French Phrase
Évite au maximum de couper et de préparer.
Meaning
The sentence tells someone to avoid cutting and preparing as much as possible. It is often heard in cooking instructions where the chef wants the ingredients to stay whole or to minimise prep work.
When to use
Use this phrase when giving advice or instructions that stress minimal handling of food, materials, or tasks – for example in recipes, kitchen safety briefings, or project‑management tips that warn against over‑processing.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Éviteaumaximumdecouperetdepréparer
Imperative (Évite)
Use the second‑person singular imperative of the verb éviter to give a direct command or advice.
Adverbial phrase (au maximum)
‘au maximum’ means ‘as much as possible’ and modifies the verb to intensify the advice.
de + infinitive after éviter
The verb éviter is followed by ‘de’ plus an infinitive; the preposition must be repeated before each infinitive when they are coordinated.
Conjunction (et)
‘et’ simply links the two actions ‘couper’ and ‘préparer’.
Repeating de
Repeating ‘de’ before the second infinitive (de préparer) avoids ambiguity and is the standard construction.
🗨In Conversation
Pour la salade, évite au maximum de couper et de préparer les légumes.
For the salad, avoid cutting and preparing the vegetables as much as possible.
D'accord, je les laisserai entiers.
Okay, I'll leave them whole.
✕Common Mistakes
Éviter au maximum de couper et de préparer.
The infinitive ‘Éviter’ cannot be used to give a direct command; you need the imperative ‘Évite’.
Évite au maximum de couper et préparer.
When two infinitives are coordinated after ‘éviter’, repeat the preposition ‘de’ before each verb for clarity.
Évite au plus de couper et de préparer.
‘au plus’ is not idiomatic here; use ‘au maximum’ or ‘autant que possible’.
↔Alternatives
Ne coupe pas trop et ne prépare pas trop.
Don't cut too much and don't prepare too much.
Limite au strict nécessaire la coupe et la préparation.
Limit cutting and preparation to the strict necessary.
Essaye de ne pas trop couper ni trop préparer.
Try not to cut or prepare too much.
Cultural Tip
French cuisine often values the natural texture and shape of ingredients; chefs may ask you to ‘éviter au maximum de couper’ to preserve flavor and presentation. In formal writing you might replace ‘au maximum’ with ‘autant que possible’, but the spoken form is perfectly idiomatic.