What is a Banquette in a Restaurant?

banquette seating in a small restaurant

In a restaurant setting, banquette is a word for a padded bench with a cushioned seat and back. This style of seating is used in “banquette seating,” which is often confused with booth seating. In fact, some restaurant owners may call the padded benches in their booth seating banquettes. However, banquette refers to a continuous … Read more

What Do Chefs Mean by Vegetal Flavor?

Sometimes, you’ll hear a chef describing the taste of  a food as “vegetal.” For instance, I recently came across a chef claiming that green bell peppers were “vegetal” while red bell peppers are sweet and slightly spicy. How does this differentiate the two? Well, the truth it, it doesn’t. Bell peppers could also be described … Read more

Unpopular Opinion: Is Dry-Aging Steak Wasteful?

I want to share an unpopular opinion from Reddit. It didn’t get much attention but, may be surprised to hear that I share in this opinion. It involved dry-aged beef. There are chefs and restaurants that, in my opinion, owe their entire reputation, and perhaps careers, to a time-consuming and wasteful process that renders an … Read more

What is the Most Popular Fruit in the United States?

Americans do not eat as much fruit as health guidelines suggest. According to available data, in 2022, the average American ate 116 pounds of fruit. On average, consumption lies around 115 pounds a year of fresh fruit, but a lot of this fruit data may include fruit juice. Among all the fruits Americans eat regularly, … Read more

Shrimp Scampi & Chai Tea: Are These American Food Terms Repetitive?

In a recent YouTube posting, the host of InternetShaquille made an argument about certain food terms being repetitive. He mentioned, in particular, Shrimp Scampi, Chai Tea, Naan bread, and Paella pan. Why are these food terms repetitive or redundant? Does it matter? In this article, I will explain why these terms are not repetitive in … Read more

Is Alton Brown a Great Cook?

The only way to know whether someone is a great cook is to eat their food. Furthermore, more than one person’s opinion is required to determine if someone can generally be said to be a great cook or even a good one. So, is renowned food educator and TV cook Alton Brown a great cook? … Read more