diff --git a/apps/api/prisma/migrations/20260819210000_tech_step_catalog_key/migration.sql b/apps/api/prisma/migrations/20260819210000_tech_step_catalog_key/migration.sql
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..28009bd
--- /dev/null
+++ b/apps/api/prisma/migrations/20260819210000_tech_step_catalog_key/migration.sql
@@ -0,0 +1,18 @@
+-- Adds `TechStep.key` (`key String @unique`) and `TechStepMapping.locale` —
+-- same "stable English camelCase uid, French label lives only in apps/web's
+-- locales/fr/translation.json" convention as Diet/Category/Unit. `TechStep`
+-- was created in the initial migration with no way to identify a row other
+-- than its numeric id; this closes that gap so reference-seed-data.ts can
+-- upsert it by key like every other reference catalog. `locale` lets the
+-- same TechStep carry one matching rule set per language. Neither table has
+-- ever been seeded (no rows exist pre-launch), so plain NOT NULL columns
+-- with no backfill are safe.
+
+-- AlterTable
+ALTER TABLE "tech_step" ADD COLUMN "key" TEXT NOT NULL;
+
+-- CreateIndex
+CREATE UNIQUE INDEX "tech_step_key_key" ON "tech_step"("key");
+
+-- AlterTable
+ALTER TABLE "tech_step_mapping" ADD COLUMN "locale" TEXT NOT NULL;
diff --git a/apps/api/prisma/migrations/20260820110000_step_tech_step_sequence/migration.sql b/apps/api/prisma/migrations/20260820110000_step_tech_step_sequence/migration.sql
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e00115d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/apps/api/prisma/migrations/20260820110000_step_tech_step_sequence/migration.sql
@@ -0,0 +1,28 @@
+-- Replaces `Step.tech_step_id` (single nullable FK — at most one technique
+-- per step) with `step_tech_step`, an ordered join table — a step can
+-- genuinely involve more than one technique (e.g. "Dans une poêle chaude,
+-- faire chauffer une noix de beurre" is both `preheat` and `melt`). Per PR
+-- review feedback on the first version of this feature; `tech_step`/`step`
+-- have never carried real recipe data yet (this feature isn't released),
+-- so no backfill is needed.
+
+-- DropForeignKey
+ALTER TABLE "step" DROP CONSTRAINT "step_tech_step_id_fkey";
+
+-- AlterTable
+ALTER TABLE "step" DROP COLUMN "tech_step_id";
+
+-- CreateTable
+CREATE TABLE "step_tech_step" (
+    "step_id" INTEGER NOT NULL,
+    "tech_step_id" INTEGER NOT NULL,
+    "order" INTEGER NOT NULL,
+
+    CONSTRAINT "step_tech_step_pkey" PRIMARY KEY ("step_id", "order")
+);
+
+-- AddForeignKey
+ALTER TABLE "step_tech_step" ADD CONSTRAINT "step_tech_step_step_id_fkey" FOREIGN KEY ("step_id") REFERENCES "step"("id") ON DELETE CASCADE ON UPDATE CASCADE;
+
+-- AddForeignKey
+ALTER TABLE "step_tech_step" ADD CONSTRAINT "step_tech_step_tech_step_id_fkey" FOREIGN KEY ("tech_step_id") REFERENCES "tech_step"("id") ON DELETE CASCADE ON UPDATE CASCADE;
diff --git a/apps/api/prisma/schema.prisma b/apps/api/prisma/schema.prisma
index 23bfef3..9eddd26 100644
--- a/apps/api/prisma/schema.prisma
+++ b/apps/api/prisma/schema.prisma
@@ -556,20 +556,32 @@ model RecipeIngredient {
   @@map("recipe_ingredient")
 }
 
+/// `key` is `@unique` — same convention as `Diet`/`Unit`: a stable English
+/// camelCase uid (e.g. `"simmer"`), not the display label — the French
+/// label lives in `apps/web`'s `locales/fr/translation.json` under
+/// `catalog.techSteps.<key>` (see `reference-seed-data.ts`'s `TECH_STEPS`).
 model TechStep {
-  id Int @id @default(autoincrement())
+  id  Int    @id @default(autoincrement())
+  key String @unique
 
-  steps    Step[]
+  steps    StepTechStep[]
   mappings TechStepMapping[]
 
   @@map("tech_step")
 }
 
-/// Used by the recipe-import pipeline to auto-detect which technique a raw
-/// instruction step corresponds to (expression = text pattern, weight = match score).
+/// Used by `tech-step-matcher.ts` to auto-detect which technique a recipe
+/// step's description corresponds to (expression = regex pattern tested
+/// against the description, weight = tie-break score when several
+/// mappings match, or overlap-resolution score when two mappings match the
+/// same span of text — see `matchTechSteps`). `locale` (e.g. `"fr"`) lets
+/// the same TechStep carry one matching rule set per language — the
+/// matcher is always called with a target locale and only considers
+/// mappings for that locale.
 model TechStepMapping {
   id         Int    @id @default(autoincrement())
   techStepId Int    @map("tech_step_id")
+  locale     String
   expression String
   weight     Int
 
@@ -588,10 +600,30 @@ model Step {
   description String
   picture     String?
   order       Int
-  techStepId  Int?    @map("tech_step_id")
 
-  recipe   Recipe    @relation(fields: [recipeId], references: [id], onDelete: Cascade)
-  techStep TechStep? @relation(fields: [techStepId], references: [id], onDelete: SetNull)
+  recipe    Recipe         @relation(fields: [recipeId], references: [id], onDelete: Cascade)
+  techSteps StepTechStep[]
 
   @@map("step")
 }
+
+/// A single step's *ordered sequence* of detected techniques — one
+/// instruction can genuinely involve more than one (e.g. "Dans une poêle
+/// chaude, faire chauffer une noix de beurre" is both `preheat` and
+/// `melt`), which is why this replaced the original single nullable
+/// `Step.techStepId` FK (per PR review feedback on the first version of
+/// this feature). `order` is the position within *this step* (0-based, in
+/// the order `matchTechSteps` — `tech-step-matcher.ts` — detected the
+/// techniques in the description), not a global ordering across different
+/// steps of the recipe (that's `Step.order`).
+model StepTechStep {
+  stepId     Int @map("step_id")
+  techStepId Int @map("tech_step_id")
+  order      Int
+
+  step     Step     @relation(fields: [stepId], references: [id], onDelete: Cascade)
+  techStep TechStep @relation(fields: [techStepId], references: [id], onDelete: Cascade)
+
+  @@id([stepId, order])
+  @@map("step_tech_step")
+}
diff --git a/apps/api/src/db/reference-seed-data.ts b/apps/api/src/db/reference-seed-data.ts
index adb2998..11bbaa5 100644
--- a/apps/api/src/db/reference-seed-data.ts
+++ b/apps/api/src/db/reference-seed-data.ts
@@ -43,6 +43,161 @@ export const UNITS: Array<{ uid: string; type: UnitType; toBaseFactor: number }>
   { uid: "sprig", type: "COUNT", toBaseFactor: 1 },
 ];
 
+// Cooking-technique catalog (French recipe-step normalization) — a static
+// list of common instructions, each carrying one or more text-matching
+// rules used by `tech-step-matcher.ts` to auto-detect which technique(s) a
+// free-text `Step.description` corresponds to (a step can mention several,
+// e.g. "faire chauffer une poêle puis y faire fondre le beurre" is both
+// `preheat` and `melt` — see `Step.techSteps`/`StepTechStep` in
+// schema.prisma). Same "English camelCase uid, no French label" authoring
+// as DIETS/UNITS — the label lives in apps/web's
+// locales/fr/translation.json under `catalog.techSteps.<key>`.
+// `expression` is a regex source matched (case/accent-insensitive, via
+// `normalizeText`) against the step description; `weight` breaks ties when
+// two *different* techniques' expressions match the same span of text
+// (highest weight wins) — see `tech-step-matcher.ts`'s `matchTechSteps`.
+// Specific, multi-word phrases ("cuire au four", "faire revenir") are
+// weighted higher than the generic single-verb forms they overlap with
+// ("cuire", "sauter") so the more specific technique wins when both match
+// the same words. `locale` lets the same technique carry one matching rule
+// set per language — every entry below is `"fr"` for now, the field exists
+// so other languages can be added later without a schema change.
+export const TECH_STEPS: Array<{
+  uid: string;
+  mappings: Array<{ locale: string; expression: string; weight: number }>;
+}> = [
+  {
+    uid: "cook",
+    mappings: [
+      { locale: "fr", expression: "\\bcui(re|sez|sant|sson)\\b|\\bcuit(e|es|s)?\\b", weight: 10 },
+    ],
+  },
+  {
+    uid: "fry",
+    mappings: [{ locale: "fr", expression: "\\bfri(re|t|te|ts|tes|ture)\\b", weight: 15 }],
+  },
+  {
+    uid: "melt",
+    mappings: [
+      {
+        locale: "fr",
+        expression:
+          "\\bfondre\\b|\\bfondu(e|es|s)?\\b|\\bfaire fondre\\b|\\bfaites fondre\\b|\\bfaire chauffer\\b|\\bfaites chauffer\\b",
+        weight: 15,
+      },
+    ],
+  },
+  {
+    uid: "deglaze",
+    mappings: [{ locale: "fr", expression: "\\bd[ée]glac(er|ez|é|ée|age)\\b", weight: 20 }],
+  },
+  {
+    uid: "simmer",
+    mappings: [{ locale: "fr", expression: "\\bmijot(er|ez|e|ant|é)\\b", weight: 15 }],
+  },
+  {
+    uid: "boil",
+    mappings: [
+      { locale: "fr", expression: "\\bbouill(ir|ant|ie|ies)\\b|\\b[ée]bullition\\b", weight: 12 },
+    ],
+  },
+  {
+    uid: "roast",
+    mappings: [{ locale: "fr", expression: "\\br[ôo]tir\\b|\\br[ôo]ti(e|es|s)?\\b", weight: 15 }],
+  },
+  {
+    uid: "grill",
+    mappings: [{ locale: "fr", expression: "\\bgrill(er|ez|é|ée|ées|ade)\\b", weight: 15 }],
+  },
+  {
+    uid: "panFry",
+    mappings: [{ locale: "fr", expression: "\\bsaut(er|ez|é|ée|ées|ant)\\b", weight: 12 }],
+  },
+  {
+    uid: "blanch",
+    mappings: [{ locale: "fr", expression: "\\bblanch(ir|issez|i|ie|ies|iment)\\b", weight: 18 }],
+  },
+  {
+    uid: "marinate",
+    mappings: [{ locale: "fr", expression: "\\bmarin(er|ez|é|ée|ées|ade)\\b", weight: 18 }],
+  },
+  {
+    uid: "chop",
+    mappings: [{ locale: "fr", expression: "\\bhach(er|ez|é|ée|ées|is)\\b", weight: 15 }],
+  },
+  {
+    uid: "peel",
+    mappings: [{ locale: "fr", expression: "\\b[ée]pluch(er|ez|é|ée|ées|age)\\b", weight: 15 }],
+  },
+  {
+    uid: "mince",
+    mappings: [{ locale: "fr", expression: "\\b[ée]minc(er|ez|é|ée|ées)\\b", weight: 18 }],
+  },
+  {
+    uid: "mix",
+    mappings: [{ locale: "fr", expression: "\\bm[ée]lang(er|ez|é|ée|ées|e|es)\\b", weight: 10 }],
+  },
+  {
+    uid: "whisk",
+    mappings: [
+      { locale: "fr", expression: "\\bfouett(er|ez|é|ée|ées)\\b|\\bau fouet\\b", weight: 15 },
+    ],
+  },
+  {
+    uid: "foldIn",
+    mappings: [{ locale: "fr", expression: "\\bincorpor(er|ez|é|ée|ées|ant)\\b", weight: 15 }],
+  },
+  {
+    uid: "setAside",
+    mappings: [{ locale: "fr", expression: "\\br[ée]serv(er|ez|é|ée|ées)\\b", weight: 15 }],
+  },
+  {
+    uid: "season",
+    mappings: [{ locale: "fr", expression: "\\bassaisonn(er|ez|é|ée|ées|ement)\\b", weight: 15 }],
+  },
+  {
+    uid: "drain",
+    mappings: [{ locale: "fr", expression: "\\b[ée]goutt(er|ez|é|ée|ées)\\b", weight: 15 }],
+  },
+  {
+    uid: "brown",
+    mappings: [
+      {
+        locale: "fr",
+        expression:
+          "\\bfaire revenir\\b|\\bfaites revenir\\b|\\bfais revenir\\b|\\bfaire dorer\\b|\\bfaites dorer\\b",
+        weight: 25,
+      },
+    ],
+  },
+  {
+    uid: "rest",
+    mappings: [
+      { locale: "fr", expression: "\\blaiss(er|ez|e) reposer\\b|\\breposer\\b", weight: 20 },
+    ],
+  },
+  {
+    uid: "preheat",
+    mappings: [{ locale: "fr", expression: "\\bpr[ée]chauff(er|ez|é|ée)\\b", weight: 20 }],
+  },
+  {
+    uid: "bake",
+    mappings: [
+      {
+        locale: "fr",
+        expression:
+          "\\bcuire au four\\b|\\bcuisson au four\\b|\\benfourn(er|ez|é|ée|ées)\\b|\\bau four\\b",
+        weight: 25,
+      },
+    ],
+  },
+  { uid: "plate", mappings: [{ locale: "fr", expression: "\\bdress(er|ez|age)\\b", weight: 15 }] },
+  {
+    uid: "coat",
+    mappings: [{ locale: "fr", expression: "\\bnapp(er|ez|é|ée|ées|age)\\b", weight: 15 }],
+  },
+];
+
 // The 14 allergens EU Regulation 1169/2011 (Annex II) requires food
 // businesses to declare — a standard, defensible reference list rather than
 // an invented one. Split into ALLERGY (classic IgE-mediated immune
@@ -1125,6 +1280,39 @@ export async function seedReferenceData(prisma: PrismaClient): Promise<void> {
     });
   }
 
+  // TechStep: upsert by key (same idempotent-seed reasoning as everything
+  // above), then fully replace its mappings on every reseed. Mappings carry
+  // no natural per-row identity to upsert against, and expressions/weights
+  // are expected to be tuned over time — a straight "delete all, recreate
+  // from source" keeps the table an exact mirror of `TECH_STEPS` rather
+  // than accumulating stale/duplicate rows from earlier edits. Nothing else
+  // references `TechStepMapping.id` (`Step` only points at `TechStep`, not
+  // at a specific mapping), so this replace is safe.
+  for (const { uid: key } of TECH_STEPS) {
+    await prisma.techStep.upsert({ where: { key }, update: {}, create: { key } });
+  }
+  const techSteps = await prisma.techStep.findMany({
+    where: { key: { in: TECH_STEPS.map((t) => t.uid) } },
+  });
+  const techStepIdByKey = new Map(techSteps.map((t) => [t.key, t.id]));
+
+  await prisma.techStepMapping.deleteMany({
+    where: { techStepId: { in: [...techStepIdByKey.values()] } },
+  });
+  const techStepMappingRows = TECH_STEPS.flatMap(({ uid, mappings }) => {
+    const techStepId = techStepIdByKey.get(uid);
+    if (techStepId === undefined) return [];
+    return mappings.map(({ locale, expression, weight }) => ({
+      techStepId,
+      locale,
+      expression,
+      weight,
+    }));
+  });
+  if (techStepMappingRows.length > 0) {
+    await prisma.techStepMapping.createMany({ data: techStepMappingRows });
+  }
+
   // `Allergy` itself carries no `key` — it's the selectable instance of a
   // keyed `Category` (see schema.prisma) — so seeding an allergen means one
   // Category (upserted by key) plus exactly one Allergy row under it,
diff --git a/apps/api/src/lib/tech-step-matcher.ts b/apps/api/src/lib/tech-step-matcher.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..d1aec2f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/apps/api/src/lib/tech-step-matcher.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,146 @@
+import { prisma } from "../db/prisma.js";
+
+/**
+ * Auto-detects which cooking techniques (`TechStep`) a free-text recipe
+ * step description corresponds to, using the static `TechStepMapping`
+ * catalog (see `reference-seed-data.ts`'s `TECH_STEPS`) — groundwork for a
+ * future batch-cooking optimization algorithm, not surfaced in the recipe
+ * UI yet (see `StepView` in `packages/shared`).
+ *
+ * A single instruction can genuinely involve more than one technique (e.g.
+ * "Dans une poêle chaude, faire chauffer une noix de beurre" is both
+ * `preheat` and `melt`) — `matchTechSteps` returns the whole *ordered
+ * sequence* it finds, not a single winner, matching `Step.techSteps`
+ * (schema.prisma's `StepTechStep`, an ordered join table).
+ *
+ * `normalizeText`/`matchTechSteps` are pure (no DB access) so they can be
+ * unit-tested in isolation (see `test/tech-step-matcher.test.ts`).
+ * `loadTechStepMappingRules` is the only DB-touching piece, kept separate
+ * so callers (`recipe.service.ts`) fetch the whole mapping list once per
+ * request and pass it to `matchTechSteps` per step, rather than querying
+ * once per step.
+ */
+
+/** One `TechStepMapping` row, trimmed to what {@link matchTechSteps} needs. */
+export interface TechStepMappingRule {
+  techStepId: number;
+  /**
+   * Regex source, matched against the normalized description (see
+   * {@link normalizeText}) — may itself contain accented characters,
+   * normalized the same way before compiling.
+   */
+  expression: string;
+  weight: number;
+}
+
+/**
+ * Lowercases and strips diacritics (NFD decomposition + removal of
+ * combining marks, e.g. "Déglacer" -> "deglacer") — recipe step text and
+ * mapping expressions are both run through this before matching, so
+ * expressions can be authored with natural French accents in
+ * `reference-seed-data.ts` while matching stays accent/case-insensitive.
+ */
+const COMBINING_DIACRITICS_PATTERN = /\p{Diacritic}/gu;
+
+export function normalizeText(text: string): string {
+  return text.normalize("NFD").replace(COMBINING_DIACRITICS_PATTERN, "").toLowerCase();
+}
+
+/** Where in the (normalized) description one mapping matched, alongside the rule that matched — the raw material {@link matchTechSteps} resolves into a final sequence. */
+interface MatchCandidate extends TechStepMappingRule {
+  start: number;
+  end: number;
+}
+
+/** Whether two candidates' matched spans share any character position — the case where two *different* techniques' expressions matched the same words (e.g. generic `cook`'s "cuire" inside specific `bake`'s "cuire au four"), meaning only one of them should survive. */
+function overlaps(a: MatchCandidate, b: MatchCandidate): boolean {
+  return a.start < b.end && b.start < a.end;
+}
+
+/**
+ * Detects every technique `description` mentions among `mappings`, as an
+ * ordered sequence of `techStepId`s — empty if none match. The algorithm:
+ *
+ * 1. Test every mapping against the normalized description; each one that
+ *    matches becomes a candidate carrying *where* it matched (so
+ *    overlapping matches can be compared).
+ * 2. Within a single technique, several of its own mappings might all
+ *    match (different phrasings for the same `techStepId`) — keep only
+ *    that technique's best candidate (highest weight, ties broken by
+ *    earliest match), the same tie-break this function always used for a
+ *    single winner.
+ * 3. Across *different* techniques, two candidates can still overlap (a
+ *    generic pattern matching inside a more specific one's span, e.g.
+ *    `cook` vs `bake` both matching "cuire au four") — resolve greedily by
+ *    weight: take candidates highest-weight first, accept a candidate only
+ *    if it doesn't overlap one already accepted. This is what keeps
+ *    `bake` and drops the redundant `cook` for that phrase, while letting
+ *    two genuinely distinct, non-overlapping techniques (e.g. `preheat`
+ *    and `melt` in "Dans une poêle chaude, faire chauffer une noix de
+ *    beurre") both survive.
+ * 4. Sort what's left by where it appears in the text — the sequence
+ *    reads in the same order as the instruction itself.
+ *
+ * Pure — takes `mappings` as a plain argument rather than querying Prisma
+ * itself, so it's testable without a database (see
+ * `loadTechStepMappingRules` for the DB-backed loader). `mappings` should
+ * already be filtered to the locale the caller cares about — this function
+ * has no notion of locale, it just tests the rules it's given.
+ */
+export function matchTechSteps(description: string, mappings: TechStepMappingRule[]): number[] {
+  const normalizedDescription = normalizeText(description);
+
+  const candidates: MatchCandidate[] = [];
+  for (const mapping of mappings) {
+    const pattern = new RegExp(normalizeText(mapping.expression), "i");
+    const match = pattern.exec(normalizedDescription);
+    if (match === null) continue;
+    candidates.push({ ...mapping, start: match.index, end: match.index + match[0].length });
+  }
+
+  // Step 2: one best candidate per techStepId.
+  const bestByTechStep = new Map<number, MatchCandidate>();
+  for (const candidate of candidates) {
+    const current = bestByTechStep.get(candidate.techStepId);
+    if (
+      current === undefined ||
+      candidate.weight > current.weight ||
+      (candidate.weight === current.weight && candidate.start < current.start)
+    ) {
+      bestByTechStep.set(candidate.techStepId, candidate);
+    }
+  }
+
+  // Step 3: resolve cross-technique overlaps, highest weight first.
+  const byWeightDesc = [...bestByTechStep.values()].sort(
+    (a, b) => b.weight - a.weight || a.techStepId - b.techStepId,
+  );
+  const accepted: MatchCandidate[] = [];
+  for (const candidate of byWeightDesc) {
+    if (accepted.some((other) => overlaps(candidate, other))) continue;
+    accepted.push(candidate);
+  }
+
+  // Step 4: reading order.
+  accepted.sort((a, b) => a.start - b.start || a.techStepId - b.techStepId);
+  return accepted.map((candidate) => candidate.techStepId);
+}
+
+/**
+ * Loads every `TechStepMapping` row for `locale` as
+ * {@link TechStepMappingRule}s — meant to be fetched once per request by
+ * `recipe.service.ts`'s `createRecipe`/`updateRecipe` and reused across
+ * every step of the recipe being saved, not re-queried per step.
+ *
+ * No user-language preference exists anywhere in the app yet (a single
+ * `"fr"` translation file, no locale field on `User`/`UserProfile`) —
+ * callers pass a hardcoded locale for now; this parameter exists so that
+ * plugging in a real user preference later doesn't require touching this
+ * module.
+ */
+export async function loadTechStepMappingRules(locale: string): Promise<TechStepMappingRule[]> {
+  return prisma.techStepMapping.findMany({
+    where: { locale },
+    select: { techStepId: true, expression: true, weight: true },
+  });
+}
diff --git a/apps/api/src/modules/recipe/recipe.service.ts b/apps/api/src/modules/recipe/recipe.service.ts
index 0dfe196..af5031f 100644
--- a/apps/api/src/modules/recipe/recipe.service.ts
+++ b/apps/api/src/modules/recipe/recipe.service.ts
@@ -13,6 +13,14 @@ import {
 } from "@batch-cooking/shared";
 import type { Prisma } from "@prisma/client";
 import { prisma } from "../../db/prisma.js";
+import { loadTechStepMappingRules, matchTechSteps } from "../../lib/tech-step-matcher.js";
+
+// No user-language preference exists anywhere in the app yet (a single
+// "fr" translation file, no locale field on User/UserProfile) — steps are
+// matched against this hardcoded locale for now. See
+// `tech-step-matcher.ts`'s `loadTechStepMappingRules` for why the locale is
+// a parameter rather than baked into that module.
+const DEFAULT_TECH_STEP_LOCALE = "fr";
 
 /** Prisma `include` for every query that needs a full {@link RecipeView} — ingredients resolved to their reference data + allergens, steps in order, diet tags, and whether `viewerId` has favorited it. Parameterized by viewer since `favoritedBy` is per-viewer, not a static shape. */
 function recipeInclude(viewerId: number) {
@@ -312,6 +320,7 @@ export async function createRecipe(
   await assertIngredientsExist(input.ingredients.map((i) => i.ingredientId));
   await assertUnitsExist(input.ingredients.map((i) => i.unitId));
   await assertDietsExist(input.dietIds);
+  const techStepMappings = await loadTechStepMappingRules(DEFAULT_TECH_STEP_LOCALE);
 
   const created = await prisma.recipe.create({
     data: {
@@ -334,6 +343,12 @@ export async function createRecipe(
           description: step.description,
           picture: step.picture ?? null,
           order: index,
+          techSteps: {
+            create: matchTechSteps(step.description, techStepMappings).map((techStepId, order) => ({
+              techStepId,
+              order,
+            })),
+          },
         })),
       },
       diets: { create: input.dietIds.map((dietId) => ({ dietId })) },
@@ -366,6 +381,7 @@ export async function updateRecipe(
   await assertIngredientsExist(input.ingredients.map((i) => i.ingredientId));
   await assertUnitsExist(input.ingredients.map((i) => i.unitId));
   await assertDietsExist(input.dietIds);
+  const techStepMappings = await loadTechStepMappingRules(DEFAULT_TECH_STEP_LOCALE);
 
   await prisma.$transaction([
     prisma.recipeIngredient.deleteMany({ where: { recipeId: id } }),
@@ -391,6 +407,14 @@ export async function updateRecipe(
             description: step.description,
             picture: step.picture ?? null,
             order: index,
+            techSteps: {
+              create: matchTechSteps(step.description, techStepMappings).map(
+                (techStepId, order) => ({
+                  techStepId,
+                  order,
+                }),
+              ),
+            },
           })),
         },
         diets: { create: input.dietIds.map((dietId) => ({ dietId })) },
diff --git a/apps/api/src/modules/reference/reference.routes.ts b/apps/api/src/modules/reference/reference.routes.ts
index 46f3fe3..84948e3 100644
--- a/apps/api/src/modules/reference/reference.routes.ts
+++ b/apps/api/src/modules/reference/reference.routes.ts
@@ -1,6 +1,12 @@
 import { wrapAsyncHandler } from "@batch-cooking/express-tools";
 import { Router } from "express";
-import { getAllergies, getDiets, getIngredients, getUnits } from "./reference.service.js";
+import {
+  getAllergies,
+  getDiets,
+  getIngredients,
+  getTechSteps,
+  getUnits,
+} from "./reference.service.js";
 
 /**
  * Router mounted at `/reference` in app.ts. Every route is deliberately
@@ -40,3 +46,10 @@ referenceRouter.get(
     res.status(200).json(await getUnits());
   }),
 );
+
+referenceRouter.get(
+  "/tech-steps",
+  wrapAsyncHandler(async (_req, res) => {
+    res.status(200).json(await getTechSteps());
+  }),
+);
diff --git a/apps/api/src/modules/reference/reference.service.ts b/apps/api/src/modules/reference/reference.service.ts
index 3e212dd..78dadc9 100644
--- a/apps/api/src/modules/reference/reference.service.ts
+++ b/apps/api/src/modules/reference/reference.service.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,10 @@
-import type { AllergyView, DietView, IngredientView, UnitView } from "@batch-cooking/shared";
+import type {
+  AllergyView,
+  DietView,
+  IngredientView,
+  TechStepView,
+  UnitView,
+} from "@batch-cooking/shared";
 import { prisma } from "../../db/prisma.js";
 
 /**
@@ -49,6 +55,15 @@ export async function getUnits(): Promise<UnitView[]> {
   }));
 }
 
+/**
+ * All reference cooking techniques, ordered by key (see {@link getDiets}
+ * for why) — small, static list (see `reference-seed-data.ts`'s
+ * `TECH_STEPS`). Not consumed by the recipe UI yet — see {@link TechStepView}.
+ */
+export async function getTechSteps(): Promise<TechStepView[]> {
+  return prisma.techStep.findMany({ orderBy: { key: "asc" } });
+}
+
 /**
  * All reference ingredients, ordered by key (see {@link getDiets} for why),
  * each resolved to its allergens (see `IngredientAllergy` in schema.prisma)
diff --git a/apps/api/test-support/reset-db.ts b/apps/api/test-support/reset-db.ts
index 3d6c793..3efcc0a 100644
--- a/apps/api/test-support/reset-db.ts
+++ b/apps/api/test-support/reset-db.ts
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ export async function resetDatabase() {
     TRUNCATE TABLE
       "user_profile_allergy", "user_preference", "allergy", "category",
       "planning_item", "planning",
-      "recipe_ingredient", "step", "tech_step_mapping", "tech_step",
+      "recipe_ingredient", "step_tech_step", "step", "tech_step_mapping", "tech_step",
       "recipe", "ingredients", "sources", "unit",
       "user_profiles", "diet", "house"
     RESTART IDENTITY CASCADE;
diff --git a/apps/api/test/recipe.test.ts b/apps/api/test/recipe.test.ts
index 3528c10..5479eff 100644
--- a/apps/api/test/recipe.test.ts
+++ b/apps/api/test/recipe.test.ts
@@ -31,6 +31,22 @@ async function unitId(key: string): Promise<number> {
   return unit.id;
 }
 
+/** Resolves a reference tech step's id by its `reference-seed-data.ts` uid (also its DB `key`) — same reasoning as {@link ingredientId}. */
+async function techStepId(key: string): Promise<number> {
+  const techStep = await prisma.techStep.findFirstOrThrow({ where: { key } });
+  return techStep.id;
+}
+
+/** A step's detected technique sequence, in order — mirrors `matchTechSteps`' return shape (`../src/lib/tech-step-matcher.js`) so tests can assert on it directly. */
+async function stepTechStepIds(stepId: number): Promise<number[]> {
+  const links = await prisma.stepTechStep.findMany({
+    where: { stepId },
+    orderBy: { order: "asc" },
+    select: { techStepId: true },
+  });
+  return links.map((link) => link.techStepId);
+}
+
 describe("Recipes", () => {
   const app = createApp();
 
@@ -233,6 +249,115 @@ describe("Recipes", () => {
       expect(houseRes.body.id).to.be.a("number"); // house exists, sanity check
     });
 
+    it("auto-detects a step's technique from its description and persists it", async () => {
+      const { agent } = await signup();
+      const tomate = await ingredientId("tomato");
+      const piece = await unitId("piece");
+      const simmer = await techStepId("simmer");
+
+      const res = await agent.post("/recipes").send({
+        name: "Ragoût",
+        portions: 4,
+        dietIds: [],
+        ingredients: [{ ingredientId: tomate, quantity: 1, unitId: piece }],
+        steps: [{ description: "Faire mijoter à feu doux pendant 30 minutes" }],
+      });
+
+      expect(res.status).to.equal(201);
+      // Not in the API response (see StepView) — check via Prisma directly.
+      const step = await prisma.step.findFirstOrThrow({ where: { recipeId: res.body.id } });
+      expect(await stepTechStepIds(step.id)).to.deep.equal([simmer]);
+    });
+
+    it("leaves a step's technique sequence empty when its description matches no known technique", async () => {
+      const { agent } = await signup();
+      const tomate = await ingredientId("tomato");
+      const piece = await unitId("piece");
+
+      const res = await agent.post("/recipes").send({
+        name: "Test",
+        portions: 4,
+        dietIds: [],
+        ingredients: [{ ingredientId: tomate, quantity: 1, unitId: piece }],
+        steps: [{ description: "Servir immédiatement" }],
+      });
+
+      const step = await prisma.step.findFirstOrThrow({ where: { recipeId: res.body.id } });
+      expect(await stepTechStepIds(step.id)).to.deep.equal([]);
+    });
+
+    it("detects each step's technique(s) independently, preserving order", async () => {
+      const { agent } = await signup();
+      const tomate = await ingredientId("tomato");
+      const piece = await unitId("piece");
+      const simmer = await techStepId("simmer");
+      const chop = await techStepId("chop");
+
+      const res = await agent.post("/recipes").send({
+        name: "Ragoût",
+        portions: 4,
+        dietIds: [],
+        ingredients: [{ ingredientId: tomate, quantity: 1, unitId: piece }],
+        steps: [
+          { description: "Hacher les oignons" },
+          { description: "Servir immédiatement" },
+          { description: "Faire mijoter à feu doux" },
+        ],
+      });
+
+      expect(res.status).to.equal(201);
+      const steps = await prisma.step.findMany({
+        where: { recipeId: res.body.id },
+        orderBy: { order: "asc" },
+      });
+      expect(await Promise.all(steps.map((s) => stepTechStepIds(s.id)))).to.deep.equal([
+        [chop],
+        [],
+        [simmer],
+      ]);
+    });
+
+    it("picks the more specific technique end-to-end when a description matches more than one", async () => {
+      const { agent } = await signup();
+      const tomate = await ingredientId("tomato");
+      const piece = await unitId("piece");
+      const bake = await techStepId("bake");
+
+      const res = await agent.post("/recipes").send({
+        name: "Gratin",
+        portions: 4,
+        dietIds: [],
+        ingredients: [{ ingredientId: tomate, quantity: 1, unitId: piece }],
+        // Matches both `cook` (weight 10) and `bake` (weight 25, "au four").
+        steps: [{ description: "Cuire au four pendant 30 minutes" }],
+      });
+
+      expect(res.status).to.equal(201);
+      const step = await prisma.step.findFirstOrThrow({ where: { recipeId: res.body.id } });
+      expect(await stepTechStepIds(step.id)).to.deep.equal([bake]);
+    });
+
+    it("detects a sequence of several distinct techniques within a single step, in reading order", async () => {
+      const { agent } = await signup();
+      const tomate = await ingredientId("tomato");
+      const piece = await unitId("piece");
+      const preheat = await techStepId("preheat");
+      const melt = await techStepId("melt");
+
+      const res = await agent.post("/recipes").send({
+        name: "Poêlée",
+        portions: 4,
+        dietIds: [],
+        ingredients: [{ ingredientId: tomate, quantity: 1, unitId: piece }],
+        // The case that motivated the sequence model: one instruction, two techniques.
+        steps: [{ description: "Préchauffer la poêle, puis faire fondre le beurre" }],
+      });
+
+      expect(res.status).to.equal(201);
+      const step = await prisma.step.findFirstOrThrow({ where: { recipeId: res.body.id } });
+      expect(await stepTechStepIds(step.id)).to.deep.equal([preheat, melt]);
+    });
+
     it("rejects an unknown ingredientId with 404 INGREDIENT_NOT_FOUND", async () => {
       const { agent } = await signup();
       const piece = await unitId("piece");
@@ -445,6 +570,32 @@ describe("Recipes", () => {
       expect(res.body.steps).to.have.length(2);
     });
 
+    it("recomputes each replaced step's technique sequence", async () => {
+      const { agent } = await signup();
+      const tomate = await ingredientId("tomato");
+      const piece = await unitId("piece");
+      const mince = await techStepId("mince");
+      const created = await agent.post("/recipes").send({
+        name: "Salade",
+        portions: 4,
+        dietIds: [],
+        ingredients: [{ ingredientId: tomate, quantity: 1, unitId: piece }],
+        steps: [{ description: "Servir immédiatement" }],
+      });
+
+      const res = await agent.patch(`/recipes/${created.body.id}`).send({
+        name: "Salade",
+        portions: 4,
+        dietIds: [],
+        ingredients: [{ ingredientId: tomate, quantity: 1, unitId: piece }],
+        steps: [{ description: "Émincer les tomates" }],
+      });
+
+      expect(res.status).to.equal(200);
+      const step = await prisma.step.findFirstOrThrow({ where: { recipeId: created.body.id } });
+      expect(await stepTechStepIds(step.id)).to.deep.equal([mince]);
+    });
+
     it("returns 404 RECIPE_NOT_FOUND for an unknown id", async () => {
       const { agent } = await signup();
       const tomate = await ingredientId("tomato");
diff --git a/apps/api/test/reference.test.ts b/apps/api/test/reference.test.ts
index dd8bb46..1e5a178 100644
--- a/apps/api/test/reference.test.ts
+++ b/apps/api/test/reference.test.ts
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ import { expect } from "chai";
 import request from "supertest";
 import { createApp } from "../src/app.js";
 import { prisma } from "../src/db/prisma.js";
+import { seedReferenceData } from "../src/db/reference-seed-data.js";
 import { resetDatabase } from "../test-support/reset-db.js";
 
 describe("Reference data", () => {
@@ -96,4 +97,32 @@ describe("Reference data", () => {
       expect(byKey("pinch")).to.include({ type: "COUNT", toBaseFactor: 1 });
     });
   });
+
+  describe("GET /reference/tech-steps", () => {
+    it("returns the seeded techniques, no session required", async () => {
+      const res = await request(app).get("/reference/tech-steps");
+
+      expect(res.status).to.equal(200);
+      expect(res.body).to.have.length(26);
+      expect(res.body.map((t: { key: string }) => t.key)).to.include("simmer");
+      expect(res.body[0]).to.have.keys(["id", "key"]);
+    });
+
+    it("orders techniques alphabetically by key", async () => {
+      const res = await request(app).get("/reference/tech-steps");
+
+      const keys = res.body.map((t: { key: string }) => t.key);
+      expect(keys).to.deep.equal([...keys].sort());
+    });
+
+    it("reseeding is idempotent — no duplicate techniques or mappings", async () => {
+      // resetDatabase already seeded once in beforeEach; seed a second time
+      // on top of that without truncating, the way a redeploy would.
+      await seedReferenceData(prisma);
+
+      const res = await request(app).get("/reference/tech-steps");
+      expect(res.body).to.have.length(26);
+      expect(await prisma.techStepMapping.count()).to.equal(26);
+    });
+  });
 });
diff --git a/apps/api/test/tech-step-matcher.test.ts b/apps/api/test/tech-step-matcher.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..57ddcd0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/apps/api/test/tech-step-matcher.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,185 @@
+import { expect } from "chai";
+import { prisma } from "../src/db/prisma.js";
+import {
+  type TechStepMappingRule,
+  loadTechStepMappingRules,
+  matchTechSteps,
+  normalizeText,
+} from "../src/lib/tech-step-matcher.js";
+import { resetDatabase } from "../test-support/reset-db.js";
+
+describe("tech-step-matcher", () => {
+  describe("normalizeText", () => {
+    it("lowercases and strips accents", () => {
+      expect(normalizeText("Déglacer AU FOUR")).to.equal("deglacer au four");
+    });
+
+    it("strips a variety of diacritics, including cedilla", () => {
+      expect(normalizeText("Façon Œuf à l'Étouffée")).to.equal("facon œuf a l'etouffee");
+    });
+
+    it("leaves already-plain text unchanged, aside from casing", () => {
+      expect(normalizeText("Mix everything")).to.equal("mix everything");
+    });
+
+    it("returns an empty string for an empty input", () => {
+      expect(normalizeText("")).to.equal("");
+    });
+  });
+
+  describe("matchTechSteps", () => {
+    const simmer: TechStepMappingRule = {
+      techStepId: 1,
+      expression: "\\bmijot(er|ez|e|ant|é)\\b",
+      weight: 15,
+    };
+    const cook: TechStepMappingRule = {
+      techStepId: 2,
+      expression: "\\bcui(re|sez|sant|sson)\\b|\\bcuit(e|es|s)?\\b",
+      weight: 10,
+    };
+    const bake: TechStepMappingRule = {
+      techStepId: 3,
+      expression:
+        "\\bcuire au four\\b|\\bcuisson au four\\b|\\benfourn(er|ez|é|ée|ées)\\b|\\bau four\\b",
+      weight: 25,
+    };
+    const preheat: TechStepMappingRule = {
+      techStepId: 4,
+      expression: "\\bpr[ée]chauff(er|ez|é|ée)\\b",
+      weight: 20,
+    };
+    const melt: TechStepMappingRule = {
+      techStepId: 5,
+      expression: "\\bfondre\\b|\\bfaire fondre\\b|\\bfaites fondre\\b",
+      weight: 15,
+    };
+
+    it("matches an exact expression", () => {
+      expect(matchTechSteps("Faire mijoter à feu doux", [simmer])).to.deep.equal([1]);
+    });
+
+    it("is case- and accent-insensitive, on both the description and the expression itself", () => {
+      // `simmer`'s own expression source contains a literal "é" — exercises
+      // normalizeText being applied to the expression, not just the description.
+      expect(matchTechSteps("FAIRE MIJOTER", [simmer])).to.deep.equal([1]);
+      expect(matchTechSteps("faire mijote", [simmer])).to.deep.equal([1]);
+    });
+
+    it("returns an empty sequence when nothing matches", () => {
+      expect(matchTechSteps("Servir immédiatement", [simmer, cook, bake])).to.deep.equal([]);
+    });
+
+    it("returns an empty sequence for an empty mappings list", () => {
+      expect(matchTechSteps("Faire mijoter à feu doux", [])).to.deep.equal([]);
+    });
+
+    it("returns an empty sequence for an empty description", () => {
+      expect(matchTechSteps("", [simmer, cook, bake])).to.deep.equal([]);
+    });
+
+    it("detects several distinct, non-overlapping techniques as an ordered sequence", () => {
+      // The motivating case: "Dans une poêle chaude, faire chauffer une noix
+      // de beurre" involves both preheating and melting — a step can name
+      // more than one technique, in the order they're mentioned.
+      expect(
+        matchTechSteps("Préchauffer la poêle, puis faire fondre le beurre", [preheat, melt]),
+      ).to.deep.equal([4, 5]);
+      // Order in the output follows order of mention in the text, not
+      // argument order.
+      expect(
+        matchTechSteps("Préchauffer la poêle, puis faire fondre le beurre", [melt, preheat]),
+      ).to.deep.equal([4, 5]);
+    });
+
+    it("reverses the sequence when the techniques are mentioned in the opposite order", () => {
+      expect(
+        matchTechSteps("Faire fondre le beurre puis préchauffer le four", [preheat, melt]),
+      ).to.deep.equal([5, 4]);
+    });
+
+    it("keeps only the highest-weight technique when two different techniques' expressions overlap the same words", () => {
+      // "Cuire au four" matches both `cook` (weight 10) and `bake` (weight
+      // 25) at essentially the same span — only the more specific `bake`
+      // should survive, not both.
+      expect(matchTechSteps("Cuire au four pendant 30 minutes", [cook, bake])).to.deep.equal([3]);
+      // Order-independent.
+      expect(matchTechSteps("Cuire au four pendant 30 minutes", [bake, cook])).to.deep.equal([3]);
+    });
+
+    it("still keeps a non-overlapping technique alongside an overlap-resolved one", () => {
+      // `bake` wins over `cook` for "cuire au four" (overlap), but `melt`
+      // matches an entirely different, non-overlapping span and survives.
+      const result = matchTechSteps("Faire fondre le beurre, puis cuire au four", [
+        cook,
+        bake,
+        melt,
+      ]);
+      expect(result).to.deep.equal([5, 3]);
+    });
+
+    it("breaks a same-span weight tie by lowest techStepId", () => {
+      const a: TechStepMappingRule = { techStepId: 5, expression: "\\bmelanger\\b", weight: 10 };
+      const b: TechStepMappingRule = { techStepId: 2, expression: "\\bmelanger\\b", weight: 10 };
+      expect(matchTechSteps("Mélanger les ingrédients", [a, b])).to.deep.equal([2]);
+    });
+
+    it("still resolves to one techStep when two of its own mappings both match", () => {
+      const wholeWord: TechStepMappingRule = {
+        techStepId: 7,
+        expression: "\\bmijoter\\b",
+        weight: 15,
+      };
+      const withAdverb: TechStepMappingRule = {
+        techStepId: 7,
+        expression: "\\bmijoter à feu doux\\b",
+        weight: 15,
+      };
+      expect(matchTechSteps("Faire mijoter à feu doux", [wholeWord, withAdverb])).to.deep.equal([
+        7,
+      ]);
+    });
+
+    it("respects word boundaries — a technique's verb embedded in a longer word doesn't false-positive", () => {
+      // "recuire"/"précuit" contain "cuire"/"cuit" as a substring, but not as
+      // a standalone word — the \b-anchored expression must not match them.
+      expect(matchTechSteps("Faire recuire la sauce", [cook])).to.deep.equal([]);
+      expect(matchTechSteps("Un plat précuit", [cook])).to.deep.equal([]);
+      // The standalone forms still match.
+      expect(matchTechSteps("Faire cuire la sauce", [cook])).to.deep.equal([2]);
+      expect(matchTechSteps("Le riz est cuit", [cook])).to.deep.equal([2]);
+    });
+  });
+
+  describe("loadTechStepMappingRules", () => {
+    beforeEach(async () => {
+      await resetDatabase();
+    });
+
+    after(async () => {
+      await prisma.$disconnect();
+    });
+
+    it("only returns mappings for the requested locale", async () => {
+      const simmer = await prisma.techStep.findFirstOrThrow({ where: { key: "simmer" } });
+      await prisma.techStepMapping.create({
+        data: { techStepId: simmer.id, locale: "en", expression: "\\bsimmer\\b", weight: 15 },
+      });
+
+      // The seeded catalog (26 "fr" mappings) must be untouched by the extra
+      // "en" row — same count, and none of them carry the English expression.
+      const frRules = await loadTechStepMappingRules("fr");
+      expect(frRules).to.have.length(26);
+      expect(frRules.map((rule) => rule.expression)).to.not.include("\\bsimmer\\b");
+
+      const enRules = await loadTechStepMappingRules("en");
+      expect(enRules).to.deep.equal([
+        { techStepId: simmer.id, expression: "\\bsimmer\\b", weight: 15 },
+      ]);
+    });
+
+    it("returns an empty list for a locale with no mappings at all", async () => {
+      expect(await loadTechStepMappingRules("de")).to.deep.equal([]);
+    });
+  });
+});
diff --git a/apps/web/src/locales/fr/translation.json b/apps/web/src/locales/fr/translation.json
index 6a444ac..a5b3d24 100644
--- a/apps/web/src/locales/fr/translation.json
+++ b/apps/web/src/locales/fr/translation.json
@@ -343,6 +343,34 @@
       "pescatarian": "Pescétarien",
       "glutenFree": "Sans gluten"
     },
+    "techSteps": {
+      "cook": "Cuire",
+      "fry": "Frire",
+      "melt": "Faire fondre",
+      "deglaze": "Déglacer",
+      "simmer": "Mijoter",
+      "boil": "Bouillir",
+      "roast": "Rôtir",
+      "grill": "Griller",
+      "panFry": "Sauter",
+      "blanch": "Blanchir",
+      "marinate": "Mariner",
+      "chop": "Hacher",
+      "peel": "Éplucher",
+      "mince": "Émincer",
+      "mix": "Mélanger",
+      "whisk": "Fouetter",
+      "foldIn": "Incorporer",
+      "setAside": "Réserver",
+      "season": "Assaisonner",
+      "drain": "Égoutter",
+      "brown": "Faire revenir",
+      "rest": "Laisser reposer",
+      "preheat": "Préchauffer",
+      "bake": "Cuire au four",
+      "plate": "Dresser",
+      "coat": "Napper"
+    },
     "allergens": {
       "gluten": "Gluten",
       "crustaceans": "Crustacés",
diff --git a/packages/shared/src/types/recipe.ts b/packages/shared/src/types/recipe.ts
index 336a2b3..3698ff3 100644
--- a/packages/shared/src/types/recipe.ts
+++ b/packages/shared/src/types/recipe.ts
@@ -25,9 +25,11 @@ export interface RecipeIngredientView {
 }
 
 /**
- * A single preparation step within a recipe, in `order`. `tech_step` is
- * deliberately not surfaced here — it's tied to the (not yet built) recipe
- * import pipeline, out of scope for the manually-authored catalog.
+ * A single preparation step within a recipe, in `order`. Its detected
+ * technique sequence (`Step.techSteps`/`StepTechStep` in schema.prisma,
+ * auto-computed at save time via `tech-step-matcher.ts`) is deliberately
+ * not surfaced here — groundwork for a future batch-cooking optimization
+ * algorithm, not yet consumed by any UI.
  */
 export interface StepView {
   id: number;
diff --git a/packages/shared/src/types/reference.ts b/packages/shared/src/types/reference.ts
index 5af48e3..bb47423 100644
--- a/packages/shared/src/types/reference.ts
+++ b/packages/shared/src/types/reference.ts
@@ -187,6 +187,29 @@ export interface UnitView {
   toBaseFactor: number;
 }
 
+/**
+ * A cooking technique, as returned by `GET /reference/tech-steps` —
+ * reference data (`TechStep`, seeded via `reference-seed-data.ts`'s
+ * `TECH_STEPS`), same static/non-administrable status as
+ * {@link DietView}/{@link UnitView}.
+ *
+ * Not currently surfaced in the recipe UI — a step's technique sequence
+ * (`Step.techSteps`/`StepTechStep` in schema.prisma) is computed
+ * server-side at save time (see `recipe.service.ts`'s `createRecipe`/
+ * `updateRecipe`, via `tech-step-matcher.ts`'s `matchTechSteps`) but
+ * deliberately excluded from `StepView` (see its doc comment in
+ * `types/recipe.ts`). This endpoint exists for consistency with the other
+ * reference catalogs and for future admin/inspection tooling.
+ *
+ * `key` is a stable English camelCase uid (e.g. `"simmer"`), not a display
+ * label — resolved via `t(\`catalog.techSteps.${key}\`)`, same as
+ * {@link DietView.key}.
+ */
+export interface TechStepView {
+  id: number;
+  key: string;
+}
+
 /**
  * A selectable ingredient, as returned by `GET /reference/ingredients` —
  * reference data (`Ingredient`, seeded via `apps/api/src/db/