Catering Industry Vocabulary 1

Vocabulary exercise for catering industry workers — the essential English of food service and catering.

Vocabulary in context

Catering is one of the most logistically demanding corners of the food industry — events have to be planned months in advance, dietary requirements tracked across hundreds of guests, and everything set up, served, and cleared with precision that leaves no margin for communication errors. The vocabulary in this exercise covers the language that makes that possible: the terms for food service logistics, client communication, dietary categories, event formats, and the specific requests that catering clients always seem to have at the last minute. Getting this vocabulary right is what keeps an event running smoothly and a client relationship intact.

Ready to practice? Let's go!

Fill in each blank with the correct word. If both words can be used, choose the one that sounds more natural in each situation.

1. We're looking for someone to cater our wedding (reception/fest). ( = the party after a wedding)

2. To put together a temporary kitchen = To (assemble/assume) a temporary kitchen

3. Do you have a general (budget/cost) in mind? ( = how much money are you willing to spend?)

4. Our company has been catering large- (scale/scaled) events for over 15 years.

5. Many catering companies cook on (site/sight) ( = at the location where the food is served/on-premise).

6. We've unloaded all the (supplies/supplements) ( = items needed to cook) from the truck, so we can begin to set everything up. ( = organize everything to start cooking)

7. Will this be an indoor event or an (outdoor/outer) one?

8. I'm assuming you would like the food served (buffet/buffed) style?

9. No, we would like it to be a (seat/seated) dinner.

10. All of our servers have a good (command/comment) of the English language. ( = speak/understand English well)

11. Make sure that you (service/serve) the food from the left.

12. What if someone wants (seconds/double)? = What if someone wants more food (after they finish eating)?

13. The second (course/court) ( = part of the meal) will be served soon.

14. All of the food has to be meat- (free/out). We're vegetarians.

15. Our staff will make sure that the tables are (set/sit) before the guests arrive.

16. I'll have to hire 10 (extra/added) ( = additional) people to help serve food at this event.

17. In English, the term "Hors d'oeuvres" ( = appetizers) is pronounced "or-" (devries/derves).

18. We have a wide (selection/collection) of items for you to choose from.

19. All servers have to follow these rules of (etiquette/ticket).

20. A (feast/fest) is a large, elaborately prepared meal.

21. We provide catering for a wide of events.

22. Ketchup, mustard, HP sauce, etc. are known as .

23. Yes, we do design as well ( = arrangement of flowers, etc.)

24. Most successful catering companies pay great attention to .

25. We don't want anything too "". We just want simple, traditional food.

26. Food that's not very "heavy"/fatty = Lighter

27. A basket with different kinds of bread = A basket with bread

28. As far as labor costs are concerned, we usually charge $20 per hour per person.

29. We keep our prices low partly because we use ( = plastic) plates and cutlery.

30. We can you in all aspects of planning your event.