节目资讯
刊物:空中英语教室
日期:2012-01-14
难易度:Low
关键字:reasonable, cultural, identify, aside, authentic, chef
Hello, friends.
Welcome back.
We are finishing our interview with Francis Beauvais who owns a restaurant in
Taipei.
Now we learned that there are cultural and language barrier problems when you
start a business.
But he also says he was well-prepared, has always been very focused and gives us
something new to experience in Taipei.
Well, I hope you're enjoying this article and that you're learning lots.
Join us on line 12.
Starting a Restaurant.
Things like service and food preparation are done very differently in Asia and
the West.
I wanted Le Rouge's service and food to be an authentic dining experience.
What is the success you are most proud of?
I'm proud of the way we've adjusted to local tastes.
For example, we now use less salt in our food.
Most chefs are proud of their food and don't want to change the way they make
it.
I really had to put my pride aside and ask myself what people here really like.
Doing that has made this restaurant the successful business it is today.
As an employee of Le Rouge in Taipei, you need to understand the identity, the
feel of a Western restaurant.
Well, this was something his employees had to work on.
Yeah. This would be hard for them to work on.
Um, Francis was already telling us some of the scariest things of starting his
own business.
And now these are some of the hardest things.
And he has a couple of more examples: Things like service and food preparation
are done very differently in Asia and the West.
This is very true.
I know I love cooking for myself.
At home, I cook all the time.
And my way of cooking food is very different than my roommate who...
Right now I have a Taiwanese roommate, so we cook very differently just
depending on how we have been raised for Asia versus Western style.
That's right.
Yeah, actually, Kaylah, if people ask me if I know how to cook in the States, I
say: Oh, yeah, I know how to cook.
But here in Asia, I have to say: No. No, I cannot cook any Asian food.
It is definitely different.
And if you're starting your restaurant, I think that cooking the food, making
sure your food is good is the most important part.
Exactly. So that would be a challenge knowing how to cook food depending on
where you are in the world.
He then says: I wanted Le Rouge's service and food to be an authentic dining
experience.
So he wanted to create a very Western feel in a very Asian city.
So this, I can definitely see this being a hard challenge along the way.
It sounds like, though, Kaylah, he actually achieved this since earlier he told
us that you can get an authentic dining experience at a reasonable price.
So maybe it was a challenge, but he actually did it.
And our last question from Studio Classroom: What is the success you are most
proud of?
Well, it sounds like he's had some success if he is able to provide a good
experience.
And so now we're asking what is his favorite success, which one is he most proud
of?
You know, Ryan, what I love about this question is it gives him the chance to
share the reward of all of his work we've talked about,
the scary parts and the hard parts and the frustrations.
But now, now friends, we get to see what is the reward.
What is he proud of?
What makes him excited about his restaurant?
Yes. So he says: Well, I am proud of the way we've adjusted to local tastes.
And I think that is a wonderful thing to be proud of.
Now I know because I've lived in America and I have had the chance to travel
some that food all over the world tastes very differently.
So he would need to adjust certain things so that the people he's cooking for
can still enjoy the food.
Yeah. Now to "adjust" means to change for something else.
And in this case, he is changing his food to... towards local tastes.
And a "taste" is referring to the way food is made or tastes.
That's right, what people like to taste.
"For example," we're going to see how he has adjusted this, "we now use less
salt in our food." You know,
most chefs are proud of their food and don't want to change the way they make
it.
That's right. A "chef" is referring to a professional cook.
And so those kinds of people they are proud of the way they make their food.
They don't want to change anything.
But he took a bit of the salt out so it would appeal to local tastes.
Yes. He says: I really had to put my pride aside and ask myself what people here
like.
And so that's true, you really want to find out what people are going to eat and
put your pride aside.
When you put something "aside," that means you put it away.
You put it to your side.
You don't let it focus.
It becomes on the age of your thoughts.
So he said, "I put my pride aside." He put his pride away so he could run the
business well.
Yes. Now he says: Doing that has made this restaurant the successful business
that it is today.
And we are so happy for him.
But now it's time to visit the Chat Room.
Hey, Bryan.
Hi, Ken.
Wow! That's a nice-looking brochure.
Where is that?
Well, this brochure introduces hiking trails in West Virginia.
I'm thinking about going hiking there soon.
West Virginia? You mean "western" Virginia!
Isn't "western" the adjective of west?
Yes. But if you say "western Virginia," you're referring to the western portion
of the state of Virginia.
Isn't that what we're talking about?
No. This brochure is about West Virginia, which is the name of another state.
Oh. I see.
Hey, what about Canada?
Can I say West Canada?
No, because there's no such place with that exact name.
You'd have to say western Canada.
OK.
What about the West? What do people mean when they talk about the West?
Well, if you capitalize the "W" in the West, then you're talking about the
Western world or the western part of the Earth.
So the adjective of the West is Western?
With a capital "W." For example, you can talk about Western food, Western
culture, even Western values.
What about Western people?
Sure, you can say that.
Or just say Westerners.
I see.
Well, thanks, Westerner, for that English lesson.
You're welcome.
(Chinese).
Hi, everyone. I'm Michelle.
(Chinese).
And that's it for today.
I'll see you next time.
Bye-bye.
Maybe you're thinking about opening a restaurant.
Well, here's what some world-famous chefs have told aspiring restaurateurs:
First, as you start out, plan on not making a profit in the first six months.
This means you'll need to be financially stable until your business starts to
pick up.
Secondly, the pros suggest start a restaurant because you love food, not because
you want to become rich.
I think that's good advice.
Friends, if any of you do start a restaurant, please let me know.
I'd love to stop by and try it.
OK, everyone, please have a great weekend.
Bye-bye.