When I lived in Guangzhou, I went to La Seine every month. Now I am in Shanghai, and I have discovered that there is also a fronchise(加盟店)here. But unfortunately, the Shanghai one is very far from the Guangzhou one in terms of quality and service. The personality of the chef is key, as it impresses its mark on the choice of wines, on the menu, and more importantly on the efficiency and the dedication of the staff.

The French chef, Nicolas Varnoux, previously his own boss in Paris, has been in Guangzhou for almost two years now. His passion for cooking finally led him to become the chef in La Seine, and he really manages his staff with a strong hand!

Decoration: Nothing extraordinary, a slight dark but cozy atmosphere, tables not too close to each other, a few boxes allowing for some intimacy.

Menu: Of course the menu is well packed, with dishes rooted in the French culinary(烹饪)tradition. The wine list includes a number of treasures, but it is possible to order wine by the glass.

An interesting thing about La Seine is that they hold a buffet(自助餐) every Saturday and Sunday noon. For 96 RMB, free access to a well-stocked buffet is granted. Various soups, salads, well-chosen main courses and tempting desserts are ideally suited for inviting Chinese friends to discover French cuisine(烹饪), without taking any risk as they will always find something they like. Tea or coffee is included in the buffet price.

In conclusion, I’m sure it’s a place you will want to visit again. Of course, having the chef as a friend helps, but he is such a great guy that it is easy to have a chat with him when he comes to the dining room to check if everything is okay. And he is always ready to share some little trick-of-the-trade.

53. The reason why the Shanghai one is not so good as the Guangdong one is that___________.

   A. the location of the Shanghai one is not satisfactory

   B. it doesn’t have a good chef to manage it well

   C. the price is high and the service is disappointing

   D. no buffet is provided on Saturday and Sunday

54. What is the meaning of the underlined word “cozy”?

   A. Comfortable    B. Friendly     C. Convenient     D. Traditional

55. From the passage we can infer that _____.

   A. the writer likes Guangzhou more than Shanghai

   B. the writer used to invite his Chinese friends to La Seine

   C. the buffet price is not as expensive as the writer expected

   D. the writer is fond of French food

56. From the description we can imagine the personality of the French chef is__________ .

   A. responsible     B. boastful     C. sweet-talking    D. ambitious

57. What is the writer’s conclusion in this passage?

   A. The Shanghai Franchise is inferior to the Guangzhou one

   B. it is of great help to often chat with the chef

   C. The La Seine restaurant in Guangzhou is worth many visits.

   D. The writer doesn’t like Chinese food at all.

Do you love to cook? Are you feeling inspired by the movie Ratatouille or all the food-based reality TV shows on air today? If so, working as a chef may just be for you. However, before you rush out and sign up for cooking school, be aware that working as a chef isn't all very attractive. There's a long ladder to climb before you reach the rank of head chef at a top restaurant.

The first question that many future chefs have is whether or not they need to attend cooking school in order to become successful. The short answer is no – it is possible to develop your cooking skills on your own, or to work your way up the ladder from a position as a prep cook or line cook. However, if you are able to invest in a cooking school education, it's definitely a good idea. Cooking school will not only introduce you to other elements of a chef's career – like sanitation (卫生) and kitchen management – but will also help you develop connections that can help get your career off the ground.

Your first job as a chef will likely be at the bottom of the ladder. If you attended cooking school, you may find that you're able to start out as a prep cook in a nice restaurant, while chefs without this degree may find employment as short order or line cooks in smaller restaurants and diners. Expect to work hard in these positions – you'll put in long hours on your feet, carrying heavy pots and pans around a steaming kitchen. And don't expect to be paid much – chefs in these positions typically earn about $26,000-$32,000/year. However, it is in these positions that you'll have the chance to learn from more experienced chefs and to prove yourself ready for higher-level positions.

Competition for chef positions can be fierce, but if you've proven yourself to be talented and creative, you may be invited to fill a second chef or assistant chef position. You may also be able to use your experience to move from a smaller, unrenowned restaurant to a rated restaurant in the culinary capitols of the world. But don't expect that the work load will be reduced. If anything, these positions are more demanding that the entry-level positions, since you'll be responsible for more of the kitchen operations and for ensuring customer satisfaction. In addition, one common complaint of chefs working these positions is the hours – working popular meal shifts may leave little time for socializing outside of the restaurant.

With time and experience, you may eventually be able to earn the title of head chef at a well known restaurant or finally fulfill your dream of owning your own restaurant. It should go without saying that these opportunities are even more competitive and demanding than work at any other level of the chef hierarchy (层). You'll be expected to provide the creative vision for the restaurant, coming up with new and innovative dishes to please your patrons. In addition, you'll also be responsible for the overall management of your entire staff and all the kitchen operations. Because of all the stress involved in this career path, it isn't uncommon to see talented chefs leave the restaurant industry behind for calmer options, like catering or restaurant buffet management. However, most people in the industry will tell you that despite the utter chaos of their profession, there's nothing else they'd rather be doing.