Proper arrangement of cutlery on the table. We learn how to properly and beautifully set the table for a family lunch, dinner or holiday. For a birthday

Proper serving is always a sign of attention to guests, a way to create a festive atmosphere, as well as an indicator of the artistic taste of the hostess.

In this material, we will consider the rules of informal serving, that is, those that are appropriate for receiving guests at home in everyday life and on holidays.
Serving at home depends on the occasion, time of day, theme and menu, but in all cases the purpose of serving is the same - to lay out the dishes and cutlery so that it is convenient and pleasant for the diners to eat.

Based on this goal, the rules for table setting were invented. In everyday life, you need to observe all these canons only on the most solemn occasions, but once you have mastered their essence, you can set the table with your own hands for any occasion - from a romantic dinner to a family celebration of the New Year.

Before you get started, take a look at two sample table settings. As you can see, it is much easier to set a homemade festive table for guests than at an official reception!

So, how to set the table? We have compiled a step-by-step instruction in a certain sequence, describing each of the stages. In short, the most convenient procedure is as follows:

Tablecloth - Plates - Cutlery - Glasses - Napkins - Decor (flower vase, candles, themed decorations).

Keep in mind that a few days before the event you need to resolve all organizational issues and prepare:

Decide on the number of people, make a menu, put the tablecloth in order, check the quantity and quality of napkins, dishes, cutlery, think over the decor.

On the day of the reception, wipe all the dishes and cutlery clean, and then proceed to setting the table.

Step 1. First we lay the tablecloth

The main thing here is to make sure that the overhang of the tablecloth is no more and no less than 20-30 cm. A shorter overhang will look ugly, and a longer one will be inconvenient for those sitting at the table.

As for the color, you can choose either a win-win and traditional white, or lay any option you like, complement it with tracks and underplates as shown in the photo.

And here are examples of festive serving at home without a tablecloth at all.

Step 2. Arrange the plates

This part of the "serving" theory will be the most extensive. After all, the composition and combination of plates depends on the planned menu, the number of guests and the scale of the holiday.

According to the classic table setting rules, several plates can be relied on for one person:

Substitution large plate (serving) - it is not necessary for a daily and everyday table, and some serving styles (for example, rustic) allow its absence. The photo below shows examples of serving with and without a substitution plate.

You may also need: a medium (snack bar), a small (pie or dessert) and a deep plate for soup.

According to the canon, the type of deep plate depends on the type of soup. For a thick one, choose a wide one (photo on the left), for a light broth or cream soup - a bowl with or without handles (photo on the right). But this is just the rule that can be completely ignored.

As for the arrangement of plates, snack or deep plates are placed on the substitution plates, dessert and / or salad plates are placed on the left as shown in the picture on the right. This place can also accommodate a tea pair, a pie plate or, for example, a bowl for eggs on the occasion of Easter. The photo below shows options for festive serving and the composition of the plates.

Plates should be placed at a distance of 1.5-2 cm from the edge of the table and at the same distance from each other;
To prevent the snack plate from sliding on the coaster, you need to put a paper or textile napkin between them, as shown in the photo below.

Step 3. Place cutlery

Now let's move on to the layout of the devices. They are placed on the sides according to the number of changes of dishes (concave side to the table):

To the right of the plates are knives and spoons;
Left - forks;
You can put a teaspoon on top.

Festive serving at home does not require a large number of special knives, forks and spoons. Most often, one knife, one fork and a couple of spoons (for soup and dessert) are enough.

But if necessary and desired, you can additionally set the table with special forks, knives and spoons, as shown in the following photo selection.

You can learn more about the rules for arranging devices in the next video lesson.

Step 4. We put glasses, wine glasses, glasses

Next, behind the plates, a little to the right, we put the glasses from largest to smallest. Glasses for water, red/white wine, champagne and/or a glass for juice, spirits and shot glasses are displayed depending on the drinks available and guests' preferences.

Step 5. Serve the napkins

For especially solemn occasions, napkins can be folded beautifully and artistically on a plate. For all other cases, there are no strict rules for serving napkins. They can be put in a glass of water, placed under a snack plate, put into rings, tied with a ribbon and decorated with decor.

If you set the table not for a holiday, but, for example, for dinner, then you can put napkins on the side of the plate under the forks as shown in the photo below.

Step 6. The final touch - the decor of the table

Hooray, almost done! It remains only to decorate the festive table with flowers in a vase and themed decorations. For the New Year, it can be cones, rosemary and spruce branches, for March 8 - flower buds, and for Easter - hares and willow branches. The topic of table decor should be given more attention in a separate article, but for now, let's take a look at photos of beautifully decorated tables in different themes and styles.

There are generally accepted rules for table setting, which are not so difficult to learn, and it will be pleasant to surprise and please loved ones. In this article we will talk about table setting at home, consider illustrative examples and diagrams.

There are many types of serving: classic, rustic, Scandinavian and a number of others.

Breakfast

A beautifully laid table can turn breakfast into a small celebration.

Appliances are added and removed depending on the cooked dishes

Start with a tablecloth. It should be clean, ironed and suitable for the interior in style. For breakfast, bright and muted colors are acceptable.

Then the plates are arranged. At a distance of 2.5 cm from the edge of the table, a serving plate is placed, on it - the main plate, and then a deep bowl for porridge or cereal. A dessert plate with a butter knife is placed diagonally to the left, and egg holders on small saucers are placed on it.

The next step is appliances. To the left of the main plate, put a fork with the cloves up, to the right - a knife (with the tip inward), a tablespoon, and then a teaspoon. Dessert devices are placed above the plate, parallel to the edge of the table.

Table setting at home. simple breakfast

Next - cups and glasses. A cup for a hot drink is placed on a saucer and placed diagonally to the right of the main plate. Glasses are placed a little further. Their number is determined as needed. The correct order is a glass for water, juice, then milk.

A coffee pot, a milk jug, sockets with jam and saucers with fruit slices are placed in the center of the table. Granulated sugar is served in a sugar bowl with a special spoon; tongs are placed for refined sugar. Butter dishes, plow bowls and snacks are also placed here.

Finish serving with napkins and decor. Cloth napkins are placed on or next to a snack plate, paper napkins are placed only in napkin holders. Small vases with flowers are placed in the center of the table - they create a special mood.

An unusually laid table will be a pleasant surprise for your household and will certainly not let them miss breakfast.

Dinner

Table setting for dinner involves a plain tablecloth in muted colors or with a soft pattern.

It is reasonable to “bring” several tablecloths in the house: a small one for a large table, for an outdoor table (veranda), a “children's” oilcloth tablecloth

The plates are stacked on top of each other in the following order: serving plate, main plate, snack plate, soup plate (or bowl). A bread plate is placed diagonally to the left.

To the right of the serving plate put a hot knife (point inward), behind it - a tablespoon and soup spoon (convex side down). On the left is a place for a fork (cloves up). If several dishes are served, put 2 or 3 pairs of cutlery. They are placed in accordance with the order of the dishes: closer to the plate - cutlery for the main course, then for salads and appetizers, further from the plate - cutlery for dishes that will be served first (snacks and soups).

A dessert spoon and a fork are placed above the main plate, parallel to the edge of the table, with a gap of 1 cm - a spoon with a handle to the right, a fork to the left. A butter knife is placed on a bread plate, handle to the right, point to the edge of the table. For all dishes that will be served on common plates, tongs are served, for sauces - spoons.

A serving plate is optional for an everyday table. Some serving styles allow for its absence (in the photo, the serving plate is the bottom, pink)

Glasses for wine and water are placed diagonally to the right of the main plate (behind the appliances) in accordance with the order in which drinks are served: closer to the plate - a glass for water, then for an aperitif, for the main drink, at the end - for strong alcohol. A cup for a hot drink is placed a little lower.

Breadbaskets and gravy boats are placed along the edges of the table. A tureen, hot dishes, salad bowls and snacks are placed in the center. Wines are served in bottles (pre-opened), other drinks - in jugs or decanters.

Finish serving for dinner with napkins and flower arrangements in the center of the table.

Table setting at home depends entirely on the menu and the order in which dishes are served. Everyday lunch does not require all the subtleties, just 1 set of cutlery, snack and soup plates and 1-2 glasses.

If you will be serving dishes that need to be eaten with your hands, be sure to provide bowls of water for washing your hands and put enough napkins

It is not necessary to set the table according to the requirements of Michelin restaurants. Observe the arrangement, choose beautiful dishes, do it the way you like

Dinner

Dinner is served the same way. The table is covered with a well-ironed tablecloth: for a formal dinner, they choose a plain one, for a family or friendly one - a tablecloth with a pattern or a border around the edges.

You can replace the serving plate with a round mat, which will perform a decorative function

You can turn the glasses upside down if you are setting the table in advance or outdoors. This is what street restaurants do.

On the serving plate put the main, snack and a plate for a fish dish. Diagonally to the left is a place for a bread and dessert plate (it is served directly with dessert and fruit). For a home dinner in a narrow circle, 1-2 plates are enough, for example, the main one and the diner.

The number of devices is determined by the number of dishes. The order is the same: on the right is a table knife for hot dishes, followed by fish and snack knives. A tablespoon is placed above the main plate (if there is dessert, then the spoon is moved to the right knife, and dessert devices are placed above the plate). Forks are placed on the left: closer to the plate, a hot fork, then a fish and snack fork. All dishes and snacks that are not served in portions are served with tongs and spoons.

In most countries, at official dinners, the following order of changing dishes is adopted: appetizers, soup (broth), fish dish, meat dish, dessert, fruit, coffee. Dishes are changed every 15-20 minutes.

Glasses and glasses for drinks are placed to the right of the main plate in the order in which drinks are served: for water, for an aperitif, for wines, for spirits. The glass for the main drink remains on the table during the entire meal, the rest can be removed when changing dishes.

For everyday dinner and meeting with friends, 1-3 glasses are enough: for water, for wine or beer, for strong alcohol. A beer glass is placed on a stand to protect the tablecloth from beer foam.

Dishes with hot dishes, salads and snacks are placed in the center of the table, and a bread box, gravy boats, jugs and bottles of drinks are placed closer to the edge of the table.

Napkins for dinner can be decorated with special rings or figuredly folded.

Table setting for dinner is completed with a flower arrangement and candles. Candles should be in special candlesticks or on stands

You can go beyond candles, figurines and flowers - make nameplates for each invited guest

Festive table setting

For the festive table, a classic full serving is used.

They pick up an elegant tablecloth, combine several options in contrasting colors, or complement the serving with fabric runners.

For the solemn table setting at home, a festive service is used. On a serving plate put the main, diner, then a fish plate and soup. For cream soup, a deep soup bowl is served, for broth - a bowl. Diagonally to the left is a bread plate, a dessert plate (it is served directly with dessert and fruit).

The number of appliances depends on the menu. Festive, as a rule, includes a complete set: a hot knife, a fish knife, a tablespoon, a snack knife, a soup spoon and an oyster fork (this is the only type of fork that can be placed on the right). Forks are laid out on the left: for hot, for fish and for snacks.

Scheme for serving a gala lunch or dinner. The point of the knives should be directed towards the plate, the forks should be with the teeth up, the spoons with the convex side down

Cutlery is arranged according to the following principle: the device farthest from the plate is for the first course, the one closest to the plate is for the last course

No more than 3 pairs of cutlery for main courses and snacks are placed near the plate. Devices are placed at a distance of 0.5-1 cm from each other. If it is necessary to serve the 4th pair, it is wrapped in a napkin and placed on the edge of the serving plate.

When laying out devices, consider the menu. For example, if there is no fish on the table, there is no need to put a knife for it.

To the right of the main plate, glasses are placed in the order in which the dishes are served. They can be placed in 2 rows, in a semicircle or diagonally in a row. The distance between the glasses is about 1 cm. As a rule, they first put a glass for water, then for champagne, wine, then - glasses for cognac and glasses for other strong alcohol.

Table setting at home involves the correct arrangement of hot dishes and snacks.

Hot food is served in an appropriate dish (duckling bowl, etc.) and placed in the center of the table. Festive serving necessarily includes a tureen - it is placed to the right of the hostess. Appliances for serving hot dishes are placed on a saucer nearby, wrapped in a cloth napkin.

Then snacks are arranged: meat is served on round dishes, fish on oval ones. Next put salad bowls, bowls, herring and gravy boats. Breadbaskets and seasonings should stand at the edges. If the table is large, they put several pepper pots, gravy boats, etc. Drinks in jugs and decanters are placed along the edges of the table. Alcohol is served in pre-opened bottles. Champagne and some wines are placed in ice buckets.

When serving desserts, large dishes with cakes and pastries, vases of fruit are placed in the center of the table, sugar bowls, milk jars, bowls and sockets are closer to the edges.

At the end, napkins are laid out and the table is decorated with festive decor. It can be flowers, candles, figurines and themed decorations. Seasonal flowers, leaves, fruits, wreaths, Christmas decorations, cones, ribbons, all kinds of figurines and other decorations are used. In solemn occasions, they decorate the backs of chairs and a chandelier above the table. Everything depends on fantasy.

When preparing flower arrangements for table decoration, avoid strongly scented flowers - some guests may be sensitive to scents

Children's table

Serving a children's table has its own characteristics. The main thing to focus on is safety, reasonable approach and, of course, beauty.

First of all, decide on the theme of the holiday. Create a beautiful and fabulous atmosphere. Opt for bright colors, use balloons, party hats, corrugated stick figures, ribbons, confetti, and other decorations for decoration.

The serving order is the same as for an adult table: you need to start with a tablecloth. It is wiser to use not a tablecloth, but a beautiful oilcloth - it is easier to put it in order after children's pranks. The edges of the oilcloth should be higher than the seats.

Crockery and cutlery should be selected based on the age of the children: for the smallest, paper and plastic dishes are suitable, for older children, impact-resistant glass. Cutlery must be safe.

To make children feel comfortable at the table, it is not cluttered with dishes. 1-2 plates are enough: a snack and a deep bowl. Cutlery for children is placed to the right of the plate, but if a knife can be used by age, the table is served according to the standard scheme.

Instead of glasses, use wide, stable glasses, place them closer to the center of the table. Don't forget to stock up on tissues and paper towels.

Since children cannot sit at the table for a long time and will “bite”, it is better to serve snacks, cuts, canapes and tartlets. For hot dishes, you can cook baked potatoes, nuggets, spring rolls, mini sandwiches and other similar dishes. For serving, use multi-tiered coasters, dishes and deep bowls.

Involve the whole family in the table setting and create beautiful decorations together. This will make the holiday unforgettable and give a lot of vivid impressions.

Despite the complexity, table setting at home can be a pleasant and creative process, if not only diligence and patience are invested in this activity, but also ingenuity and imagination are shown.

Video on the topic of the article

We offer you to watch a video on the topic of the article:

She graduated from the author's physical and mathematical lyceum and art school. Received a higher economic education in the direction of "innovation management". Freelancer. Married, actively travels. He is interested in Buddhist philosophy, enjoys transsurfing and loves Mediterranean cuisine.

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Indeed, it can arise, since in modern restaurants and cafes the table is far from always served in advance in anticipation of guests. If all the appliances are prepared, and you sit down at the table, where everything is already laid out, then the fork will definitely lie with the cloves up.

But if you came to a cafe or just waited for your turn at a table, then it often happens that the waiter cleaned the place just before you took it. Of course, he didn't have time for the table, perfectly placing the forks and spoons in the right place.

The fork is supposed to be held lightly, with the help of the index finger and thumb, slightly pressing it against the half-bent middle one.

In this case, the cutlery is often brought wrapped in a napkin. This is a sign that the fork is perfectly clean, and you can be sure that your meal is hygienic. If the fork is wrapped in a napkin, then it can be placed either upside down or down. Usually they are not visible at all, one can only guess from the outlines of the bundle where the teeth are. It turns out that putting the fork with its teeth down on the table is permissible only in one case: if it is served wrapped in a napkin.

Fork use

The fork is usually used as the main utensil for most dishes, with the exception of soups, and the spoon and knife act as auxiliary ones. But sometimes the plug also acts as an auxiliary device. For example, if you need to cut off a piece of meat, then take the fork in your left hand (in your right hand if you are left-handed, and in the future, all recommendations for left-handers should be vice versa), and the knife in your right. Then cut off a piece without spreading your elbows to the sides.

Further, you should also proceed according to American or European styles. The American way implies that you will still be the right hand. Put the knife on the edge of the plate, and then take the fork in your right hand, bring it to your mouth with the teeth up. In the European way, you can either continue to grip the knife in your right hand or not, but you will have to eat with your left hand. The fork, at the same time, is held with the tines down.

In the simplest case, the fork is placed to the left of the plate, and the spoon and knife are placed to the right.

If you break away from food for a conversation, then you can’t put a fork on the table, according to etiquette. And here it is just important whether you will hold it up or down with the teeth. There are two styles: American and Continental, or European. In American-style etiquette, the fork is held with the tines up, and in the case of European standards, the tines down.

Until you have finished the dish, it is not customary to put the fork on the table or on the plate. But if for some reason you still want to put the fork aside and finish eating later, then you can’t put the dirty appliance on the tablecloth. It is placed on the edge of the plate, diagonally. The direction of the teeth in this case is not important. If you want the waiter to replace your plate and cutlery, then put them on the edge of the plate in parallel so that, if you imagine the plate as a dial, the handles would be in the area of the number 4.

A holiday is a good mood, meeting with friends and family, fun and, of course, a festive table with mouth-watering and delicious dishes. Housewives try to cook exquisite and varied delicacies to please their household and guests. For the festive table, along with the taste of cooked dishes, the correct and beautiful table setting and table decoration are of great importance. Beautifully presented dishes and the use of various decorative attributes can make even an ordinary dinner unforgettable. And for a celebration, table setting is of great importance and can turn a feast into an aesthetic pleasure and create a special feeling of a holiday.

Table setting is the correct competent arrangement of appliances and dishes and decorative design, thanks to which you can create a homely cozy atmosphere or a pompous and elegant atmosphere corresponding to the celebration. The general decoration of the table should be decorated in a common unified style, not overloaded with unnecessary dining and decorative elements, and should correspond to the theme of the holiday.

For various celebrations, special decor elements are used, indicating compliance with a particular holiday. All these elements are additional decoration that decorates the table and creates a general mood. But there are basic components without which serving a festive table is impossible: cutlery, porcelain and glassware, textiles and paper products. These components should be correctly and conveniently placed on the table, creating a single harmonious style.