Hotel, food & service jobs — Unit 24, Beginner English
Jobs and places in hotels and restaurants — chef, waiter, receptionist, guest, kitchen.
Reading: Working at the Grand Palace Hotel
The Grand Palace Hotel is a large hotel in the city centre. Many people work there every day. Each person has an important job, and everyone works together as a team.
The **receptionist** works at the front desk, near the hotel entrance. Her name is Anna. She **welcomes** every **guest** with a warm smile and gives them their room key. She also answers telephone calls and helps with bookings. When guests arrive, they **check in** at reception. Anna always asks, "Did you **book a room** in advance?" Most guests say yes.
The **chef**, Marco, works in the **kitchen**. The kitchen is at the back of the hotel, near the restaurant. Marco and his team cook breakfast, lunch, and dinner for all the guests. He comes to work at six in the morning and leaves at three in the afternoon. Then the evening **chef** takes over.
The **waiter** and **waitress** work in the restaurant. They carry food from the **kitchen** to the tables and **serve** the guests. They bring menus, take orders, and make sure everyone has what they need. A good **waiter** is always polite and quick.
The **manager**, Mr. Lee, is responsible for everything in the hotel. He walks around all day, talks to the staff, and solves any problems. He makes sure all guests are comfortable and happy.
The **cleaner** tidies and cleans all the rooms. She works early in the morning, replacing towels, making beds, and leaving everything neat and fresh.
All these people work together to make every **guest** feel comfortable and **welcome**.
Vocabulary from this unit
| Word / phrase | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| chef | cooks food professionally | The chef cooks in the kitchen. |
| waiter / waitress | serves food to guests | The waiter brings the menu. |
| receptionist | welcomes guests at the desk | The receptionist gives you the key. |
| guest | person staying at a hotel | Every guest gets a warm welcome. |
| manager | person in charge | The manager checks the rooms. |
| cleaner | cleans the rooms | The cleaner tidies each room. |
| Word / phrase | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| kitchen | room where food is cooked | The kitchen is very busy at lunch. |
| reception | front desk of a hotel | Ask at reception for your key. |
| serve | give food or drink | Waiters serve the guests. |
| welcome | greet in a friendly way | We welcome every guest. |
| book a room | reserve a room | I booked a room for two nights. |
| check in | arrive and register | Guests check in after 2 p.m. |
This is the free sample from this unit. The full unit adds 1 more reading passage, comprehension questions with an answer key, the listening exercises, flashcards for the vocabulary above, and a speaking task — with your progress tracked so the next unit unlocks when you are ready for it.
Common questions
What level is this unit?
Beginner — roughly CEFR A0–A1. If you are not sure of your level, the course places you with a short diagnostic before you start rather than making you guess.
Do I need to pay to use this?
The reading passage and vocabulary on this page are free to read. The rest of the unit — the remaining passages, the exercises, the listening, the answer key and the progress tracking — is part of the paid General English course.
Is this British or American English?
British English spelling and vocabulary, which is what most learners in Azerbaijan are taught and what IELTS expects, though both are accepted in the exam.