cuisine

American  

[kwi-zeen] / kwɪˈzin /

noun

1. a style or quality of cooking; cookery.

   Italian cuisine; This restaurant has an excellent cuisine.

2. Archaic. the kitchen or culinary department of a house, hotel, etc.

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cuisine British  

/ kwɪˈziːn /

noun

1. a style or manner of cooking

   French cuisine

2. the food prepared by a restaurant, household, etc

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Etymology

Origin of cuisine

1475–85; < French: literally, kitchen < Vulgar Latin *cocīna, for Latin coquīna; see kitchen

Explanation

Cuisine is a type of food that is cooked in a specific way based on a culture's ingredients, region, and traditions. If you're craving cannoli, a visit to Chinatown doesn't make much sense, since cheese is more characteristic of Italian cuisine. Boiling an egg or flipping burgers on the grill is cooking. But if you want to create cuisine, you need to understand how to prepare the culinary specialties of a particular country or culture. To make Italian cuisine, for example, you'll need to chop garlic, roll out pasta dough, and simmer pots of tomato sauce. When the word "fine" is attached to cuisine, it describes the food at a fancy restaurant that will part you with a good portion of your money.

Related Words

• cooking
• fare
• meal
• menu