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English for Kitchen Staff

A professional kitchen runs on its own English: short, loud and vital for safety. These phrases cover the shift — safety calls, timing, orders and teamwork. Practice them out loud: there's no thinking time during the rush.

Key phrases

Behind you!
Safety call #1 — always shout it when passing.
Heard!
Kitchen for “understood” — the standard call-back.
How long on the fries?
“How long on…” asks time-left for anything.
We're out of salmon — eighty-six it.
“86” = it's gone, off the menu.
Table five is up!
“Up” = ready for pickup.
Hot pan, coming through!
Announce hot things loudly — safety first.
Can you cover my shift on Sunday?
The shift-swap classic.
Where do we keep the olive oil?
The first-day question — never be shy to ask.

Tip: "Behind!", "Corner!", "Hot!" — the safety calls are non-negotiable. Learn those three before any menu.

🎙️ Now practice it yourself — the voice tutor listens to you speak and corrects your pronunciation on the spot.

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