What is the term for making shallow cuts across the top of a food item?

Making shallow cuts across the top of a food item is referred to as scoring. This technique is often used on meats, fish, or dough to allow for better cooking, marinating, or to create a decorative effect. Scoring helps to tenderize tougher cuts of meat, allows flavors to penetrate into the food more effectively, and can also improve the presentation by providing an appealing texture and surface area for browning.

The other terms listed refer to different culinary techniques: trimming involves removing excess fat or unwanted parts, chopping refers to cutting food into smaller pieces, and filleting is the process of removing the bones from fish or meat. Each of these techniques serves different purposes in food preparation, but scoring specifically highlights the practice of making shallow cuts.