A la minute: Style of preparation where the food is cooked to order fresh, often right before the guests. Food stations are often ‘a la minute.’

Amuse-bouche: A starting snack to ‘amuse the mouth.’
 
Appellation: The region where a wine is from, also the branding offered by wine experts to indicate the precise origin, grape variety, and heritage of wines.

Aperitif: A light, pre-dinner alcoholic beverage, such as campari, kirs, and dubonnet.

Brule: a burned topping, such as with caramelized sugar on creme brule.

Brunch: A late breakfast combined with lunch, serving menu items from both meal periods, plus dessert.

Canapes: Class of hors d'oeuvre that are always served on small pieces of bread.

Cash bar: An arrangement where guests are charged for each drink they order. As opposed to an open or hosted bar, where patrons get their drinks for free, with the host picking up the tab.

CEO/BEO: "Catering Event Order" or "Banquet Event Order". Your caterer uses this document or spreadhseet to carefully detail all the requirements of your function, including menu, audio/visual provisions, table setup, staffing requirements, etc.

Chef: The executive cook in the kitchen, with supporting cooking performed by line cooks. A sous chef is the second-in-command in a kitchen.

Crudite: A pre-dinner snack, often a raw seasonal vegetable with a dipping sauce.

Digestif: An after dinner drink such as cognac or Cointreau.

Dim sum: The Chinese phrase translates literally to "touch heart,” and comes as sweet or savory dumplings of various fillings that are steamed, deep-fried or baked.

En croute: Encrusted in puff pastry.

French service: Style of service where the food is prepared in large trays and portioned to patron's plates by the waitstaff.

Granita: Similar to a sorbet but with a grainier texture usually made of fruit juice.

Mise en place: "To put in place" and is used to refer to all the preparation for service, including table settings, beverage supplies, china, silverware, etc., or to the pre-cooked ingredients made by the chef before final cooking and presentation.

Plated service: Style of service where the food is artfully arranged and presented by the chef before the dishes are delivered to the table.

Petit fours: Bite sized, iced and elaborately decorated cakes, often served in addition to the wedding cake.

Sommelier: The wine expert at the location. Sommelier is a professional classification earned by those who have taken courses and earned the title. Those who have not are referred to as ‘wine stewards.
 
Tasting: The meeting before an event when the chef prepares a few portions of the menu for final approval by the bride and groom or hosts.