Menu planning / Naming dishes

Descriptions will help sell the dish and if you include cooking methods you can help customers make healthier choices. Describing the origins of food will demonstrate your passion for the best and a simple change, such as replacing ‘salad garnish’ with ‘served with crisp mixed salad leaves’ can make a big difference.

Think about describing the particular cut of meat as well as any herb and marinades that were used in cooking it.

When writing menus and describing dishes it’s important to ensure all the necessary Trading Standards guidance is considered. You can find a few of the more frequently used menu statements and their legal restrictions in the naming glossary in this section. For more information talk to either your local council’s Environmental Health Officer, Trading Standards Officer or the Food Standards Agency.

Remember you can be creative with your descriptions but they must be accurate and truthful, processed and reformed products must be clearly differentiated from natural or whole food and descriptions must relate to the ingredients without being misleading.