French Vocabulary: Restaurant Staff

French Vocabulary: Restaurant Staff

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Identify:

French Vocabulary: Restaurant Staff
le vocabulaire français: le personnel de restaurant

  • Terms and expressions used while dining out.
  • Discover great food around the world and how to eat it.

Study:

French-speaking cultures tend to dine out as much, if not more, than other cultures around the world. It’s a great way to get to know your host families, friends, or business associates. In most French-speaking countries, you’ll find a great variety of restaurants (les restaurants) and new kinds of food in every town!

And, emphasis on proper manners in French-speaking cultures is just as important as it is in English-speaking cultures. Many of the same rules still apply, so use your napkin and don’t talk with your mouth full!

Also see the lessons on Cafés and Restaurants and Ordering in a Restaurant.

The Restaurant Staff:

un chef : chef

Le chef préfère les ingrédients régionaux.
The chef prefers local ingredients.

un hôte : host / maître d’

L’hôte accueillit les clients.
The host welcomes the diners.

une hôtesse : hostess

Il faut attendre l’hôtesse, s’il vous plaît.
Wait for the hostess, please.

un maître d’hôtel : headwaiter

Un maître d’hôtel encadre les serveurs dans un restaurant.
A headwaiter supervises the waiters in a restaurant.

le personnel de cuisine : kitchen staff

Le chef encadre le personnel de cuisine.
The chef supervises the kitchen staff.

un propriétaire : owner / proprietor

C’est le propriétaire qui fait la cuisine.
It’sthe owner who does the cooking.

un serveur : waiter  (NOTE: NEVER use “garçon”!!)

Le serveur est très attentif.
The waiter is very attentive.

une serveuse : waitress

La serveuse nous dit le plat du jour.
The waitress tells us today’s special.

un sommelier : wine steward / sommelier

Le sommelier nous conseille un vin.
The wine steward suggests a wine for us.

Phrases the Restaurant Staff is Likely to Use:

Vous êtes combien? : How many are in your party?

Vous êtes combien, monsieur?
How many are in your party, sir?

Vous êtes prêts à commander? : Are you all ready to order?

Excusez-moi. Vous êtes prêts à commander?
Excuse me. Are you all ready to order?

Vous avez choisi? : Have you decided?

Alors, vous avez choisi?
So, have you decided?

Vous désirez? : What would you like?

Et vous désirez, madame?
And what would you like, ma’am?

Je vous écoute. : What would you like? (Literally: I’m listening to you.)

Vous avez choisi? Je vous écoute.
Have you decided?  What would you like?

Et avec ça? : And what else? (Literally: And with that?)

Vous désirez le steak tartare. Et avec ça?
You would like the steak tartare. And what else?

Autre chose? : Anything else?

Bon, deux croques monsieur et deux Cocas. Autre chose?
OK, two croque monsieurs and two Cokes. Anything else?

Bon appétit! : Enjoy your meal!

Voilà votre pizza. Bon appétit!
Here is your pizza. Enjoy your meal!

C’est à votre goût? : Do you like it? / Is everything okay?

Le poulet, c’est à votre goût?
The chicken, do you like it?

Ça a été? : Was everything okay?

Et voilà. Ça a été?
And so.  Was everything okay?

C’est terminé? : Have you finished?

C’est terminé? Vous désirez autre chose?
Have you finished? Would you like anything else?

Adapt:

Qui est le propriétaire?
Who is the owner?

Que fait un hôte?
What does a maître d’hôtel do?

Quand arrive le personnel de cuisine?
When does the kitchen staff arrive?

Où est notre serveuse?
Where is our waitress?

Pourquoi est-ce que le serveur dans la cuisine?
Why is the waiter in the kitchen?

Comment est-ce que vous payez?
How are you paying?

Bonsoir! Vous êtes combien?
Good evening! How many are in your party?

Quel vin est-ce que le sommelier nous recommende?
Which wine is the wine steward recommending for us?

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