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Dining Tips • Put your napkin in your lap soon after you sit down. When you leave between courses it goes on your chair so no ones sees it soiled. When you leave at the end of the meal, it is softly folded and placed to the left of your plate. • The napkin is normally placed to the left of the plate under the forks. Sometimes they will be in the middle of the plate but it all depends on the style of your host. Both ways are ok. • The Plate is placed directly in the center, one inch from the edge of the table. They will be served by course. First is salad (smaller plate) and then main course (larger plate). • Forks always go to the left of the plate. Use each fork from the “outside – in”. Salad fork on the outside and dinner fork on the inside. • Knives always go to the right of the plate. Use each knife from the “outside – in”. Turn the sharp edge inward so no one gets hurt. Salad knife on the outside and dinner knife on the inside. • Soup Spoon goes to the right of the dinner knife. Spoon soup away from you. No slurping ad if soup is hot, skim from the top layer only. • Glasses are placed just above the knife and slightly to the right in the following order: Water, Red and White. Champagne in the back and coffee cup to the far right. The rule is we work out to in. White wine is the first drink, etc. • Salt and pepper always travel together. Food is never salted until it’s first tasted or it can be an insult to your host. • Food platters, bread, salt and pepper etc. are passed to the right. For large groups, have more than one of each on the table. • Food is passed to the right and plates are cleared to the left. • Bread plate and butter knife is placed just above the fork and slightly to the left. The bread knife is small and is placed at an angle on the plate. • Dessert spoon or forks are set above the plate or are brought out with the dessert. Spoon on top with bowl facing right; Fork on the bottom closest to plate with tines facing right. Drag both down so fork will be on left side and spoon on right. • At the end of the meal, knifes and forks should be placed on the plate in the “I am finished” position. This non-verbally signifies to the waiter that you are done eating. See Styles of Eating for correct positioning.
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Lisa M. Grotts |
