Etiquettefor

Fine Dining

Paul Baxter 1

Learning Outcomes

At the end of the session each Learner should be able

to:

Interpret different dining styles

Able to demonstrate Dining Etiquette

Know how to eat various foods

Paul Baxter 2

Dining Etiquette

You never get a second chance to make a first impression.

Many people have forgotten – or were never taught -the fundamentals of dining etiquette.

Whether you are having lunch with a prospective employer or dinner with a business associate, your

dining etiquette speak volumes about you.

Paul Baxter 3

Dining Etiquette

Meals can be used to observe your behaviour in social settings to see how you conduct yourself, how you react to

others and to see how others react to you

Paul Baxter 4

When You Arrive at the Table

Do not place any bags, purses, sunglasses, mobile phones on the table

When everyone is seated, gently unfold your napkin and place it on your lap, folded in half with the fold towards your waist

Keep utensils in the same order they appear on the table

Do not rearrange utensils to accommodate yourself if you are left-handed

Wait for all parties to arrive before beginning any part of the meal

Paul Baxter 5

Napkins

In a Restaurant

As soon as you are seated, remove the napkin from your place setting, unfold it, and put it in your lap. Do not shake it open.

If you excuse yourself from the table, loosely fold the napkin and place it to the left or right of your plate.

At the end of the meal, leave the napkin semi-folded at the left side of the place setting. It should not be crumpled or twisted.

Paul Baxter 6

At a Formal Dinner or Private Party

The meal begins when the host or hostess unfolds his or her napkin. This is your signal to do the same.

The host will signal the end of the meal by placing his or her napkin on the table. Once the meal is over, you too should place your napkin neatly on the table to the left of your dinner plate.

Paul Baxter 7

Don't be intimidated....Paul Baxter 8

Silverware & Dinnerware

A formal table setting can appear overwhelming but don’t panic. Remember: eat to your left, drink to your right. Any food dish to the left is yours, and any glass to the right is yours.

Starting with the knife, fork, or spoon that is farthest from your plate, work your way in, using one utensil for each course.

If you remember the rule to work from the outside in,you'll be fine.

Paul Baxter 9

How to remember...

If you remember: liquids on the right, solids on the left, you’ll never eat someone else’s bread again! That’s your coffee cup to the right of the plate, and your bread plate on the left!

This is a clever way to remember:

Make “OK” signs with both of your hands

The left hand makes the letter “b” for bread!The right hand makes the letter “d” for drinks!

Paul Baxter 10

Paul Baxter 11

If you remember: liquids on the right, solids on the left, you’ll never eat someone else’s bread again! That’s your coffee cup to the right of the plate, and your bread plate

on the left!

If you are left-handed, keep your fork in your left hand, tines facing up.

Using the Fork & Knife

Paul Baxter 12

◦ Do not push your plate away from you or stack them up; leave plates and glasses where they are in the place setting

◦ To signal that your are done with the course, rest your fork, tines up, and knife blade in, with the handles resting at five o'clock and tips pointing to ten o'clock on your plate

When You Have Finished

General Tips for the Meal

Be punctual

Pass food from the left to the right

Never intercept a pass. Grabbing a roll out of the breadbasket or taking a shake of salt when it is en route to someone else is a no-no

Don't blow on your food to cool it off. If it is too hot to eat, take the hint and wait.

Butter, spreads, or dips should be transferred from the serving dish to your plate before spreading or eating

Never turn a wine glass upside down to decline wine. Otherwise, hold your hand over the wine glass to signal that you don't want any wine

Taste your food before seasoning it

Keep elbows off the table. Keep your left hand in your lap unless you are using it

Paul Baxter 13

General Etiquette

Do not talk with your mouth full. Chew with your mouth closed

Cut only enough food for the next mouthful. Eat in small bites and slowly

Turn off your mobile phone or switch it to silent or vibrate and leave it in your pocket or purse. If you must make or take a call, excuse yourself from the table and step outside

Do not use a toothpick or apply makeup at the table

Paul Baxter 14

How would you eat-

Berries

Bread

Oysters in a half shell

Pasta or Spaghetti

Potatoes

Paul Baxter 15

Specific Food Etiquette

Berries: Generally, eat berries with a spoon, whether they have cream on them or not.

Bread: Break slices of bread, rolls and muffins in half or in small pieces never larger than one bite. Butter each bite at a time. Never cut a roll with a knife.

Oysters in the half shell: Hold the shell with the left hand and lift the clam out using your oyster fork.

Pasta or Spaghetti: The perfect method for eating spaghetti or other long stringy pasta is to twirl it around your fork. Use a spoon to help if needed. It is also acceptable to cut pasta with a knife and fork.

Potatoes: If not already slit, cut across the top with a knife, open the potato wider with your fork, and add butter or sour cream and chives, salt, and pepper. You may eat the skin as you go along.

Paul Baxter 16

Dining Etiquette

Remember, your table manners will either give a good or bad impression

of you.

Paul Baxter 17

Wine and Condiments

Butter should be taken when passed, and placed onto your bread plate, never directly onto your bread.

Salt and pepper are always passed together, even if someone asks you only for the salt. They are considered “married” in proper dining circles.

Hold a stemmed glass by the stem!

This is to prevent chilled drinks,

such as white wine from becoming

warmed by your hand, but it works

for non-chilled drinks as well.

Paul Baxter 18

Bite-sized Etiquette

Once silverware is picked up from the table it NEVERtouches the table again. Place it on the outer rim of the plate between bites, but never rest silver gangplank fashion, half on the table and half on the plate.

When to Start – in gatherings of six or less people, begin eating only after everyone is served. For larger groups, such as banquets, it is customary to start eating after four or five people have been served, or permission is granted from those not yet served.

Bread and rolls are broken off into bite-size pieces (why do you think they call meals, breaking bread!!!) and butter is spread on each bite as you eat it. Never use a knife to cut the bread, nor butter a whole slice at once!

Paul Baxter 19

To Recap...

The difference between fine dining and restaurant

Able to demonstrate Dining Etiquette

The correct way to eat certain foods

Paul Baxter 20

Thank you to ...

Ciara for letting me teach her class and thank you

for listening

Paul Baxter 21