Hotel Management Glossary

A ratio that shows rooms sold over a fixed period of time as a percentage of total available rooms in a property over the same period of time.

A ratio that shows the average number of paid guests for each room sold. Calculated by dividing number of paid room guests by number of rooms sold. Measures management's ability to use the lodging facilities.

Avocado’pear, much used as a single hors-d’oeuvre,often with a filling and dressing.

Light yeast-cake soaked in rum syrup, brushed with apricot jam and decorated with cream.

One who is hired to care for a baby in the absence of parents.

Back of the house: The functional areas of the hotel in which employees have little or no guest contact, such as the engineering and maintenance department, laundry room and so on.

Back to back: Describes a heavy rate of checkouts and check-ins on the same day, so that as soon as the room is made up, a new guest checks into it.

Single-celled micro-organisms, some of which can cause diseases, including foodborne diseases.

Small-length French loaf with an open texture and thick golden brown crust.

Bain-marie - Hot water bath used to gently cook food or keep cooked food hot. An example is a container for holding food in a water bath.

Bake / Baking -  To cook food by surrounding it with hot dry air. similar to roasting, the term baking is usually applied to bread, pastries, vegetables and fish.

Baked - Cooked by dry heat in an oven.

Baking Powder- A mixture of sodium bicarbonate and one or more acids, generally the cream of tartar and/ or sodium aluminium sulfate, used to leaven baked goods; it releases carbon dioxide gas if moisture is present in a formula. 

Baking Soda - Sodium bicarbonate, an alkaline compound that releases carbon dioxide gas when combined with an acid and moisture; used to leaven baked goods.

Boned and stuffed chicken leg cooked by braising and served with, e,g, vegetables or rice garnish; orany boned and stuffed joint.

Formal meal for a number of persons, all seated and served with the same meal at the same time.