ERAGE

Grammar: countable and uncountable nouns

Vocabulary: food and drink, food o rders, catering
Professional skills: meeting customers' needs
Case study: rescue a restaurant

Vocabulary
FOOD AND DRINK
1 Match 1-6 with a-f. Use a dictionary if necessary. Which word in a-f is not part of
the group?

1 fish a mango, lettuce, banana, apple, ora nge, pineapple

2 meat b potato, carrot, onion, cabbage, egg, cucumber
3 fruit c m ilk, cheese, dessert, yoghurt, cream, butter
4 vegetables d beef, chicken, prawn, duck, rabbit, lamb
5 dairy products e bread, pasta, noodles, rice, breakfast cereal, garlic
6 grain products f cod, salmon, tuna, carp, mushroom, trout

2 Label the photo with the words in the box.

fork glass knife napkin/serviette plate spoon

}I
/I I\
I

h '\'0 •
3 Read the article about Danny Ammaniti's working day. What kind of restaurant
does he work in and what is his job?

The Inside Story

I start work at 10 a.m. most days. The waiting I'm the front of house manager for Surfers so I
staff set the tables for lunch and sometimes move greet people as they arrive. I also walk around
tables around if a big party is coming in. Surfers is making sure they are enjoying their meal, and I'm
a large seafood restaurant and we often get group responsible for dealing with any complaints from
bookings. unhappy customers.
Some days, I do training with the new servers. I The evenings are our busiest time with about 195
show them how to look after their station, how covers a night. Before the evening shift, there is
to anticipate guest needs and how to process a a short meeting with the waiting staff to tell them
customer's order and bill. about the specials we want to promote. These
At 12 p.m. the lunchtime customers start to arrive. promotions can increase sales for the restaurant
and their tips.

4 Complete the sentences with the words in bold from the article in Exercise 3.
1 Waiters are also called in the USA.
2 '_ _ ' refers to how many customers eat during a sh ift.
3 A serve r's - - · is the group of tables he or she is respo nsib le for.
4 The dishes that a restaurant is especially p romoting are t he _ _ .
5 _ _ are extra money that wa iters receive from customers for good service .
6 When you _ _ a table, you put knives, forks, etc. on it before a meal.
7 The area where the customers are served and wait ing staff primari ly work
is the
8 An _ _ is the food and drink requested by a customer.

Listening
IN A SANDWICH BAR
5 ll)t.IM Listen to a shop assistant in a sandwich bar and two customers. What do
they order? How much do they pay? irLanguage.com
6 ID Listen again and complete what the shop assistant says. Practise saying the
sentences.
1 To eat in or 1_ _?

2
2 __ sliced bread or a baguette?
3 Would you like any 3_ _ ?
4 And what wou ld you like 4_ _ with that?
5 5_ _ or large?
6
6 Would you like ___ ? We have a great sele ction o f 7 _ _ and m uffins.
7 Would you like to pay for that 8_ _ or 9_ _?
10
8 So that's fifteen _ _ fifty altogether, please.

7 Work in pairs. What were the customers' replies to the phrases in Exercise 6?
Check your answers in audio script 6.1 on page 123.

Speaking
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TAKING FOOD ORDERS

8 Work in pairs. Turn to File 18, page 1 05.
 BIG EVENTS
Reading
CATERING FOR A CROWD
1 Work in pairs or small groups. Discuss the questions.
1 When catering for a large group, which is better- a formal dinner or a buffet? Why?
2 Is it better to prepare al l the food in advance or to prepare some at the e vent? Why?
3 How can a catering company avoid long queues for drinks?
2 Read the article and check your answers in Exercise 1.

Sandra Kellerman Catering for a crowd

When you're planning a large event, which is better- a sit-down meal or
a buffet? Sandra Kellerman, executive chef and owner of London-based
Kellerman Catering, says that buffets are better for parties with thousands of
guests. 'Buffets give hungry guests access to food immediately,' she says.
She gives the example of the 25th anniversary party of a company, which
Kellerman did the catering for the previous week. They set long tables with
hors d'oeuvres so that the 3,000 employees could serve themselves when
they arrived. Twelve large buffet stations offered both hot and cold items,
and chefs at action stations provided both food and entertainment- the
chefs cooked as guests watched. Kellerman also prepared a lot of food
before the event. 'Some items we don't cook until required,' Sandra explains.
'lt ensures the culinary team doesn't run out of food but that there isn't too
much waste either.'
The quantity of food necessary is one of the hardest things to judge. The
number and type of guests are a guideline. At last week's event 'seventy
percent of the guests were men, so we knew the amount of meat was key.
Many large events use disposable products but at last week's event we
used real plates, glassware and cutlery,' Kellerman explains. As for the drink
service, 'the tables are designed so that there is enough room for the staff to
serve three people at a time. Each table had 12 serving staff. All of them had
experience working at stadiums and other big venues. These guys know how
to make drinks fast.'

3 Read the article in Exercise 2 again and circle the correct answer in italics.
1 Last week's event was a birthday party I business event I wedding anniversary.
2 There we re three hundred I thirteen hundred I three thousand guests.
3 There were twe lve tables of buffet items I hors d 'oeuvres I drinks.
4 Most of the people at the e vent were men I women I children.
5 There were three staff on each drinks table I twelve drinks tables I twelve staff on
each drinks table.
4 Complete the sentences with the words in bold from the article in Exercise 2.
1 A___ is a food service option offered in which waiters serve food to guests at their
tables.
2 ___ are areas at a catered event where guests can watch how their food is cooked.
3 ___ is the knives, forks and spoons used for eating and serving food.
4 When you ___ something, you use all of it and don't have any more.
5 The is the unwanted food after an event.
6 If something is ___ , it is intended to be used for a short time and then thrown away.

Countable nouns have a singular and plural form . Uncountable nouns only have a singular form.
You can count them, e .g. apples, eggs, pizzas. You cannot count them, e.g. water; rice, money.
I have an apple. I have some rice.
I have some apples. I have a lot of rice.
I have a lot of apples. I don 't have much/ a lot of rice.
I don't have an apple. I don 't have any rice.
I don't have many/a lot of apples. How much rice do you have?
I don 't have any apples. See Grammar reference, page 114.
How many apples do you have?

5 Study the Grammar box and put the words in the box into the correct group:
countable (C), uncountable (U) or both (B). Use a dictionary to help you.

chocolate coffee food fruit meal milk omelette

potato prawn salt sandwich vegetable

6 l))t.ta Listen and complete Sandra's notes.

Client: P&K Sports

Date of event: 1_ _ _ __
Expected number of guests: 2_ _ _ __

Type of event: 3_ __ __
Venue: Marley's 4_ _ _ __

7 D Complete the conversation. Then listen again and check your answers.
H = Henry Martins, S = Sandra Kellerman
H: W e're expecting 1_ _ people and we need 2_ _ food.
S: Just give me 3_ _ details. How 4_ _ guests are you expecting?
H: How 5_ _ will it cost?
S: There's 6_ _ space there .
S: So, you don't need 7_ _ beverages?
S: How 8_ _ time do we have to prepare the buffet?

Speaking CATERING FOR EVENTS

Search the internet for a selection of catering
CATERING FOR AN EVENT
menus. Enter the key words: catering, events,
8 Work in pairs. Student A turn to File 19, page 106. buffet, menu and find a menu for breakfast, lunch
Student B turn to File 39, page 111 . and dinner that you th ink is interesting, good
value and caters for special diets. Present your
findings to the class.
 Speaking
.... ........ ............

SPECIAL DIETS

1 Work in pairs. Answer the questions about people with special diets.
1 Which of these will a vegetarian eat?
a beef b chicken c eggs d cheese e fish f nuts
2 Whi ch of these will a vegan eat?
a yoghurt b fruit c butter d vegetables e bread f pasta
3 Wh ich of these shouldn't you eat if you want to lose weight?
a pizza b salad c pasta d mayonnaise e apples
4 Which of these shouldn't a person with a shellfish allergy eat?
a prawns b mussels c beef d clams e crab f chicken

Using adjectives when describing dishes helps to make the descriptions more
appealing to customers.
lt is often possible to describe flavours and tastes in English by adding -y to the noun,
e.g. cheesy, creamy, fishy, fruity, garlicky, meaty, nutty, salty, tasty, etc.

2 Complete the descriptions with the adjectives in the box. Use a dictionary to help
you.

( rich savoury spicy sweet tender J

~---------------------------
1 ___ m eat is soft. lt is easy to cut and eat .
2 ___ fo od has been fl avoured wit h spices and often has a hot, burn ing taste.
3 ___ food has a t aste similar to sugar.
4 ___ food has a goo d fl avo ur, and is salty rather than sweet.
5 ___ food usually contains a large amount of cream or butter.

3 I))I.'!M Listen and complete the descriptions with the phrases in the box.

coated in comes w ith made with marinated in seasoned with served w ith

1 The seafo od salad 1_ _ _ a creamy, lem o n dressing 2_ _ _ olive o il, vinegar,

yoghurt, mayonnaise, mustard and fresh lemons.
2 Our Florentine steak is 3_ __ sea salt and black peppe r, and 4 _ _ _ white beans.
c 3 Try our tasty beef Milanese. it's 5_ _ _ egg and breadcrumbs, and then fried.
4 The chicken is 6_ _ _ lemon juice, olive oil and garlic for 24 hours, and then
barbecued.

4 Look at the photos of different food A-D and match them with the descriptions in
Exercise 3.

5 Think of a traditional dish from your country. What are the ingredients? How is it
cooked? What is it served with? What adjectives describe the dish? Compare your
ideas with a partner.
Listening
SPECIAL REQUESTS

6 l))t.JW What are the three courses of a typical restaurant meal called in the
USA? What are they called in the UK? Compare your ideas with a partner. Then
listen and check your answers.

7 l))t.JOW Listen to a couple ordering a meal in a restaurant. Make notes of the

order and special requests.

8 ID Listen again. Do you think the waiter did a good job? Why/why not?

1 Be proactive- try to anticipate the customer's needs. _

2 Be available- watch each table in your station and be available within a minute or
two if a customer needs something. _
3 Be knowledgeable- some customers ask lots of questions and want suggestions to
help them make their choices. Make sure you know the ingredients of the dishes and
how they are prepared. _ I _
4 Be flexible- some customers have special diets or unique tastes. Show the customer
that you can work around their diets and tastes, and respond to requests with a
positive attitude._

9 Read the advice in the Professional skills box about customer service skills. Match
the expressions a-e with the tips 1-4.

a The lamb comes with baby carrots and roast potatoes.

b I'll be with you in just a moment.
c If you like fish, you should try the local sea bass.
d We could make you a salad without the chicken .
e Would you like another bottle of water?

Speaking
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TODAY'S SPECIALS

1 0 Work in pairs. Look at Menu One. Student A you are the customer. Think of
THREE questions to ask Student B. Student B you are the waiter. Tell Student A
about the items on the menu. Invent any details you like.

11 Now swap roles and look at Menu Two.

CASE STUDY
R,ESCUE A R,ESTAUR,ANT
Largest city Sydney
Population of Sydney over 4 million
Aim : To rescue a failing restaurant.
Sydney has a cosmopolitan population. The major groups of immigrants are
1 Read about restaurants in Sydney. from the UK, China and New Zealand, followed by Vietnam, Lebanon, India,
Italy and the Philippines.
2 Analyse menu items and prices at Katrina's restaurant.
The most popular types of restaurants are modern Australian (36%), Chinese
3 Read about dining trends in Australia.
(15%), seafood restaurants (9%) and Italian (9%). Ethnic food is very popular
4 Listen to a consultant's advice. as well as a fusion of ethnic and Australian dishes.

5 Decide what innovations the restaurant needs.

Restaurants in Sydney
1 Read the information about Sydney. What types of
restaurants are popular? Why do you think that is?

2 Read the information about Katrina's. What type of

restaurant is it? Why do you think it is less popular
than in the past?

Katrina's is a family-owned and family-run restaurant

in central Sydney. With 80 covers, the restaurant's
main focus is on steak and grilled meat dishes. When
the Armstrong family opened the restaurant 20 years
ago, it was an instant success. Now Katrina's sales are
down 20 percent from last year. The family have to
adapt to survive. The restaurant is near several hotels,
and is well-located for the tourist trade. Customers
are mostly Australian nationals who are on holiday
or business in the city, as well as visitors from New
Zealand, the UK and the USA.

Sales data
3 Work in pairs. Student A look at the information below.
Exchange information with Student B to complete Katrina's
sales data. Student B turn to File 20, page 1 06.

e.g. What does the Australian fillet steak cost?

*Menu item Cost Menu price Sold per week

Australian fillet steak 1
- - $29 100
T-bone steak $8.50 $24 2
-
Lamb ribs $10 3
- - 25
Grilled chicken breast 4
- $23 50
Katrina's beef burger $5 $21.50 5
- -
Veggie burger $3 6
-- 15
(contains nuts)

*All main courses are served with chips or baked potatoes.

Other vegetables can be ordered as side dishes.
4 Work in pairs. Look at the sales data in Exercise 3. Which
THREE items on the menu should you definitely keep?
Which TWO items should you definitely change?
 Dining trends
5 Read ~he article about dining trends in Australia. What impact could the changes
have on Katrina's restaurant?

Diners eating out more

AUSTRALIANS are eating out more than they people surveyed think eating healthy is important
did last year but new research shows they're also but 63 percent say it's difficult at restaurants
choosing healthier food. The survey found that because there aren't enough healthy items. The
one in three Australians go out for a meal once a research also found that people love ethnic food.
week. The trend is a move away from meat, towards Chinese, Mediterranean and Latin American cuisines
seafood and vegetable dishes. Nearly nine in ten are especially popular.

An expert view
6 l))t.f.W Listen to part of a conversation between a consultant and the restaurant
owner. Complete the notes from the SWOT analysis.

r~ A
AUSTRALIA Strengths Opportunities
•,' •• ~ G'\
U RA S E A
"' • Excellent quality food • Introduce a 4_ _ _ at
• Great location lunchtime
• Professional customer service • Reduce 5_ _ _ to decrease
costs and increase sales of
0
Weaknesses 6

.. (
•
1
___ is not popular today • Cater to special diets
• Too many 2 dishes
• Old-fashioned, unattractive Threats
• Fluctuating 7_ __
• Changing attitudes to food
and 8_ __
• A lot of competitors

.,
>
n

7 Work in groups. You are the owners of Katrina's restaurant.

Meet to decide the following items.
1 Redesign your menu and add four new main courses and a
selection of side orders. Think about healthier options, ethnic
dishes and special diets.
2 Design a set menu for a three-course lunch with a choice of three
TASMAN
SEA
starters, three mains and three desserts.
3 Decide what low-cost changes you can make immediately to the
decor and lighting.
4 Decide if you want to give your restaurant a new name and/or
concept.

Writing a menu
bill dessert diet fried
8 Write the new set lunch menu for Katrina's restaurant. Include grilled homemade made with
the following. napkin portion salt serviette
set menu shellfish steak tip
• three sta rters, three ma ins and three desserts
See DVD-ROM Mini-dictionary
• short descriptions of the dishes to make them sound more tasty