Kitchen Slang 101 - How to Speak Like a Pro Chef

Overview

In every busy kitchen, there's a rhythm - a mix of shouting, sizzling, and short bursts of slang that only insiders understand. Terms like "86," "behind," and "fire it up" might sound strange at first, but they're the lifeblood of smooth operations. This quick, precise language keeps food moving, prevents accidents, and helps teams stay in sync during the rush.

When you know what your staff means by "in the weeds" or "all day," you can see challenges before they turn into service slowdowns. It also shows respect for the people doing the hard work on the line. According to hospitality surveys, teams that communicate clearly are up to 25% more productive and make fewer costly mistakes. Understanding this kitchen code bridges the gap between leadership and the line.

The Culture Behind Kitchen Language

Kitchen slang isn't random - it's born from necessity. In a fast-moving kitchen, cooks, servers, and dishwashers have only seconds to communicate. There's no time for long explanations or confusion. Over decades, chefs developed a shorthand language that's fast, clear, and universal across kitchens. Words like "behind" or "corner" keep people from colliding. Commands like "fire it up" or "hands!" make sure dishes leave the line hot and on time.

This language also traces back to the traditional brigade system, introduced in professional kitchens to create structure and order. Every role has its place, and every word has meaning. It's a system that balances hierarchy with teamwork - each phrase signals respect for the rhythm of the kitchen.

Beyond efficiency, kitchen slang builds identity. It gives teams a shared culture and sense of pride, much like dialects in close-knit communities. When new hires learn the language, they're not just learning terms - they're joining a tradition that connects chefs around the world. For restaurant owners, understanding that culture means seeing the kitchen not just as a workspace, but as a living ecosystem built on coordination, trust, and a shared tongue.

Timing and Order Management Slang

In a busy kitchen, timing is everything. These slang terms help chefs, cooks, and servers communicate quickly and stay in sync during service. Knowing them helps owners follow the rhythm of the line and understand how their team manages the chaos behind the pass.

1. All Day
In chef slang, "all day" is used to indicate the total number of a specific item needed. As new tickets come in, the chef calls out the total number required for the entire shift or for that moment.
Example - "We've got eight burgers and six fries all day."

(Meaning - Across all open tickets, there are a total of eight burgers and six fries to prepare.)

2. Fire It / Fire It Up
To "fire" a dish means to start cooking it. The phrase signals that it's time to begin preparing that item so it's ready at the right moment.
Example - "Fire that ribeye for table 12."

(Meaning - Start cooking the ribeye now so it's ready when the rest of the table's order is plated.)

3. On the Fly
When something is needed urgently - often due to a missed item or special request - it's made "on the fly." It tells the kitchen to prioritize that item immediately.
Example - "I need a side of mashed potatoes on the fly!"

(Meaning - Make that item right now, out of sequence, because a customer is waiting.)

4. Heard
"Heard" is the universal acknowledgment in the kitchen. When a chef or cook calls out an order, saying "Heard" confirms that the message was received and understood - no repetition needed.
Example - "Two soups and a Caesar salad for table 4." - "Heard!"

(Meaning - The cook has received and confirmed the order.)

5. Pick Up
To "pick up" an order means it's time to assemble and send it out. The phrase signals to the line cooks and servers that the dish is ready for plating and delivery.
Example - "Pick up table 10 - appetizers are ready."

(Meaning - The kitchen is done cooking; servers can take the dishes to guests.)

6. In the Window
When food is finished and placed under the heat lamps at the pass, it's said to be in the window. This alerts the expeditor or runner that the order is ready to go.
Example - Table 5 is in the window!

(Meaning - The order for table 5 is complete and waiting to be served.)

7. Dragging
If an item is "dragging," it means it's taking longer than expected and is holding up the rest of the order. This helps the team identify delays quickly.
Example - "We're dragging a salmon for table 8."
(Meaning - Everything else is ready, but we're waiting on the salmon to finish.)

8. Working
When a cook says they're "working" on something, it means that the item is currently being prepared - not yet done, but in progress.
Example - "Working on that risotto now!"
(Meaning - The risotto is being cooked and will be up soon.)

Communication and Movement Slang

In a kitchen, space is tight, noise levels are high, and everyone's moving fast. Clear communication isn't just about efficiency - it's about safety. These common movement and alert terms help teams avoid collisions, burns, and confusion during peak rush hours.

1. Behind
Used to warn someone that you're passing directly behind them - often while carrying something hot, sharp, or heavy. It prevents sudden movements that can cause accidents.
Example - "Behind, with a hot pan!"
(Meaning - I'm walking right behind you carrying a hot pan - don't step back!)

2. Corner
When turning a blind corner or entering a hallway, chefs shout "Corner" to alert others they're coming through. It's a quick safety call that prevents collisions.
Example - "Corner, coming in with plates!"
(Meaning - I'm rounding the corner, watch out for me.)

3. Hot!
Used to alert others that you're carrying or placing something hot. It can also be paired with "Behind" or "Corner."
Example - "Hot behind you!"
(Meaning - I'm passing behind you with something very hot - move carefully.)

4. Sharp!
Similar to "Hot," this call warns others that you're moving with a knife or sharp object. It keeps everyone aware and prevents injuries.
Example - "Sharp coming through!"
(Meaning - I'm walking by with a knife, stay clear.)

5. Hands!
A call for help from the kitchen to anyone available - usually to carry plates, trays, or dishes out to the dining area. It's a teamwork alert.
Example - "Hands! Need runners for table 6!"
(Meaning - I need someone to grab these dishes and take them to guests right now.)

6. Yes, Chef!
A phrase used to acknowledge instructions or corrections from the head chef. It signals respect, confirmation, and readiness to act - keeping communication quick and consistent.
Example - "Re-fire that steak, medium rare this time!" - "Yes, Chef!"
(Meaning - The cook heard and will act on the instruction immediately.)

7. Behind You / Walking In
A courtesy phrase to announce your presence when entering or passing through the kitchen.
Example - "Walking in, with deliveries!"
(Meaning - I'm coming through the door - make space or be aware.)

8. Heard That / Copy
Variations of "Heard," these responses confirm a message has been received, especially when multiple instructions are given at once.
Example - "Three soups, one salad, two steaks - all medium." - "Copy that!"
(Meaning - Message understood, starting right away.)

Preparation and Station Terms

Before a single plate hits the pass, every successful kitchen relies on careful prep and organization. These slang terms help cooks communicate what's ready, what's running low, and how stations are performing throughout a shift.

1. Mise en Place
A French phrase meaning "everything in its place." It refers to having all ingredients, tools, and equipment prepared and organized before service.
Example - "Make sure your mise is tight before the dinner rush."
(Meaning - Get your station fully stocked and organized before the busy period begins.)

2. 86
To 86 something means it's out of stock or unavailable. The term signals to both kitchen and servers to stop selling that item immediately.
Example - "86 the calamari - we're out of squid!"
(Meaning - Remove calamari from active orders and the menu until restocked.)

3. In the Weeds
When someone is "in the weeds," they're overwhelmed with too many tasks or orders at once. It's a common call for help or awareness.
Example - "I'm in the weeds on grill - need a hand with these tickets!"
(Meaning - The cook is backed up and struggling to keep up with demand.)

4. Low Boy
Refers to the under-counter refrigerator located at a workstation. It's used for quick access to chilled ingredients during service.
Example - "Grab the butter from the low boy next to saute."
(Meaning - The butter is in the small fridge beneath the counter.)

5. Hot Line / Cold Line
The "hot line" is the section of the kitchen where hot foods are cooked (grill, fry, saute), while the "cold line" handles salads, desserts, or cold prep.
Example - "That soup order goes through the hot line."
(Meaning - The soup is handled by the cooks managing hot dishes.)

6. Prep List
A daily checklist of items that need to be prepped before service.
Example - "Did you finish the prep list for brunch?"
(Meaning - Have you completed all the ingredients and setups needed for the upcoming shift?)

7. Backed Up
When orders start piling up faster than they can be completed, the kitchen is said to be backed up.
Example - We're backed up on pasta - 10 tickets deep!
(Meaning- There's a large backlog of pasta orders waiting to be made.)

8. Restock
Used between shifts to signal that ingredients, containers, or supplies need replenishing.
Example - "Restock your station before break."
(Meaning - Refill all prep items so you're ready when service resumes.)

Kitchen Tools and Station Lingo

Every kitchen has its own rhythm and layout - the grill, the fryers, the prep tables, and the pass all work in sync. These slang terms describe the tools, areas, and equipment that keep everything running smoothly during service.

1. Expo
Short for expeditor, the expo is the person or station responsible for organizing finished dishes and ensuring accuracy before they're sent out.
Example - "Send that steak to expo for garnish."
(Meaning - The dish needs to be finished and checked at the expeditor's station before service.)

2. The Pass
The long counter between the kitchen and dining area where finished plates are placed for servers to pick up. It's often managed by the chef or expo.
Example - "Two salads up on the pass!"
(Meaning - The salads are ready to go and waiting at the pickup counter.)

3. Flat Top
A flat metal grill surface used for cooking burgers, pancakes, and other foods that require even heat.
Example - "Cook those quesadillas on the flat top."
(Meaning - Use the flat-surface grill to prepare the quesadillas.)

4. Walk-In
The large refrigerated room used to store perishable food and bulk ingredients.
Example - "Check the walk-in for more cream."
(Meaning - Look inside the cold storage room for extra cream.)

5. Low Boy
A short refrigerator under the counter, often used at the line for easy access to ingredients.
Example - "Butter's in the low boy next to the grill."
(Meaning - The butter is stored in the small fridge below the grill station.)

6. Line
The main cooking area where chefs and cooks work during service. Each section on the line handles specific menu items like grill, fry, or saute.
Example - "Get that pasta down the line!"
(Meaning - Pass the order to the cooks on the main cooking stations.)

7. Station
Each cook's designated work area - for example, salad station, grill station, or fry station.
Example - "Set up your station before pre-shift."
(Meaning - Get your tools and ingredients ready in your assigned area.)

8. Back of House (BOH)
Refers to all areas behind the dining room - the kitchen, prep rooms, dish area, and storage.
Example - "Let's keep BOH clear of deliveries during lunch rush."
(Meaning - Don't block the kitchen or prep areas when it's busy.)

9. Front of House (FOH)
The customer-facing side of the restaurant - hosts, servers, bussers, and bar staff.
Example - "FOH needs to know we're 86 on salmon."
(Meaning - Inform servers that salmon is unavailable.)

10 Ticket
The printed order that comes through from the POS system or server. It tells cooks what to prepare.
Example - "New ticket - two burgers, one medium, one well-done."
(Meaning - An order just came in with cooking instructions.)

Food Quality and Ticket Terms

In the middle of a rush, precision and timing are everything. These slang terms help chefs and cooks talk about ticket flow, plating quality, and food readiness - without wasting a second.

1. Dying on the Pass
When food sits too long at the pass waiting to be run to a table, it's said to be "dying on the pass." The phrase signals urgency to get the dish out before it gets cold or loses presentation quality.
Example - "That pasta's dying on the pass - run it now!"
(Meaning - The dish has been ready for too long; it needs to be served immediately.)

2. Plate Up
"Plate up" means to start assembling food on the plate for presentation. It's the final step before food is checked and sent out.
Example - "Plate up table 4's entrees!"
(Meaning - Begin arranging the finished dishes for that table to send to the pass.)

3. Re-Fire
When a dish needs to be remade - usually because of an error or customer complaint - chefs say to "re-fire" it.
Example - "Re-fire that steak, medium rare this time."
(Meaning - Remake the steak correctly because the first one was cooked wrong.)

4. Drag It / Dragging
"Dragging" means a dish is taking longer than the rest of the order, holding up service.
Example - We're dragging the salmon for table 10.
(Meaning - The salmon isn't done yet, and it's delaying the entire order.)

5. Window
Refers to the spot under the heat lamps where completed dishes wait to be run. Also used to describe timing - when multiple dishes are ready at once, they're said to "hit the window."
Example - "Everything for table 7's hitting the window!"
(Meaning- All dishes for that order are finished and ready to go out.)

6. Ticket Time
The amount of time that's passed since an order was placed. Keeping ticket times low is key for smooth service and guest satisfaction.
Example - "We're at a 12-minute ticket time - keep it moving!"
(Meaning - Orders are taking 12 minutes so far; speed up to maintain service pace.)

7. Hands!
A quick call when finished dishes are ready to be taken to guests. It alerts runners or servers to pick up immediately.
Example - "Hands! Table 8 ready to go!"
(Meaning - The order is complete - someone needs to run it to the dining room right away.)

8. Dead Plate
A "dead plate" is food that can't be served - either it sat too long, was cooked wrong, or doesn't meet presentation standards.
Example - "That's a dead plate - toss it and re-fire."
(Meaning - The dish isn't acceptable for service and must be remade.)

9. Clean Plate Check
When a guest finishes their meal completely, it's a positive indicator for the kitchen. Some chefs use this phrase to track satisfaction indirectly.
Example - "Table 5 sent back clean plates."
(Meaning - The guests enjoyed the food - good sign of quality and consistency.)

Restaurant-Wide and Modern Slang

Kitchens aren't the only places where slang thrives. As restaurants evolve with tech tools, delivery apps, and online orders, new terms blend with the classics. These phrases are used by both front and back of house to stay coordinated, especially in multi-channel operations.

1. FOH / BOH
FOH means Front of House (servers, hosts, bartenders), while BOH means Back of House (kitchen staff, dishwashers, prep cooks). It's the basic shorthand for restaurant roles.
Example - FOH needs to 86 desserts - BOH just ran out of mousse.
(Meaning - The servers need to stop selling the dessert because the kitchen is out.)

2. Runner
A runner is the person responsible for bringing food from the kitchen to the guests. This term is used in both casual and fine dining environments.
Example - Runner needed for table 3 - entrees up!
(Meaning - The meals for table 3 are ready; someone must deliver them now.)

3. Campers
Campers are guests who stay at their table long after finishing their meal, slowing down table
turnover.
Example -We've got campers on table 12 - dessert's been done for 20 minutes.
(Meaning - The guests have finished eating but haven't left yet.)

4. Two-Top / Four-Top
Refers to the number of guests at a table - a two-top seats two people, a four-top seats four.
Example - Seat that two-top by the window.
(Meaning - Place the couple or two-person party at the window table.)

5. Deuce / Party of X
A deuce is another word for a two-person table, while party of X refers to the total guests in a group.
Example - Deuce walking in!
(Meaning - A two-person table has just arrived and needs seating.)

6. Guest Mod
Short for guest modification, this term refers to any change to a dish requested by a customer - like removing cheese or substituting sides.
Example - Guest mod - no onions on the burger.
(Meaning - Prepare the burger without onions as per customer request.)

7. Fire to Go / Send It
Modern slang used when confirming to start or send an order through - especially when syncing kitchen timing with POS or online orders.
Example - Fire to go on DoorDash order 22.
(Meaning - Start cooking the delivery order now.)

8. Ghost It / Ghosted
Borrowed from pop culture, ghost it or ghosted can refer to a staff member not showing up or a customer disappearing without notice.
Example - Dishwasher ghosted again tonight.
(Meaning - The dishwasher didn't show up for their shift.)

9. 86 Board / 86 List
The running list of out-of-stock items, usually written on a board near the kitchen or updated digitally through the POS.
Example - Add ribs to the 86 board - we're out till tomorrow.
(Meaning - Mark ribs as unavailable across all systems and alerts.)

10. Comp It
To comp an item means to remove it from a guest's bill - usually due to an error or goodwill gesture.
Example - Comp table 9's drinks - their order took too long.
(Meaning - Don't charge the guests for their drinks to make up for the delay.)

Understanding the Language of Your Kitchen

Every kitchen runs on speed, teamwork, and clear communication. When you, as an owner, understand that language, you see what's really happening during service. You can tell when your team is busy, when they're calm, and when they need help.

Knowing these terms also builds respect. It shows your staff that you value what they do and that you're part of the same team, not just watching from the outside. You don't have to use slang every day, but being able to follow the rhythm of the kitchen helps you manage better, train smarter, and support your crew.

In short, learning kitchen slang is about connection. It helps you run a tighter operation - one where everyone speaks the same language.