Unit 9: Vocabulary

Please study the 20 vocabulary terms below. Then press the Mark Complete button to continue.
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amuse bouche
a small dish, chosen by the chef which is served before the starte
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I thought that the amuse bouche was delicious even though I don't usually like prawns.
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buffet
1) a meal which guests serve themselves 2) a bar or counter from which guests can take food
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The buffet consisted of 3 hot and 6 cold dishes.
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chit
a small piece of paper on which orders are written
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The waiters writing was so bad that the chef couldn't read the chit.
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comp
to give something away free of charge, often as a promotion or as the result of a complaint
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The restaurant manager decided to comp all drinks for the evening to make up for the power cut.
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complimentary
free of charge, without payment
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Complimentary tea and coffee is being served in the lounge now.
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covers
the total number of guests at a given service in a restaurant
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The restaurant usually does about 50 covers per night but that number can rise to over 100 in the busy season.
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crumb down
to remove crumbs and left-overs from a table cloth using a small brush
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The waiter crumbed down the table before he served the coffee.
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cutlery
any utensils used for eating or serving food; knives, forks, spoons etc.
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All of the hotel's cutlery is made from silver.
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dietary requests
any information regarding a diner's allergies, intolerances or preferences when it comes to food
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When you take a booking, you should ask if the diner has any special dietary requests.
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F&B
a short form of food and beverage
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The F&B department has over 200 employees.
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floater
a worker who moves from task to task without any fixed duties
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The restaurant team is made up of 6 waiters who work the different sections, 2 floaters and a supervisor.
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intrusive
causing disruption in an annoying way
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I thought the waiter was a bit too intrusive. There was no need to ask us five times if everything was ok.
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lay the table
to put all glasses, cutlery, etc. in the correct place
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After she had laid the tables, her supervisor checked them and found that she had missed two small wine glasses.
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napkin
a square piece of paper or cloth used at meal times to protect clothing and wipe fingers or mouth
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In some restaurants, waiters unfold the napkin for you and place it in your lap.
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pace
control the speed of; maintain a regular speed
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It is important to pace orders so that the kitchen can cope and diners do not have to wait too long for their meal after ordering.
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pair
to match to a suitable partne
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He paired the salmon dish to a delicate white wine.
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pass
the part of the kitchen where ready dishes are collected by the waiting staff
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The head chef is usually stationed at the pass to control the quality of dishes leaving the kitchen.
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sommelier
a waiter who has extensive knowledge of wine and is in charge of the restaurants wine supply
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The sommelier recommended a Rioja to go with the lamb.
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walk somebody through
to slowly and carefully explain something
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The restaurant manager walked the staff through the menu, making sure that everyone knew what the dishes contained.
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walk-in
a customer or guest who arrives without a booking or appointment
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The restaurant served 32 in-house guests and 8 walk-ins last night.
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