Thinking about how to translate a recipe title will be most culinary translator’s idea of heaven – until they get a tough one!
The ways in which recipes are titled can vary depending on the author, the target culture and the format in which they’ve been published, so a culinary translator needs to bear several things in mind in order to translate a recipe title perfectly.
In this article, I cover how to translate recipe titles for online content as well as in cookbooks.
Online Recipe Writing
Effective recipe writing for online publication will involve using SEO-optimisation tactics to increase search ranking and drive readers to the site.
This could result in dishes and recipes being named in a way that illustrates certain ingredients or techniques which have been used in the recipe, rather than their traditional name.
Take this example:
‘Salmon Salad’ becomes ‘Avocado and Salmon with Citrus Dressing’, or ‘Grilled Salmon with Avocado’.
Translating Online Recipe Titles
If you’re translating a recipe found on a blog, or written for an e-book or other marketing material, it will almost definitely be SEO-optimised.
As the translator, you need to know which keywords were used, and translate them effectively into your target language.
This won’t be a literal translation – you’ll have to do keyword research to make sure the keywords you use in your translation are the most effective in your target market and can be used throughout the text.
Take this simple example:
Tortilla española can be translated as ‘Spanish tortilla’, as well as ‘Spanish omelette’, or even ‘Potato omelette’.
In order to translate this recipe title in the most effective way possible, I’d have to do my own keyword research to determine which title will get the translated recipe higher up on the Google search page in my target country. I’d be looking for a keyword that hit the sweet spot between a high search volume and a low keyword difficulty.
Recipe Writing in Cookbooks
Whilst SEO can’t be used in cookbook recipe writing, authors and editors will still choose words carefully to ensure that the recipe title highlights the key selling point of the dish, whether that be an ingredient or a technique.
The title will need to entice the reader in and persuade them to make the dish.
It also needs to work well with other titles in the cookbook; showing diversity of skills and flavours and keeping the book interesting for the home cook.
See these examples, which are 5 cauliflower-based dishes I’ve invented to present in a cookbook:
- Cauliflower cheese gratin
- Roast cauliflower with pork sausages
- Caper and cauliflower fritters
- Creamy cauliflower curry with pomegranates and cashews
- Whole roast harissa cauliflowers
Instead of titling all the dishes in the same way, I’ve chosen to vary the way my titles are written, which adds interest to the book and highlights different features of each recipe.
Adding adjectives can bring life to a dish, techniques can distinguish recipes, and other ingredients can give the reader more of an idea of prominent flavour pairings in the dish.
Translating Recipes Titles in Cookbooks
Much like with online content, anyone translating recipe titles needs to ensure that they’ve understood what key features are being highlighted, and then replicate or adapt those features in the translated title.
This might result in a word-for-word translation, or might mean that the translator alters the title to reflect what will sell better in their target audience.
It goes without saying that a good recipe translator needs to be very familiar with what their target audience likes to eat and cook. That way they’ll know not only what sells best, but also what techniques or ingredients their target audience is familiar with.
Take this recipe title, for instance – ‘Pasta alla norma’. No translation has been done here, as I know that for my British market, this title will be most effective.
I know that the British cook will be familiar with the dish, will be more intrigued by it, think it’s more sophisticated, and be more likely to buy the cookbook than if I’d translated it to ‘Pasta with tomatoes and aubergines’.
The translated title also needs to reflect the target culture’s recipe writing rules, and not the source’s.
Take this title, for example:
[Literal translation:] ‘Tomato tart, homemade shortcrust pastry, with thyme and whipped ricotta with caramelised onions and zaatar’
This is translated from a French cookbook, but results in an almost unreadable recipe title in English.
It is overly wordy, the clause structure is different, and the flavour pairings are not clear.
This is my final rendition:
‘Shortcrust pastry tomato tart topped with whipped ricotta, caramelised onions and zaatar’.
To conclude
When translating recipes and their titles, a translator needs to:
- Know their target market inside out, including their food tastes, knowledge and customs
- Understand what has been highlighted as a selling point in the original recipe writing and ensure it, or an equivalent, has been transferred in their translation
- Be familiar with target language recipe writing rules and replicate them
If you’re in need of an English translator to help you with your recipe writing or translating recipes from French or Spanish, please get in touch!