Учебное пособие Санкт-Петербург 2010

Exercise 2.9. Study the information about the catering department and answer the questions:

The catering department is separate from the food and beverage department. The caterer provides different services from the restaurant.

If the restaurant serves small groups of customers, a caterer arranges
and prepares parties, banquets, large group meals and has to deal with
large quantities of food and beverages. Conventions, that are assemblies
of professionals, businessmen or government officials, always require this kind of service and use a lot of hotel facilities and catering services.
Experts have come to conclusion that the success of a convention may strongly depend on a well-run banquet.
The catering business hasn’t reached its peak yet. The number of conventions has grown and will continue to increase. That’s why the need for catering services also will increase.
1. What does the caterer have to deal with?
2. What are conventions?
3. Why will the need for catering services increase?
Exercise 2.10. Study the dialogue ‘Catering for a three day seminar’ between the Congress Organizer(C.O.) and the Assistant Manager(A.M.) of the hotel:

C.O. I know that you have already received our outline programme, but

I would just like to check the meal times to begin with.
A.M. Well, breakfast will be served in the main dining room from 7 till
10 as usual. Do you have any special requirements there?
C.O. We do have rather a lot of Americans and Englishmen attending
the seminar, so I think it would be a good idea to lay on some
bacon and eggs, in addition to the normal fare.
A.M. Very good, sir. Lunch is at 12.30. Do you want to have the buffet
lunch on Monday and Tuesday?
C.O. No, I don’t think so. That would be boring. Can we have the
normal waiter service on Tuesday? Something fairly light, fish or
an omelette.
A.M. And how about the afternoon coffee? Would you like that served
in the lecture room?
C.O. No, I feel we could have a change of scene for that. Is the Marine
Suite free? It has that wonderful balcony and the view down to
the lake.
A.M. Yes, I’m sure we can arrange that. Now, I gather that dinner on
Tuesday will be later than usual because you are all going to
sauna.
C.O. That is quite correct. Oh, by the way, I forgot to mention that we
would like beer and soft drinks served in the changing rooms
after sauna.
A.M. Very good. Now do you have any special wishes as regards
the food?
C.O. Well, we do have four vegetarians and there are two participants
from the Middle East so pork and shrimps will be out for them.
A.M. I’ll make a note of that. We have received your suggested menu
for the farewell dinner on Wednesday evening.
C.O. Now to accompany the meal. I think that Italian or Spanish red
wine would be admirable. How about Chianti Ruffino?
A.M. Very good, sir. Now we haven’t discussed table decorations yet.
C.O. I think it would be appropriate to have the flags of the