World：Dishwasher turns restaurateur

[2017.03.22] 發表

【明報專訊】A dishwasher was made a co-owner of a world-famous Danish restaurant in recognition of his years of hard work and "enduring smile".

Ali Sonko, 62, has been a dishwasher at Noma, a two-Michelin-starred restaurant in Copenhagen, since it opened in 2003. "Ali is the heart and soul of Noma," said chef René Redzepi. "I don't think people appreciate what it means to have a person like Ali in the house. He is all smiles, no matter how his twelve children fare."

Sonko had been a farmer in the Gambia (岡比亞), West Africa, before he came to Copenhagen thirty-four years ago. He said working at Noma was the best job he had ever had. "I cannot describe how happy I am to work here," he said. "These are the best people to work with, and I'm good friends with everyone. They exhibit enormous respect for me, and no matter what I say or ask about, they are there for me."

Sonko first rose to prominence in 2010. Owing to a visa problem, he could not go to London with his colleagues to pick up their first Best Restaurant in the World award. But he was not forgotten — the Noma representatives wore T-shirts with the dishwasher's face on them when they went on stage to receive the award. When Noma was given the same award two years afterwards, Sonko was in London to deliver the acceptance speech. (sources: Ming Pao, BBC, The Guardian)

“ Bill: How's the restaurant's business this month? ”

“ Pat: It's been good. Our new marketing strategies are working. ”

■Photo Story

Ali Sonko (right) has become a co-owner of the world-class eatery Noma.

■English highway﹕ rise to prominence

If somebody or something rises to prominence, he/she/it becomes important or well-known.

e.g. He rose to prominence as an actor a decade ago.

■Quiz

Answer the following questions.

(Answers on next text)

1.Is the following sentence true or false? Sonko has worked in Noma for less than ten years.(True / False)

2.In what country is Noma?

___________________________________

3.Find in paragraph three a word that is opposite in meaning to "little".

__________________________

4.Why did the Noma representatives wear T-shirts with Sonko's face when they received a Best Restaurant in the World award in 2010? They did so because _______________.

a.they did not like Sonko

b.it was the official dress code at the ceremony

c.Sonko failed to attend the ceremony

d.None of the above

■Glossary

restaurateur (n) 餐廳老闆

enduring (adj) 持續的

representative (n) 代表

acceptance speech (n phr) 獲獎感言

[Smarties' Power English Vol 181]