6 Minute English / The hidden life of buffets

Neil Hello. This is 6 Minute English from BBC Learning English. I m Neil.

And I m Sam.

Neil Have you ever been to an all-you-can-eat buffet, Sam? You know a meal in a restaurant where you can eat as much food as you like.

Yes, I went to an Indian buffet once. I didn t eat all day before the meal, but I only managed to finish three or four plates well, maybe five!

It sounds like your eyes were bigger than your belly, or stomach a phrase describing someone who has taken more food than they can eat. In this programme we ll be discussing buffets a feast of many different food dishes where diners are allowed to eat as much as they want or as much as their stomachs will allow. And, of course, we ll be learning some new vocabulary as well.

The popularity of buffets is booming, especially in Middle Eastern and Asian countries where the variety of foods means there s something for everyone. But feasts are big and boastful - usually too much is cooked, and buffets have been criticised for waste.

Neil We ll hear more soon, but first I have a question for you, Sam. The word buffet originated from the French name for the table on which food was served, but buffets themselves don t come from France. So in which country did buffets begin?

a) The United States of America

b) Sweden

c) China