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Jan 30, 2018 14:12
6 yrs ago
2 viewers *
French term

cuisine précieuse

French to English Marketing Cooking / Culinary
This is from a description of a French chef's cooking style in a press release about a newish restaurant:

"De ces expériences, il développe la volonté d’exercer une cuisine raffinée, précieuse et sophistiquée".

I'm not sure how to translate "précieuse", since none of the translations I've found really seem to apply to cuisine. It looks like it could mean refined or sophisticated, but those words are already used. Elegant? Delicate?

For those of you familiar with French cuisine, what is the distinction between raffinée, précieuse, and sophistiquée, and how would you translate "cuisine précieuse"?

Thanks for any ideas!

US English please.
Proposed translations (English)
2 +5 Exquisite
3 +2 change the sentence around
3 +2 meticulous / with great attention to detail
4 delicate
4 Affected
3 Special
3 sumptuous
2 unrivaled cuisine
Change log

Feb 1, 2018 00:11: writeaway changed "Field" from "Other" to "Marketing"

Discussion

Diana Huet de Guerville (asker) Jan 31, 2018:
@Tony M, I love exquisitely-crafted Thanks for all the suggestions, I'm noting them for future use. Would happy to give you the points Tony if you want to do an entry!
ph-b (X) Jan 30, 2018:
précieux (travail) dont l'exécution est très délicate et très soignée (http://www.cnrtl.fr/definition/précieux). One of the R&C translations for soigné is "carefully prepared (meal)". It looks as if précieux can also refer to the way something is exécuté/prepared.
philgoddard Jan 30, 2018:
I think these words are near synonyms, and I'd be tempted to leave one out. "Intricate" is one possibility, but I think you should look in a dictionary and choose something that you like.
Rowena Fuller (X) Jan 30, 2018:
just thought, maybe 'distinctive'?
Rowena Fuller (X) Jan 30, 2018:
crafted or something along those lines, food 'set' like jewellery - a work of art ... I think that is the sense that is being purveyed, that these dishes are works of art - hope that helps! I seem to be on a run of such jobs at the moment :-)

Proposed translations

+5
7 mins
Selected

Exquisite

I'd imagine précieuse has something even more of the hmmmm...impractical high end? about it even than refined or sophisticated...
Example sentence:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/tv/features/exquisite-cuisine/

Peer comment(s):
agree Rowena Fuller (X)
1 min
agree philgoddard
24 mins
agree B D Finch
2 hrs
neutral Tony M : My concern would be that this is more like a subjective, qualititive assessment by the diner! But I think 'exquisitely-crafted' could work well!
2 hrs
neutral Lara Barnett : I agree with Tony. There is something subjective in using "exquisite". You would not plan to create something "exquisite", that would be the receiver's (i.e. the diner) own opinion.
2 hrs
agree James A. Walsh
3 hrs
agree Verginia Ophof
6 hrs
Something went wrong...
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer. Comment: "Selected automatically based on peer agreement."
11 mins

unrivaled cuisine

Cuisine that has no equal, if it's in the sense of "priceless" (or non-pareil) in this case, which is one of the translations that is offered for "précieux" by Larousse.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 26 mins (2018-01-30 14:38:58 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

"cuisine like no other"
Something went wrong...
+2
29 mins

change the sentence around

As Phil says there is some repetition here, as is often the case in French gastronomic speak. The "volonté d'exercer" is also slightly superfluous. I would be tempted to change it around:

"he has developed his own elegant, sophisticated style of cuisine"

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 46 mins (2018-01-30 14:59:45 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Whatever you do, don't say "precious" which can have a negative connotation in English!
Peer comment(s):
agree Tony M : I'd be half inclined to use 'elaborate', or indeed 'exquisitely-crafted'
2 hrs
Thanks Tony, I like "exquisitely-crafted", although I think I would say "exquisitely crafted dishes" rather than cuisine.
agree ph-b (X) : exquisitely(-)crafted
5 hrs
Something went wrong...
3 hrs

Special

Maybe just a basic everyday word might work?

"...a cuisine that is refined, special and sophisticated."
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+2
7 hrs

meticulous / with great attention to detail

I kind of see it as being a bit fussy, but with a positive connotation. Tony M. suggested "exquisitely crafted," which I also like.
Peer comment(s):
agree Herbmione Granger : "meticulously crafted"
1 day 12 hrs
agree kashew
4 days
Something went wrong...
1 day 11 hrs

sumptuous

a cuisine that is refined, sumptuous and sophisticated

Something went wrong...
5 days

delicate

delicately presented
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10 days

Affected

Used like this 'précieux' means 'affecté dans son langage et ses manières' ( http://www.larousse.fr/encyclopedie/rechercher?q=précieux )
This meaning comes from a 17th century fashion in which affected manners and language reached their pinnacle.
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