実践 7/23 (Wed.) 〜 7/25 (Fri.)

実践ビジネス英語　　　Wednesday, July 23

1) Breakstone says the tough economy is preventing many millennials from
eating at fancy restaurants. And Nissen describes how restaurateurs are
aiming for the baby-boomer market instead. He says today's retirees are more used to dining out than previous generations of retired people and that they're also spending more than the under-25 crowd. Nissen also says many restaurants are using bigger type sizes on their menus to help elderly customers.

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Menu-less Restaurants (4)

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2) let alone
We use "let alone" when we've said A and we are going to mention B, and B will take our first statement to a greater extent or degree. Breakstone means millennials are struggling to pay for the basics of life like rent. So, of course, they can't go further and buy luxuries. You could also say, "I can't afford to buy a new bicycle 'let alone' a car."

3) fancy-schmancy
We often use this kind of a rhyme to mark something, or say, "Who cares
about that?" Imagine someone will pay me ten million dollars if I dress like a chicken every day for a year. A friend says, "But what about your pride?" I say, "'Pride-schmide,' I want the money."

4) go after
Pursue something, try to obtain it. He is asking "Are the restaurants trying
to get older people to eat at their restaurants?"

5) You could say, "Company X is 'going after' the youth market." Or "City X
is 'going after' foreign tourists trying to get more to visit."

6) savvy
This means shrewd, perceptive, well-informed, such as "He is a very 'savvy'
negotiator, always gets a good deal. Here, "savvy" is an adjective. It can
also be a noun , meaning shrewdness or practical knowledge. For example,
"She doesn't have much business 'savvy.' She always takes the first offer,
never negotiates."

7) retiree
Here the suffix "ee" refers to someone who performs a certain action. A
"retiree" is a person who has retired. Likewise, a "devotee" is devoted to
something. They are a passionate admirer of it. "She is a 'devotee' of Jane
Austin," for example. But "ee" can also refer to someone who receives
something, who something is done to. An "advisee" receives advice. A
"licensee" receives a license to do something.

8) parsimonious
This adjective means being frugal, sparing with your money to the pointed of
excess. You could also say "tightfisted" as if they hold tight to their
money and don't want to let it go. "He is very 'tightfisted,' only buys new
clothes every couple of years."

9) hard-earned money
"Hard-earned "means obtain through a lot of effort. It's most often used
about money, I think. But you'll also hear things like a "hard-earned
promotion" or" hard-earned market share." There's also "hard-won," and this
to me implies more of a battle or struggle, competition to get something,
like "hard-won democracy" or a "hard-won majority" in the diet.

10) per capita
This comes from Latin and it means per person. For example, "You often read
about the 'per capita' income of a certain country."

11) rework
This means revise, change something to make it better, such as, I'm
'reworking' my proposal to put more emphasis on the benefits to the
company."

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実践ビジネス英語　　　Thursday, July 24

1) Nissen says people's taste buds get less sensitive as they age, leading
older diners to want spicier food and more ethnic choices. As a result, many
chefs are doing things like putting more chili peppers in condiments and
sauces as well as adding various healthy menu choices. However, he adds that
restaurants have to strike a balance between healthy dining and people's
natural inclination to indulge themselves.

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Menu-less Restaurants (5)

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2) dimly lit
If a room is "dimly lit," the light is faint. There's not much light. You
could also say, "It's hard to read in this 'dim light,'" using the
adjective. "Dim" can be used in many ways. One is negative unfavorable about
something's prospects or chances, such as, "The sales prospects for our new
model are 'dim.'" And we say "take a dim view of something," which is to
view something with disapproval or dismay, such as, "His boss 'took a dim
view of his lazy work habits.'"

3) baby-boomer buck
Here, "buck" is being used to mean money. For example, "I like to buy
cleaning supplies at a 100 yen shop. You know, save a few 'bucks' on that."
Or "He makes a few extra 'bucks' translating in his free time."

4) condiment
"Condiments" are substances, seasonings that we use to enhance the flavor of
food. Ketchup and mustard are two very common "condiments" in American
restaurants, for example. You could also use this word about salt and
pepper, honey.

5) Latin American and Asian-fusion dishes
"Fusion" cuisine blends it, fuses different types of cuisine together.

6) high-end
Nissen means upscale restaurants, restaurants that cater to affluent
customers. We also say, a "high-end designer," a "high-end hotel," for
example.

7) "High-end" can also refer to things that offer superior function,
quality. Naturally, they are usually expensive, like a "high-end smartphone"
or digital camera. The opposite expression would be "low-end." For example,
a "low-end" DVD player might offer just a few functions like playing disks,
no recording, no programing capabilities.

8) submarine sandwich
A "submarine sandwich" or "sub" takes a long piece of bread, cuts it
lengthwise and puts in different ingredients. It's called a "submarine" or
"sub," because it resembles a submarine. You could say, "I had a vegetarian
'sub' for lunch,” for example.

9) dining choice
Nissen also could have used the expression "the something of choice" meaning something very popular, the one preferred by many. So a submarine chain has become the fast-food "restaurant of choice" for over 55s. Likewise, "This is the 'cellphone of choice' among young business executives." Or "This is the 'hotel of choice' for high-end travelers in New York."

10) strike a delicate balance between
Achieve a balance between two things, achieve a compromise, Nissen is saying.
In this case, I'd say "delicate" means something that requires careful handling. "Businesses try to 'strike a balance between' design and cost," for example, between profit and environmental conservation.

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実践ビジネス英語　　　Friday, July 25

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Menu-less Restaurants (6)

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1[S]: Our current vignette discusses the recent trend in prix fixe
restaurants where restaurants serve a multi-course meal devised by the chef
at a set price. Have you ever eaten at this kind of establishment in the
United States, Heather?

2[H]: Not recently. I think the last time was in the early 90s when I
visited New York with my then boyfriend. We ate at a beautiful restaurant on
top of the World Trade Center. I remember it having seven courses all chosen
by the chef and a different wine with nearly every course. By the end of the
meal I was glad we'd taken a taxi to the restaurant. We were in no shape to
drive.

I asked some friends in the States about this, and one told me about a prix
fixe restaurant she went to in Washington D.C. It sounded quite posh; $135
per person, not including tax, tip or alcohol.

She said they ask their customers if they have any food allergies or strong
dislikes but that in general, there were no substitutions or alternatives
allowed. You eat what they bring out. She said the restaurant started off
with small bites and then gradually turned out richer and richer foods,
culminating with an amazing goat dish. And it also provided surprises like
homemade lollipops with the bill and complimentary craft beer.

3[S]: Sounds good. Was it the surprise element she liked best?

4[H]: Actually, she pretty much echoed the vignette. She said the most
attractive element was not having to decide what to eat. Apparently she
always struggles with what to order especially when there's a large menu.

That made me think of a book I read recently about how best to achieve
change. One of its key suggestions was reducing the number of options that
people have to choose from because the more options people have to deal
with, the more frustrated they are likely to be.

For example, the book described a gourmet food store that let people sample
imported jams for free. One day, the store put out six jams while on another
day it put out 24. Now more people stopped to try the 24-jam display, but
when it came to buying people who saw the 6-jam display were ten times more
likely to actually purchase something. Too many choices resulted in what the
book called "decision paralysis."

5[S]: So, do you think you would like to try a prix fixe meal again?

6[H]: I think I would. As I recall I enjoyed the feeling of being pampered
the most. Obviously, everyone who orders a prix fixe meal gets the same
basic things. But the fact that the chef decides what to make says to me,
“You are not on the conveyer belt of food service.” You know, you are
getting something that the chef has put particular effort into.

My only concern would be getting things I don't like, but perhaps I should
be more open-minded and adventurous. I tend to order the same things all the
time just because it's easy and I know I'll like it. But as long as I can
make sure there's no liver on my plate, there isn't too much else that I
absolutely can’t stand.

7[S]: You are in between the baby boomers and the youngsters mentioned in
the vignette. Now, how often do you eat out in the evenings?

8[H]: Hardly at all anymore. A certain addition to the household makes that
very difficult. And even when I do eat out, I rarely get to sit down for the
whole meal. Someone gets bored quickly, so either my husband or I have to
take her for a walk or carry her around while the other person wolfs down
their food. And, of course, fancy restaurants are right out. Lots of space
and fellow patrons who won't give us a sour look when someone gets noisy are
a must.

【原稿チェック： Hiromi, Cecile】
【ディクテーション： Sanae】