From the slightly annoying to just plain excruciating, with audio corrections by Amber L:

5. Bruschetta - acceptable

Often incorrectly said as: broo-shheh-tuh or broo-shhkeh-tuh

How to say it: broo-SKEH-tah

A minor offense, because to Anglo eyes it certainly looks like a SHH sound should be in there. A reasonable person can look at the word and justify all of these.

4. Gnocchi – understandable

Wrongly guessed at as: guh-no-kee, gah-no-chee, nee-yo-chee, no-kee

How to say it: nee-YOKE-ee

Another misdemeanor, as the word is quite impenetrable to English speakers, making it difficult to ascertain the correct pronunciation without guidance from an Italian. Some just say no-kee, and this seems to be considered quite acceptable. This is one of those things that people hear of somewhere, later encounter the word on a menu, and don’t make the connection.

3. Chipotle – T before L except after CHIPO..?

Mangled as: chi-pole-tay, chi-po-tuhl

How to say it: chee-POTE-lay

Somewhere in the middle, as you understand why everyday people transpose the awkward consonant combo. What’s grating is when celebrity chefs started embracing it as a trendy spice agent, but still wouldn’t bother with the simple task of honoring the ingredient by learning the correct name. Just glance at the grocery store label again and see that the t rests prior to the l. Or, y’know, talk to a Latino at some point who might know both how to use and pronounce it.

2. Vinaigrette - look at it again, partner

Dumbed down as: vinegar-ette

How to say it: vin-uh-GRET

Another one that’s easy to envision wrongly the first time it’s heard. We all know what vinegar is, and are used to the ette suffix. So it’s a dressing or sauce made with vinegar, it’s a vinegarette. But as soon as you see it written, you realize that’s not quite right. Right?

Sigh.

1. Paprika - errrrr

Inexplicably elongated as: papp-err-ee-kuh

How to say it: (Do we really need to tell you?) pa-PREE-kuh

I guess this comes into being because famous chefs like Emeril, Guy Fieri or the aformentioned Mr. Flay (three high profile offenders, but there are more) ignore the straightforward appearance of the word and summon the papar / pepper origin to create pepper-ika. Eureka, we’ve found our most careless culinary mispronunciation of all.