Celebrating big occasions at fancy restaurants is an active joy of many, However, those who treat themselves in such ways only occasionally are often daunted by the never-ending length of rules and expectations that come with multi-course restaurants. Practising the right dining etiquette can be an essential indication of your social standing and form part of an unspoken code of good manners.
Learn to fearlessly indulge in a lavish four-course meal with this extensive guide into decoding the rules surrounding formal dining.
Table setting
“Use cutlery properly by starting from the outside and work your way in with each course. This is because cutlery is placed in the order of the courses—outermost pieces are for starters and the innermost for the main course,” shares Diya Goel, graduate student at Les Roches in Abu Dhabi and previously interned at Jumeirah Al Qasr, a five-star property. Your plate is always at the centre of the placement: spoons and knives will be to the right, forks to the left; sides plate at the top left corner with a butter knife placed on it, dessert cutlery at the top of your plate and glasses to the top right corner of this arrangement. However, given the country and culture you are dining in, there might be slight variations in the table setting along with the decorum expected. The general thumb of rule includes using smaller pieces for smaller meals and increasing the size of each cutlery piece with the course.
Appetizers
Fine dining typically starts with a course of appetizers or as the French like to call it ‘amuse bouche’. These are small bite-sized appetizers that may be placed on a small spoon itself that act as presentation vessels and can be consumed directly or one can have them with a demitasse spoon which is the first spoon from the right of the placement. You also have a butter knife and a breads plate at the top left of your arrangement to help with this specific course.
Soup
The soup spoon is the second spoon from the right of the placement. While drinking soup, its advised to scoop the spoon away from you and tilt the bowl in the opposite direction while sipping the last few mouthfuls in order to avoid spillage. Sip from the sides of the spoon rather than the edges for a more refined look.
Salad
Salad is eaten with the salad fork usually placed to the extreme left of the setting and the salad knife kept on the right of the plate.
Fish
The fish fork placed second from the left and the fish knife kept at the extreme right of the knives is usually used to eat fish. This is a lighter protein course served before the main meat.
Main course
The dinner fork is directly to the left of the plate and the dinner knife is at the centre of the knives. There is also often a small seafood fork at the extreme right to help you relish the seafood bits of your meal.
Desserts
Desserts are served at the end of the meal and are consumed with the small dessert spoon and fork kept at the top of the plate. While softer treats like gelato only require the spoon, a fork may also be employed to enjoy desserts with a harder texture.
Stemware
The positions for the three glasses (white wine, red wine and water) are usually set in a right to left rotational order at the top right corner in order of their use. White wine is served in a small U-shaped bowl and is consumed before the start of the meal. Red wine comes in a larger bowl and is served during the meal while water is served in a tumbler to be consumed at the end of the meal. Occasionally, sweeter wines may also be served with dessert at the end of the meal. Clinking glasses, even while toasting, is traditionally frowned upon. You can simply raise your glass in the direction of the person you’re raising a toast to in order to avoid spillage.
Hold and grip
Having a light grip on your cutlery while eating can ensure fluid movement and bring elegance to your movements. The knife and fork are held with the handle resting in the palm, index finger located on top and the remaining fingers wrapped around the handle for a sturdy grip. The knife is typically held in your dominant hand with the blade facing towards the plate while the fork is placed in your non-dominant hand with the prongs facing downwards. Mr Sunil Rawat, Associate Director of F&B Service at Country Inn & Suites by Radisson shares, “Most etiquette is about respecting others and creating a more pleasant dining experience for everyone. Focusing on a few key principles, like using utensils correctly and waiting for everyone to be served before eating can make a big difference without requiring you to memorize a complex rulebook.”
Language of cutlery
In order to indicate that you have finished a course, form a cross with the fork facing up and the knife to the left. Position both pieces to the right to regard your appreciation of the meal and place them facing ahead to show that you have ended the meal. While taking breaks in between, form a cross by placing your knife and fork in the centre of the plate. Simply place the tip of the knife in between the teeth of the fork in this arrangement to reflect your dissatisfaction with the meal.
With these tips at your disposal, simply sit back, pace yourself and enjoy a lavish meal to your heart’s content with poise and grace.
