2. Read and translate the text:Catering Services

Different catering establishments provide various types of services depending on the class of establishments, their patrons, location and cuisine they specialize in.

We differentiate between three basic types of services: finger service, snack service and restaurant service.

Finger-service is the providing of sandwiches and light snacks usually taken in a bar, a lounge or a coffee-shop.

Snack-bar service. Snack-bars provide all sorts of cold meats, poultry and fish, and a lot of salads and condiments are available at every table with an assortment of ketchups, sauces, mustard (hot and mild), vinegar, salt and pepper. One can also order such hot dishes as soups, egg dishes, meat-pies, fish-cakes, sausage-rolls, mushrooms and bacon, factory-made chicken pie or home-made Welsh Rarebit. Customers can sit up at the counter or be served at separate tables.

Restaurant service does much to enhance the appreciation of the quality and value of the food and drinks. Every restaurant offers you dinners "table d'hote”. They are known as regular dinners. It means that you are served with meals of several courses at a fixed price. Dinners “a la carte” mean such meals which are ordered course by course from the menu-card each dish separately. A menu or bill of fare is a list of the courses to be served at a meal, or of the dishes which can be ordered at a restaurant. The menu gives details and prices of available dishes. “Table d'hote” is cheaper than “table a la carte”.

Some restaurants provide the following service types:

Buffets. The buffet is the choice for the busy hours in any type of hotel (breakfasts, lunch breaks, etc.) Advance preparation of food, serving ease and cleanup make this a good choice for large or small parties. The food is placed on a side board with the plates. The guests serve themselves and take their plate to the table.

Food. An easy to eat main dish, one or two vegetables, a salad, bread, dessert and coffee or tea.

Formal Dinners. It is a good way to celebrate some anniversaries or events in family life, conduct business lunches or club meetings. If you are having more than six people for a formal dinner, place cards should be used for seating. You should alternate seating with a male and then a female.

Food. Advance food preparation is a must with only garnishes and minor details to wait until serving time. Appetizers and soups are served on the charger plates and then removed before the main course.

Tea Party. An afternoon tea party is a delightful way to entertain people and provide light snack before dinner or supper. Food. Small, finger sandwiches, tea cakes, assorted nuts along with tea and coffee.

3. Answer the following questions:

1. What do catering services depend on?

2. Can you name three different types of services?

3. What is finger service?

4. What does snack-bar service provide?

5. Can the customers order hot dishes in the snack-bars?

6. Which services do restaurants offer to the diners?

7. What do “table a la carte” and “table d’hote” mean?

8. What is menu?

9. What is buffet?

10. When is it appropriate to organize formal dinners?

11. Where can you organize tea?