文/羊生生
France, the country of fine ''cuisine'' and Michelin-starred restaurants! No matter where you stay in France, you're bound to eat at at least one restaurant. In this lesson, we'll go over the basics of French restaurant vocabulary.
The Dining Area
'You're all set,' says your manager after giving you your tablier, (ta-blee-yay), your apron. You feel a bit nervous. Although you've had student jobs waiting tables back home, you've never had to do it in French! First of all, who works at a restaurant (reh-sto-ron)?
French Pronunciation Meaning
un serveur uhn seh-r-vör a waiter (man)
une serveuse u-ne seh-r-vöz a waiter (woman)
le service lö seh-r-vee-s service
servir seh-r-vee-r to serve
un / une responsable uhn / u-ne reh-s-pan-sa-bl a manager
Your first clients (klee-yon), French for 'customers,' come in. Depending on what time it is, they'll want to have:
le petit-déjeuner (pö-tee day-jö-nay): breakfast
le déjeuner (day-jö-nay): lunch
le dîner (dee-nay): dinner
They're in for luch and ask for une table pour deux, a table for two. What should their table have?
French Pronunciation Meaning
des couverts day koo-veh-r cutlery
une serviette u-ne seh-r-vee-eh-t a napkin
des verres day veh-r glasses
un menu uhn mö-nu a menu
des chaises day sh-eh-z chairs
Des couverts
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Soon, your customers make eye contact with you to let you know they're ready to commander (ko-mon-day) or passer la commande (pa-say la ko-mon-d), to order. They'll want to:
manger (mon-zh-ay): to eat
boire (b-wah-r): to drink
La Commande
What type of food does your restaurant serve?
French Pronunciation Meaning
la viande la vee-on-d meat
du boeuf du böf beef
de l'agneau dö l'a-ny-o veal
du porc du po-r pork
du poisson du p-wah-san fish
des pâtes day pa-t pasta
du riz du ree rice
They order le menu du jour (lö mö-nu du joo-r), today's specials, including:
French Pronunciation Meaning
les plats lay pla meals
les boissons lay b-wah-san beverages
une entrée u-ne on-tray starters
le plat principal lö pla pr-uhn-see-pal a main meal
le dessert lö day-seh-r dessert
un verre de vin uhn veh-r dö vuhn a glass of wine
une pinte de bière u-ne puhn-t dö bee-eh-r a pint of beer
une carafe d'eau u-ne ca-ra-f d-o a jug of water
Le plat principal
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The Kitchen
You go to la cuisine (ku-ee-zee-n), the kitchen to place the order. Who and what do you see there?
French Pronunciation Meaning
le chef lö sh-eh-f the chef
le commis de cuisine lö co-mee dö ku-ee-zee-n the kitchen help
le plongeur lö pl-an-zh-ör the kitchen help in charge of washing dishes
de la nourriture dö la noo-ree-tu-r (some) food
un réfrigérateur uhn ray-free-zhay-ra-tör a refrigerator
une poële u-ne p-wah-l a pan
une casserole u-ne ka-sö-ro-l a pot
des couteaux day koo-to knives
des assiettes day z-a-see-eh-t plates
What does the kitchen staff do?
cuisiner (ku-ee-zee-nay): to cook
préparer les plats (pray-pa-ray lay pla): to prepare the meals
Le Service
The starters and main meals went well: the plates came back empty! However, your customers might appreciate being asked how things went:
Avez-vous apprécié les plats? (a-vay voo a-pray-see-yay lay pla): Did you enjoy your meals?
Indeed they did! They even ask you to pay compliments to the chef on their behalf: nos compliments au chef!(no kan-plee-mon o sh-eh-f).
They're now ready to go and ask for the l'addition (l-a-dee-see-an), the bill: l'addition, s'il vous plaît!, 'the bill, please!'
L addition
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What are they going to do now?
payer (pa-yay): to pay
laisser un pourboire (leh-say uhn poor-b-wahr): to leave a tip
In France, tipping works in a very specific manner. Very few customers include the tip in the bill. Most of them leave a few coins on the table for the waiter to take once they're gone. 15% is considered a pretty good tip.
Lesson Summary
Here are a few useful tips to keep in mind should you find yourself dining at a restaurant in France:
A restaurant in France usually serves le petit-déjeuner, le déjeuner and le dîner.
The food is prepared in la cuisine, by a specific staff led by le chef.
Service is just as important as the quality of the meals. If it's good, customers will most likely leave un pourboire.
