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une suggestion

English translation: one special

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
French term or phrase:une suggestion
English translation:one special
Entered by: Nina Iordache

15:38 Apr 21, 2015
French to English translations [PRO]
Marketing - Food & Drink / everyday menu speak
French term or phrase: une suggestion
This is probably waiters' slang, the waiters says: " (...) Pour suivre, j'ai 2 perdreaux,
1 ris de veau, une suggestion, un barbue et un bar.

What could suggestion mean in this context, please? The waiter is talking to the cook.
Nina Iordache
Romania
Local time: 08:29
one special
Explanation:
The 'suggestion (du chef / du jour)' is of course exactly that, as Ghyslaine quite correctly says.

In fact, in a busy restaurant kitchen, this is the sort of language I'm used to hearing. We can take it as read that if the waiter is calling an order for one of these, without being any more specific, then there can only be one of them, and as such, calling it 'the special' (as in 'daily special' dish) is all that would be required here.

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Note added at 17 minutes (2015-04-21 15:56:35 GMT)
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This is what I've always heard in all the restaurants I've worked in.

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Note added at 19 minutes (2015-04-21 15:58:00 GMT)
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Note that even if there were to be a 'daily special' starter / main / dessert, given that at this particular moment the waiter is calling the main courses (well, I assume they are!) there would be no need to specify, since it would be obviosu from the context that it wasn't going to be the 'dessert of the day', for example!
Selected response from:

Tony M
France
Local time: 07:29
Grading comment
Thank you very much, Tony!
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
5 +7one special
Tony M
4the chef's suggestion of the day
Ghyslaine LE NAGARD
3dish of the day
kashew


  

Answers


12 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
dish of the day


Explanation:
suggestion more or less = plat du jour

kashew
France
Local time: 07:29
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 12

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
neutral  Tony M: Yeah... that's what you might see on a menu or blackboard, for example; but it's not what we'd usually be likely to call out in a kitchen order situation —
4 mins
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5 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
the chef's suggestion of the day


Explanation:
not entirely sure but quite common to have the chef's suggestion of the day in restaurants' in France



--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 13 mins (2015-04-21 15:52:11 GMT)
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The chef's choice

Ghyslaine LE NAGARD
New Caledonia
Native speaker of: Native in FrenchFrench, Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 12

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
disagree  Bob Scott: Far too literal
3 mins
  -> Agree but the asker has asked what it meant, she'll deal with the appropriate word for it ! And you are obviously missing the meaning of "what could susgestion mean...".
neutral  kashew: He's talking to someone in the kitchen - and would be much snappier.
5 mins
  -> Agree but the asker has asked what it meant, she'll deal with the appropriate word for it !
agree  Tony M: That's what it MEANS of course — though as kashew says, it would be expressed more concisely in jargon terms. This is one of those cases where 'literal' is exactly what is required!
7 mins
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15 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5 peer agreement (net): +7
one special


Explanation:
The 'suggestion (du chef / du jour)' is of course exactly that, as Ghyslaine quite correctly says.

In fact, in a busy restaurant kitchen, this is the sort of language I'm used to hearing. We can take it as read that if the waiter is calling an order for one of these, without being any more specific, then there can only be one of them, and as such, calling it 'the special' (as in 'daily special' dish) is all that would be required here.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 17 minutes (2015-04-21 15:56:35 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

This is what I've always heard in all the restaurants I've worked in.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 19 minutes (2015-04-21 15:58:00 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Note that even if there were to be a 'daily special' starter / main / dessert, given that at this particular moment the waiter is calling the main courses (well, I assume they are!) there would be no need to specify, since it would be obviosu from the context that it wasn't going to be the 'dessert of the day', for example!

Tony M
France
Local time: 07:29
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 179
Grading comment
Thank you very much, Tony!
Notes to answerer
Asker: Thanks, Tony, this is it, of course!


Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Bob Scott: This is a more natural, native speaker answer. Ghyslaine seems to be missing the point of these boards that it's not only about meaning, it's about forms of expression
1 min
  -> Thanks, Bob! I agree, it's all about natural, native-speaker jargon in a very specific context.
agree  kashew: If you've been there you should know! Two syllables shorter than me.
7 mins
  -> Thanks, J! Yes, brevity is all in a 'fast and furious' kitchen environment ;-) Been there, done that, got the (stains on my) T-shirt.
agree  Carol Gullidge: yep, had a (mains) special on Brittany ferries recently and it was super bon :)
22 mins
  -> Thanks Carol! Greta, I've usually found their catering to be pretty good, so I'm glad you enjoyed it!
agree  B D Finch
1 hr
  -> Thanks, B! :-)
agree  Nikki Scott-Despaigne
5 hrs
  -> Thanks, Nikki!
agree  Simon Charass
7 hrs
  -> Thanks, Simon!
agree  Daryo: trade jargon is quite an interesting thing - and sometimes pretty baffling if considered out of context ...
20 hrs
  -> Merci, Daryo ! Oh yes, very much so!
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