We all know that in many restaurants, the chef wears some form of a distinctive hat, but few are aware that the name for this hat is a toque. Officially, the definition of the hat is a “tall, white chef’s hat with a fully pouched crown.” In French, it is a toque.
The word “toque” can also be applied to other hats. Historically, it might refer to a woman’s hat with a small or narrow brim. In Canada it might be used to describe a knitted hat with a tassel or pom-pom on the top.
“The chef did not realize he had touched his toque with tomato sauce on his hand and put a red streak across the top.”
“The new chef knew he had achieved his career goal when he was allowed to wear a toque.”
“In France, the most popular women’s hat this year is the black toque.”
To my surprise, the word “participator” is recognized by most dictionaries. The reason we do not hear it used in speech is that it has the same meaning as “participant.” In modern English, “participant” is preferred over “participator.” However, “participator” is a real word.
“Sally was a willing participator in the soccer match.”
“Jim loved public speaking and often was the leading participator in local speaking contests.”
“Jane checked the dictionary to try to understand the difference between ‘participator’ and ‘participant,’ only to learn that they are interchangeable.”
Combining these two words in a single sentence is challenging, but by focusing on the participation portion of the sentence first, we arrived at some good examples.
“As a participator in the culinary competition, he proudly donned his white toque, ready to showcase his skills in the kitchen.”
“Despite being a reluctant participator in the annual cook-off, Marco donned his chef’s toque with confidence.”
“The enthusiastic participator in the pastry workshop wore his toque with confidence, ready to master the art of French baking.”
