English speaking lesson · Food & Drink
Dietary requirements
You've sat down at a restaurant and there's something the kitchen needs to know before you order. You practise it as a real conversation, at whichever of the four levels fits you — the room and the steps stay the same, only the words get harder.
A restaurant table · you talk to the waiter
Free plan: 10 messages a day. No card needed.
What you have to do
Explain your dietary requirement, find a dish that works, ask for a change, and order it. You finish the lesson by getting there in conversation — not by answering questions about it. Nothing is corrected while you talk; the corrections are collected and handed to you at the end.
How it opens
Good evening — here are the menus. Is there anything I should let the kitchen know about before you order?
Spoken aloud by the tutor playing the waiter.
The 5 steps that finish it
A step clears when you say the thing that clears it. The steps are identical at all four levels — only the example line fades, and at Natural there is none at all.
- 01
Explain what you need
Say hello, and explain your allergy or what you don't eat.
“Hello! I have a nut allergy — I can't eat nuts.”
- 02
Ask what works
Ask which dishes would work for you.
“Which dishes can I eat?”
- 03
Ask for a change
Choose a dish, and ask for a change if you'd like one.
“I'll have the first one, without cheese, please.”
- 04
Check it's right
Check the waiter has understood everything correctly.
“Yes, that's right — thanks for checking!”
- 05
Finish ordering
Order a drink if you'd like one, and finish ordering.
“And a water, please. That's everything, thanks!”
The words, at all four levels
The same room and the same steps, four vocabularies. These are the words the lesson listens for and scores you on — with what each one means and how it sounds when you are talking to the waiter.
Starter
A1 – A2Simple, everyday words with a full hint on every step.
- allergy
- a bad reaction to a certain food
- “I have a nut allergy.”
- nuts
- a hard-shelled food many people react to
- “I can't eat nuts.”
- milk
- the white liquid from cows
- “No milk, please.”
- meat
- food that comes from animals
- “I don't eat meat.”
- eat
- to take food into your mouth
- “I don't eat fish.”
- without
- not having something
- “Without cheese, please.”
- safe
- not dangerous for you
- “Is that safe for me?”
- which
- asking about a choice
- “Which dishes can I eat?”
- please
- a polite word when you ask
- “Without nuts, please.”
- thanks
- a short way to say thank you
- “Thanks for checking!”
Conversational
A2 – B1Common words at a natural pace, with hints to lean on.
- allergic
- having a bad reaction to something
- “I'm allergic to shellfish.”
- dairy
- milk, cheese, butter and cream
- “I avoid dairy.”
- gluten
- a protein in wheat that some can't eat
- “I can't have gluten.”
- vegetarian
- eating no meat or fish
- “I'm vegetarian.”
- avoid
- to keep away from something
- “I try to avoid dairy.”
- contain
- to have inside it
- “Does that contain nuts?”
- suitable
- right for a particular need
- “Which dishes are suitable?”
- kitchen
- where the food is cooked
- “Could you check with the kitchen?”
- instead
- in place of something else
- “Could I have salad instead?”
- appreciate
- to be grateful for
- “I really appreciate that.”
Confident
B1 – B2Richer, more specific words, with only light hints.
- intolerance
- difficulty digesting a certain food
- “I have a lactose intolerance.”
- severe
- very serious in effect
- “It's a fairly severe allergy.”
- trace
- a very small amount
- “Even a trace is a problem.”
- cross
- spreading between foods — 'cross-contamination'
- “Is there a cross-contamination risk?”
- ingredients
- the things a dish is made from
- “Could I check the ingredients?”
- substitute
- to put one thing in place of another
- “Could you substitute the cream?”
- adapted
- changed to suit a need
- “Can that dish be adapted?”
- accommodate
- to make room for someone's needs
- “Can the kitchen accommodate that?”
- sorted
- arranged and settled
- “Great, that's sorted.”
- appreciate
- to be grateful for
- “I'd really appreciate that.”
Natural
B2 – C1Advanced, idiomatic words — no hints at all.
- anaphylactic
- causing a severe, dangerous allergic reaction
- “It's an anaphylactic allergy.”
- trace
- a very small amount
- “Even trace amounts are an issue.”
- contamination
- unwanted mixing with something harmful
- “Is contamination a risk here?”
- prepped
- prepared in advance in a kitchen
- “How is that prepped?”
- plant
- made from plants — 'plant-based'
- “Anything plant-based?”
- omit
- to leave something out
- “Could you omit the butter?”
- swap
- to exchange one thing for another
- “A simple swap would be perfect.”
- diligent
- careful and thorough
- “You've been very diligent, thank you.”
- obliged
- grateful for a favour
- “Much obliged.”
- sorted
- arranged and settled
- “Perfect, we're sorted.”
More Food & Drink lessons
- Coffee shop order
- At the bakery
- Food market stall
- Booking a table
- Order at a restaurant
- Splitting the bill
- At the bar
- Ordering a takeaway
- Room service