chilli or pulled pork. Fry the chips crisp and add toppings at the last moment. Servers can sell them as a sharing snack. Keep portions consistent. - Key components: fries, toppings, sauces - Common allergens: milk, gluten, egg, mustard; check the recipe - Kitchen section: fry station #### Oysters Raw oysters served on ice with shallot vinegar, lemon and Tabasco, or grilled. Bars shuck to order. They fail when shells are gritty or oysters aren't fresh. Servers explain origins and flag molluscs. Servers can recommend Champagne, Muscadet or stout. Shuck to order with a proper knife and glove, and keep oysters cold and alive, cup side down, until opened. Discard any that are open before shucking. Servers should explain native and rock oysters and seasonality. - Key components: oysters, shallot vinegar, lemon - Common allergens: molluscs, sulphites in vinegar; check the recipe - Kitchen section: raw bar #### Popcorn and crisps Bar snacks sold by the bag or bowl. Bars buy branded or make flavoured popcorn. They fail when stale. Servers know the allergen labels. Kitchens can make house popcorn with flavours such as truffle or chilli. Servers can recommend them as a bar snack with drinks. Bars should keep the allergen labels for every product they sell, and check any house seasonings. - Key components: corn or potatoes, oil, seasoning - Common allergens: milk possible in seasonings; check the label - Kitchen section: bar #### Bruschetta Grilled bread rubbed with garlic and topped with tomatoes, basil and olive oil. Kitchens grill bread to order and top at the last moment. It fails when the bread is soggy. Servers sell it as a light starter. Kitchens can offer seasonal toppings such as mushrooms, beans or cured meats. Servers can sell it as a sharing starter. Salt the tomatoes first so they release their juices. - Key components: bread, garlic, tomatoes, basil, olive oil - Common allergens: gluten; check the recipe - Kitchen section: larder or grill