Study the 20 vocabulary terms below. Then continue to the activities.
- Amuse bouche
- Buffet
- Chit
- Comp
- Complimentary
- Covers
- Crumb down
- Cutlery
- Dietary requests
- F&B
- Floater
- Intrusive
- Lay the table
- Napkin
- Pace
- Pair
- Pass
- Sommelier
- Walk somebody through
- Walk-in
Noun (thing)
an adopted french term for a savory mouthful of food, which is sometimes served before a fancy meal
I thought that the amuse bouche was delicious, even though I don't usually like prawns.
Noun (thing)
a meal or a section of the restaurant, where guests can serve themselves and take as much as they like
The buffet consisted of 3 hot and 6 cold dishes.
Noun (thing)
a small piece of paper on which orders are written
The waiters writing was so bad that the chef couldn't read the chit.
Verb (infinitive)
to give something away free of charge, often as a promotion or as the result of a complaint
The restaurant manager decided to comp all drinks for the evening to make up for the power cut.
Adjective
free of charge, without payment
Complimentary tea and coffee is being served in the lounge now.
Noun (person)
the total number of guests at a given service in a restaurant
The restaurant usually does about 50 covers per night but that number can rise to over 100 in the busy season.
Verb (infinitive)
to remove crumbs and left-overs from a tablecloth using a small brush
The waiter crumbed down the table before he served the coffee.
Noun (thing)
any utensils used for eating or serving food such as knives, forks, and spoons
All of the hotel's cutlery is made from silver.
Noun (thing)
any information regarding a diner's allergies, intolerances or preferences when it comes to food
When you take a booking, you should ask if the diner has any special dietary requests.
Noun (thing)
an abbreviation for food and beverage
The F&B department has over 200 employees.
Noun (person)
a worker who moves from task to task without any fixed duties
The restaurant team is made up of 6 waiters who work the different sections, 2 floaters and a supervisor.
Adjective
causing disruption, in an annoying way
I thought the waiter was a bit too intrusive. There was no need to ask us five times if everything was ok.
Verb (infinitive)
to put all glasses, cutlery, and napkins in their correct place on the table, for the guests
After she had laid the tables, her supervisor checked them and found that she had missed two small wine glasses.
Noun (thing)
a square piece of paper or cloth used at meal times to protect clothing and wipe one's fingers or mouth
In some restaurants, waiters unfold the napkin for you and place it in your lap.
Verb (infinitive)
to control the speed of an activity, often to keep things sustainable for a long duration
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.
Verb (infinitive)
to match someone, or something, to a suitable partner
He paired the salmon dish to a delicate white wine.
Noun (place)
an area of the kitchen where finished dishes are organized and then picked up by servers for delivery to diners
The head chef is usually stationed at the pass to control the quality of dishes leaving the kitchen.
Proper noun (person)
a specially-trained waitperson, who has extensive knowledge of wine and appropriate food-pairings
The sommelier recommended a Rioja to go with the lamb.
Verb (infinitive)
to slowly and carefully explain something
The restaurant manager walked the staff through the menu, making sure that everyone knew what the dishes contained.
Noun (person)
a customer or guest who arrives without a proper reservation or booking
The restaurant served 32 in-house guests and 8 walk-ins last night.