![Having been a bartender/server all through college, I know mastering restaurant-lingo can be a huge learning curve. Once I entered the back-of-the-house, terms such as; eighty-six, deuce and the dreaded no call/no show were common place. Those terms became easier once in the mix of things. The real test was the front-of-the-house. This was a whole other [...]](http://guymanningham.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/Colin-Field-The-Hemingway-Bar.jpg "Bartender’s Guide to Pronunciations")
Having been a bartender/server all through college, I know mastering restaurant-lingo can be a huge learning curve. Once I entered the back-of-the-house, terms such as; eighty-six, deuce and the dreaded no call/no show were common place. Those terms became easier once in the mix of things. The real test was the front-of-the-house. This was a whole other animal. As a rule, the bartender/server should be the most knowledgeable one at the joint. That said, there is nothing more embarrassing then being corrected by a pompous bar snob. It’s not only a real kick in the deuce, but it can also hurt your tips. In this article I wanted to highlight some terms, definitions and common mispronunciations.
Restaurant Terms
Eighty-six, 86– “We’re out of Sam’s! (Sam Adams). 86 it!” Def. To remove an item from an order or from the menu because the kitchen or bar is out.
Deuce– “Seat this deuce at Table 12.″ Def. A table with only two seating spaces.
No Call/No Show– An employee (or reservation) who does not show up and does not call.
Back of the House– The back end of the restaurant (the kitchen and storage areas – where the chefs, cooks, prep people and dishwashers primarily work)
Front of the House– The front end of the restaurant (the dining room and bar – where the customers are served and wait staff, bartenders, bussers and dining room managers primarily work)
Pronunciations – Beer
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Hefeweizen – “Hefe” means yeast, and “Weizen” means wheat HEH-feh-vite-zehn Pilsner Urquell Smithwicks Tecate |
Pronunciations – Food
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Basil bay-zill Bruschetta Buffet Caramel Chipotle Echezeaux Escargot Espresso -Strong coffee created by forcing steam through ground coffee beans Filet or Fillet Herb Sake Worcestershire Sauce |
Pronunciations – Wine & Spirits
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Cabernet Sauvignon cabber-nay so-vin-yahwn Chianti Cognac Riesling Sauvignon Blanc Sommelier – A wine steward in a restaurant Syrah Vosne-Romanee |
Pronunciations – Scotch
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Bruichladdich Brook-LADDY Bunnahabhain The Balvenie Bowmore Caol Ila Dalwhinnie Glenfarclas Glenfiddich Glenlivet Glenkinchie Glenmorangie Glenrothes Highland Park Jura Lagavulin Laphroaig Macallan Oban Talisker Tomintoul |
Photo Credit: www.gourmet.com
