You are learning business dining etiquette: you will read the scene it happens in, learn 10 words and phrases, take apart the pattern behind them (professional suggestions and polite offers: shall we, would you prefer, may i suggest), hear them in a conversation, rehearse them, and finish by saying one thing out loud to be graded.
The Grill, Midtown Manhattan, a power lunch
The Grill occupies the old Four Seasons space on East 52nd Street. It's where deals get done. Today I'm hosting a lunch with a potential client — a marketing director from a major food brand.
I arrive ten minutes early. The host seats me at a corner table — good for conversation, away from the noise. When my client arrives, I stand, shake her hand, and say, 'Shall we start with something to drink?' She orders a sparkling water. I do the same. Never drink alcohol at a business lunch unless your client does first.
The menu is classic American: crab cakes, Dover sole, dry-aged steak. 'May I suggest we share a few starters?' I say. 'The crab cake here is the best in Midtown.' She agrees. I let her choose her main course first. When the waiter asks about wine, I say, 'Would you prefer white or red?' She says white. I ask the sommelier for a recommendation.
We talk business between courses — never during. The food creates natural pauses. By dessert, we've agreed on a timeline for the project. When the check comes, I take it without looking at the total. 'This was my pleasure,' I say. She smiles. The lunch worked. The food was just the vehicle.