How to Describe Any Dish in English — Even If You’ve Never Tried It
Introduction
A guest looks up from the menu and asks: “What does the duck confit taste like?”
You have never tried it. You do not know exactly how to describe it. And now there is silence.
This is one of the most common and most stressful moments for non-native English speakers working in restaurants. But here is the good news — you do not need to have eaten a dish to describe it confidently. You just need the right words.
This guide gives you those words. For 15 of the most common restaurant dishes you will find on international menus, you will learn exactly what to say when a guest asks.
The Key Principle
Guests are not asking you to be a food critic. They want two or three words that help them decide whether to order it. Rich and tender tells them everything they need to know about a duck confit. Light and creamy sells a panna cotta. Bold and intense prepares a guest for beef tartare.
Learn the words. Practise the phrases. That is all you need.
Starters
1. Burrata
What it is:
A fresh Italian cheese made from mozzarella and cream. It looks like a ball of mozzarella but when you cut it open, the inside is soft and creamy.
Key words:
Fresh · creamy · milky · soft · light · delicate
Ready-made phrase:
“Burrata is a fresh Italian cheese — it’s light and milky on the outside with a beautifully creamy centre. It melts in the mouth. Very popular.”
2. Beef Tartare
What it is:
Raw minced beef mixed with seasoning, capers and egg yolk. Served cold. A classic French dish for guests who enjoy bold, intense flavours.
Key words:
Raw · bold · intense · savoury · rich · cold
Ready-made phrase:
“Beef tartare is raw minced beef with seasoning and egg yolk. It’s bold and intense — a rich, savoury dish served cold. It’s a classic choice for guests who enjoy something a little adventurous.”
3. Soup of the Day
What it is:
Varies daily. You need to know what today’s soup is — always check before your shift. Most soups are either creamy or broth-based.
Key words:
Creamy / light · warming · comforting · smooth · hearty
Ready-made phrase:
“Today’s soup is [name]. It’s a [creamy / light broth-based] soup — very warming and comforting. A great starter on a cooler evening.”
💡 Tip: Always ask the kitchen what today’s soup is before service begins.
4. Prawn Cocktail
What it is:
Cold prawns served with a creamy, slightly tangy sauce — usually Marie Rose sauce — on a bed of lettuce. A classic British starter.
Key words:
Fresh · cold · light · tangy · classic · refreshing
Ready-made phrase:
“The prawn cocktail is a classic starter — fresh cold prawns with a light, tangy sauce. It’s refreshing and not too heavy — a great choice if you want something simple.”
Mains
5. Duck Confit
What it is:
Duck leg slow-cooked in its own fat at a low temperature for several hours. The result is extremely tender meat that falls off the bone.
Key words:
Rich · tender · slow-cooked · falls off the bone · crispy skin · full-flavoured
Ready-made phrase:
“The duck confit is slow-cooked until the meat is incredibly tender — it just falls off the bone. The skin is crispy and the flavour is rich and full. One of our most popular dishes.”
6. Lamb Shank
What it is:
The lower leg of a lamb, slow-braised for several hours until the meat is very soft and tender. Usually served with a rich sauce or gravy.
Key words:
Slow-cooked · tender · falling off the bone · rich · earthy · hearty
Ready-made phrase:
“The lamb shank is slow-cooked for hours until the meat is incredibly tender. It has a rich, earthy flavour and comes with a beautiful sauce. Very hearty and satisfying.”
7. Beef Fillet / Steak
What it is:
A premium cut of beef from the tenderloin — the most tender part of the animal. Usually served at different levels of cooking: rare, medium rare, medium, well done.
Key words:
Tender · lean · smooth · buttery · premium · mild
Ready-made phrase:
“The beef fillet is our most tender cut — very lean and smooth with a mild, buttery flavour. How would you like it cooked — rare, medium rare or well done?”
8. Sea Bass
What it is:
A white fish with a mild, delicate flavour and firm flesh. Very popular on restaurant menus. Usually pan-fried or grilled with a crispy skin.
Key words:
Delicate · mild · light · flaky · firm · crispy skin
Ready-made phrase:
“The sea bass is a white fish — very light and delicate with a mild flavour. The skin is crispy and the flesh is flaky and tender. A great choice if you enjoy fish but prefer something not too strong.”
9. Risotto
What it is:
An Italian dish made from short-grain rice cooked slowly in stock until creamy and smooth. Can be made with many different ingredients — mushroom, seafood, truffle etc.
Key words:
Creamy · rich · smooth · comforting · warming · hearty
Ready-made phrase:
“The risotto is a classic Italian dish — slow-cooked rice with a rich, creamy texture. It’s very comforting and warming. The flavour changes depending on the ingredients — tonight we have [mushroom / seafood / etc].”
10. Pasta
What it is:
Italian dish made from pasta in a wide variety of shapes and sauces. Key distinction for guests — cream-based vs tomato-based vs oil-based.
Key words:
Creamy / rich / light · comforting · warming · satisfying
Ready-made phrase:
“The [pasta name] has a [creamy / tomato / oil-based] sauce — it’s [rich and comforting / light and fresh]. A classic Italian dish and very popular with our guests.”
Check out our blog on describing mains:
Desserts
11. Crème Brûlée
What it is:
A French dessert made from a rich baked custard with a thin layer of caramelised sugar on top. The sugar is burnt with a blowtorch to create a hard, crackly crust.
Key words:
Creamy · rich · silky · caramelised · classic · indulgent
Ready-made phrase:
“The crème brûlée is a classic French dessert — silky, creamy custard with a caramelised sugar crust on top. You crack through the top with your spoon. Rich and indulgent — one of our most popular desserts.”
12. Chocolate Fondant
What it is:
A small chocolate cake with a soft, liquid chocolate centre. Served warm. Also called a lava cake. Very popular with chocolate lovers.
Key words:
Warm · rich · intense · molten centre · indulgent · chocolatey
Ready-made phrase:
“The chocolate fondant is a warm chocolate cake with a soft, molten chocolate centre. It’s rich and intensely chocolatey — perfect for chocolate lovers. Served with ice cream or cream.”
13. Cheesecake
What it is:
A dessert made with a cream cheese filling on a biscuit base. Can be baked or chilled. Usually served with fruit coulis or cream.
Key words:
Creamy · sweet · rich · smooth · light · indulgent
Ready-made phrase:
“The cheesecake has a creamy, smooth filling on a buttery biscuit base. It’s sweet but not too heavy — a great choice if you want something indulgent but lighter than a chocolate dessert.”
14. Panna Cotta
What it is:
An Italian dessert made from sweetened cream set with gelatine. Very light and delicate. Usually served with a fruit coulis or berry compote.
Key words:
Light · delicate · silky · smooth · creamy · subtle
Ready-made phrase:
“Panna cotta is an Italian dessert — set cream with a very light, silky texture. It’s not too sweet and much lighter than a chocolate dessert. Usually served with a berry sauce. Very elegant.”
Vegetarian
15. Mushroom Wellington
What it is:
A vegetarian version of Beef Wellington. A large portobello mushroom wrapped in pastry with a filling of spinach, cheese or herbs. Baked until golden.
Key words:
Earthy · savoury · flaky pastry · hearty · warming · satisfying
Ready-made phrase:
“The mushroom Wellington is a vegetarian main — a large portobello mushroom with a savoury filling wrapped in flaky golden pastry. It’s hearty and very satisfying — a popular choice even with guests who aren’t vegetarian.”
Quick Reference — 15 Dishes at a Glance
| Dish | Section | Key Words | Strength |
|---|---|---|---|
| Burrata | Starter | Fresh, creamy, milky, light | Light and delicate |
| Beef Tartare | Starter | Raw, bold, intense, cold | Bold and adventurous |
| Soup of the Day | Starter | Warming, comforting, creamy | Depends on the day |
| Prawn Cocktail | Starter | Fresh, tangy, light, classic | Light and refreshing |
| Duck Confit | Main | Rich, tender, crispy skin | Rich and indulgent |
| Lamb Shank | Main | Slow-cooked, earthy, hearty | Hearty and satisfying |
| Beef Fillet | Main | Tender, buttery, lean | Premium and mild |
| Sea Bass | Main | Delicate, light, flaky | Light and fresh |
| Risotto | Main | Creamy, smooth, comforting | Rich and warming |
| Pasta | Main | Varies by sauce | Comforting classic |
| Crème Brûlée | Dessert | Silky, caramelised, rich | Classic and indulgent |
| Chocolate Fondant | Dessert | Warm, molten, intense | Rich and chocolatey |
| Cheesecake | Dessert | Creamy, smooth, sweet | Light indulgence |
| Panna Cotta | Dessert | Light, silky, delicate | Light and elegant |
| Mushroom Wellington | Vegetarian | Earthy, savoury, hearty | Satisfying main |
The Most Useful Describing Words
Texture: tender · flaky · creamy · silky · crispy · smooth · light · rich · hearty
Flavour: mild · bold · intense · delicate · earthy · sweet · savoury · tangy · fresh
Temperature: warm · cold · hot · chilled · served at room temperature
Cooking method: slow-cooked · pan-fried · grilled · baked · raw · braised
Here is another post on describing food:
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