General
plongeur
What does plongeur mean?
French for 'diver' — the dishwasher, bottom rung of the brigade. Orwell immortalised the role in 'Down and Out in Paris and London': sixteen-hour shifts, scalding water, no glory. The job that holds the whole kitchen up.
"We're a plongeur down tonight — someone's gonna have to jump in the pit between courses."
Origin
French, literally 'diver'. Popularised in English by George Orwell's 'Down and Out in Paris and London' (1933).
Frequently asked questions
What is a plongeur?
A plongeur is the dishwasher in a professional kitchen. It's a noun borrowed from French.
How do you use plongeur in a sentence?
"The plongeur was slammed with pots by the end of the dinner rush."
Where does the word plongeur come from?
It's a French word for a kitchen dishwasher, and it was popularised in English partly by George Orwell's account of working as a plongeur in Down and Out in Paris and London.
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