0.8 During the meal

Section 1: language focus

1. structures

Commenting

Responses

I’m very sorry, Sir/Madam.Shall I take it/them away?Would you like to order something else?I’ll bring you another …/some other …

Practice

1. Work in groups of three. Take turns to be A (the waiter or waitress) and B and C (two customers). Write out a menu, or use an available menu (such as the one from Saigon Palace), and imagine that the meal is in progress. Practice these exchanges:

2. Work in groups of three or four. One of you is a waiter/waitress, and the others are customers. Imagine that you are having dinner at Saigon Palace Restaurant. Act out a conversation between the waiter/waitress and the customers during the meal.

2. vocabulary

Match the items and activities in the chart with the right number in the picture opposite.

Number
5 ------------------------------	to carveto flambéto fillet
----------------------------------------	a silver flata vegetable disha sauce boata soup tureen
----------------------------------------	a trolleya service countera sideboarda hotplate

A customer who is enjoying a dish could use the words in column 1. Find words in column 2 which mean approximately the opposite. For example: (a) – 3.

Column 1Column 2

(a) delicious; excellent1. sour

(b) tasty2. dry

(c) juicy3. awful, horrible, ghastly, revolting,

(d) fresh terrible

(e) tender (meat)4. stale, old, off

(f) sweet (fruit)5. tasteless

6. tough

Section 3:reading

1. Pre-reading

Discuss the answers to the following questions.

1. What should a waiter/waitress do when serving customers? What shouldn't he/she do?
2. How is he/she supposed to carry plates, glassware and utensils when serving guests?
3. What are some rules for service at the guest table?

2. Reading

Service rules

Service rules

Every profession has rules, more or less. Table service has more. There are personal rules dealing with you as an individual and rules for working directly with guests. This should not scare you - in fact, the rules should make you feel more secure. All these rules are based on common sense and are designed to make your work easier.

Personal Rules

Gum chewing and smoking during working hours are forbidden. A noisy service station is a sign that the service personnel are neglecting their main task, which is creating a relaxing environment in which guests can enjoy their meals. All utensils should be handled carefully and silently, and orders should be called calmly, so that even during your busiest time, the atmosphere will not become hectic. Collisions with colleagues are easily avoided if you obey the following two rules: