Job Discussion Forums

[yaco]

Where is that Gentleman who was ' hawking his services' to porvide hospitality training in China.

I had the dubious experience of eating in an International Hotel in Nantong. ( the 4 foreign teachers were celebrating all of us leaving our employer next week ).

Unfortunately the menu ( this was in the western restaurant ) confused entrees and main courses. The entrees and main courses were listed separately but under appetiser and entree - no title under main course. So of course we order entree and main course and the main course meals which are listed under entree arrived first, followed 30 minutes later by the entree.

We did explain to staff and management how the menu should be constructed. As this hotel attracts many foreigners they must be surprised when their meals arrive.

To top off the meal one of the pizza's had many human hairs. After pointing this out to staff they took this item off the bill and kindly offered free fruit. Lo and behold - the fruit was full of many hairs.

Please, I request some more effective hospitality training in China.

[Roger]

That was in a western restaurant, right? Disgusting, yes. Now read this:
"A woman found a wriggling worm in a bowl of rice and complained to the proprietor of the restaurant. The owner, instead of offering an apology and a refund, told the customer she could eat the worm. which she refused to do, whereupon the restaurateur ate the worm in her presence..."
(Scene in a Chinese restaurant).

[Minhang Oz]

At least these culinary "surprises" were visible to the naked eye: the ones that may kill you are not.
When dining at Guilin's "Universal Hotel" [only 3 star, but decent Western food and a correct menu] I visited the toilet. While washing my hands, I saw in the mirror a chef, resplendent in a tall white hat, emerge from the "thunderbox" and head straight out the door back to the kitchen,without stopping at the washbasin, no doubt to prepare my next course.
This partly explains why I found the whole SARS Lady Macbeth thing almost comical.

[woza17]

We have Chinglish and Chestern restaurants. Last night I had my students over for dinner and I was so pleased to see them tucking into the food with gusto.. When I ask my students, what do they think western food is, they say McDonalds, they really don't have the chance to eat some real homecooked genuine western food.
I made lasagne, salad, and garlic bread and trifle for dessert.
I am going to have a quiz game to reviews the lesson on Tuesday with one of my companies and offer the winning team dinner at my house.Cheers
Carol

[Roger]

Carol,
what's "trifle"? "Truffle" it isn't, is it?

[Steiner]

Roger, I think this could also go on the British English thread since most Americans don't eat trifle. But it is, according to my dictionary (onelook.com), "jam-spread sponge cake soaked in wine served with custard sauce." I've come across it a few times in books by British authors.

[yaco]

As the previous post mentioned it is trifle.

It is a popular Australian dessert like Pavlova.

I think it originated in the United Kingdom.

It has been a traditional Australian dessert although its popularity has declined in the last 20 years.

Be careful as some cooks go heavy on the wine.

[Minhang Oz]

Heavy on the wine is the only saving grace of this monstrocity Yaco. I made one for a Brit. mate and his new Americam wife many years ago. She didn't know the sweet syrup was in fact 20% Australian port wine, and was under the table after two sreves. A great way to use up stale, dry sponge cake, which means China is the perfect place to make it.
Chinese cake is something else.

[tess]

"Unfortunately the menu ( this was in the western restaurant ) confused entrees and main courses. The entrees and main courses were listed separately but under appetiser and entree - no title under main course. So of course we order entree and main course and the main course meals which are listed under entree arrived first, followed 30 minutes later by the entree. "

I am confused, too.

Australians use "entree" for the first dish and "main course" for the following one. Americans use "starter" for the first and "entree" for the second, I think (?)

No wonder these menu-writers had problems.

[yaco]

Tess, I agree it could be confusing how different countries list items on the menu.

The issue with this International Hotel was they listed meals under appetiser and entree. Unfortunately they served the entree before the appetiser.

Maybe they did confuse American and Australian menus.

[yaco]

I agree Minhang Oz that Trifle's are a monstrosity.

You can also throw in Pavlova's.

[schminken]

I'm really confused now. I am American and for me Appetizer = Starter (BE) and the entree IS the main course. Am I crazy?

[selmo]

Well it was an international restaurant so you get an international approach to things a bit like the United Nations I suppose.
Me and friends used to play a good game when we went camping . Take all the tinned food you have with you and take the labels off at the start of the night . Get totally wasted on what ever intoxicants you have then select a couple of tins from the pile and warm them in a pan . Spaghetti hoops and peach slices was better than rice pusdding and tuna fish but tomato soup and fruit sald was a nice appertizer/starter/entree Fluck knows I was rolling around in giggles by then

[Bertrand]

[phillipl]

Isn't all this a bit "trifling" - by the way I have a good recipe!

From my recollections of studying French for 6 six years (I was one of those "BAD" boys at the back! - Why should an Aussie learn French!) The "entree" is the "main course" and naturally in OZ the "entree" is the "first course"! - We DO see the world from a different direction!