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haute cuisine

haute cuisine

2 7.9
Careful, skillful cooking that makes very good dishes in a formal French style
  • noun
  • /oʊt kɪˈziːn/
translation icon : alta cocina
  • For a special occasion, we decided to indulge in a memorable haute cuisine dining experience.
  • French haute cuisine
  • haute cuisine restaurants
  • world of haute cuisine

Examples

  • Such adaptability is undoubtedly significant for its popularity in the West and in Asia as ordinary food and as haute cuisine.

    Academic text (2001)
  • It is baffling how stewards of everything from large corporations to purveyors of haute cuisine continue to miss the point here.

    Blog text (6)
  • There has long been the high and the low end in fashion, just as there has been haute cuisine and fast food.

    Blog text (8)
  • People think haute cuisine is snooty.

  • The entrees have already arrived... haute cuisine: is it food or is it art?

    Fiction book (2000)
  • Larks definitely fit into the haute-cuisine category, featuring an outstanding variety of locally produced products in their dishes.

    Blog text (17)
  • Gourmand was a mythical country that dedicated itself to developing the art of culinary excellence and made haute cuisine universally available.

    Academic text (1993)
  • In Paris, you can experience exquisite haute cuisine at Michelin-starred restaurants.

  • The chef is renowned for his innovative approach to haute cuisine, combining traditional techniques with modern flavors.

Synonyms

fine dining
vshaute cuisine
14 3.9

A special, fancy meal at a high quality restaurant

focuses on the cooking style and complex preparation rather than restaurant setting
gourmet meal
vshaute cuisine
5 4.9

A meal made with very good ingredients and careful cooking

focuses on elaborate cooking based on tradition and overall culinary style
gastronomy
vshaute cuisine
3 7.0

A way of preparing and enjoying good food in a region's style

is narrower, focusing on elaborate dishes and skilled preparation rather than broad food culture
culinary art
vshaute cuisine
  • Specialized
2 3.7

A skill for preparing and presenting food that people use as a job

emphasizes a particular elaborate style and tradition rather than general professional skills

Antonyms

111 1.0

Cheap food that is already cooked and sold to eat quickly, like hamburgers or fried chicken

How Refined

haute cuisine
2 7.9
fine dining
14 3.9
cuisine
112 3.9
luncheonette
  • Archaic
5 5.7

Surface Forms

haute cuisine singular

Morphology

haute + cuisine

The meaning 'elaborate high-quality cooking' is directly derivable from combining 'haute' (high-end, sophisticated) with 'cuisine' (style of cooking). Even though it is a French loanphrase, the adjective+noun composition and its literal components map clearly onto the intended sense, so a B1 learner who knows both words would understand the MWE.

Etymology

Haute cuisine comes from French where haute means 'high' and cuisine means 'cooking'. So, imagine food set up for rich guests and made carefully and served in a fancy way, which is why it means 'very fancy, high-quality cooking'.