Item on the menu the French doctor cut into small pieces (8)
I believe the answer is:
lambchop
'item on the menu' is the definition.
The answer and definition can be both things that one consumes for nourishment as well as being singular nouns.
Maybe there's a link between them I don't understand?
'the french doctor cut into small pieces' is the wordplay.
'the french' becomes 'la' ('the' in French).
'doctor' becomes 'MB' (Bachelor of Medicine, Medicinae Baccalaureus).
'cut into small pieces' becomes 'chop' (I've seen this before).
'la'+'mb'+'chop'='LAMBCHOP'
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for lambchop that I've seen before include "Cut from rib of young sheep" , "Cut of meat from a sheep" , "Meat (often had with mint sauce)" , "Slice including a rib, served with mint sauce?" .)