How to properly arrange cutlery on the table. Cutlery

Each of us would do well to brush up on the rules of etiquette at the table, and perhaps even learn something new about how to behave while eating. Most important rules etiquette that absolutely everyone should use.

Each of us notices when someone in a cafe at a nearby table eats carelessly or stealthily wipes his hands on his knees. In the same way, other people notice our mistakes, any behavior is conspicuous and can cause embarrassment. Therefore, it is better to check yourself and correct your own behavior if necessary.

How to behave at the table

General rules apply to any situation, they will never be superfluous. The first thing we pay attention to when we see a person is his posture. Posture characterizes not only the behavior or condition of a person, but also reveals the secrets of his character.

An insecure person will fidget nervously on the edge of a chair, a notorious person will try to slouch in order to become less noticeable. Sit up straight, but in a way that is comfortable for you. Hands can be placed on the edge of the table or on your knees, and it is better to press your elbows to your sides.

By the way, in order to learn to hold the elbows near the body in Soviet time I was advised to periodically train - to have lunch, holding a couple of weighty books to my elbows. This is necessary so that the correct bodily pattern is formed, and you keep your elbows flawlessly even when you don’t think about it at all.

rules table etiquette imply almost all situations that can happen to a person and give a clear recommendation on how to act in a given situation.

Naturally, table etiquette at home and restaurant etiquette are somewhat different. However, there are rules that are appropriate in any situation:

• do not speak too loudly;
• do not take a fork or spoon with food too far from the mouth;
• you can not make sounds while eating;
• eat calmly, without undue haste.

Restaurant

The rules of conduct in a restaurant imply some composure - you need to behave correctly and with dignity in order to make a good impression on others.

1. A man must let the lady go first, but if a company of men or women goes to the restaurant, then everyone is on an equal footing or rely on the initiator of the dinner.
2. If several people are to meet at dinner, and someone is late, then by mutual agreement with the rest of the guests, you can wait for those who are late for about a quarter of an hour. A longer wait is a sign of disrespect for guests who arrived on time.
3. If you happened to be late, then you should apologize, and then just join the others. You should not draw special attention to the fact of being late and explain the reason, just join in the table conversation.
4. During a meeting of a man and a woman in a restaurant, a man should read the menu and offer his companion any dishes. For a girl in this case, expressing her indifference is a sign of bad manners. Etiquette in a restaurant implies the participation of a lady in the choice of dishes.
5. In a restaurant, you should not conduct a conversation in raised tones and laugh out loud. If this happened by accident, it makes sense to apologize to other visitors and be quieter. Observe table etiquette, and if someone behaves inappropriately at the next table, then this should be reported to the waiter.
6. You need to start eating when the waiter brought out the ordered dishes to all those present. If a person who is waiting for his dish to be prepared does not mind, he can make an offer to others to start eating.
7. It is strictly forbidden to work at the table hygiene procedures- wipe your face, neck and hands with napkins, comb your hair or tint your lips. If you need to pay attention to your appearance, it is better to do it in a special room. Dining etiquette also does not welcome traces of lipstick on dishes. Before you start eating, the girl should carefully remove the lipstick with a napkin.
8. Any interaction with food also looks uncivilized - food is on the table in order to eat it. Taking photos for Instagram, blowing on the soup, meticulously poking around in the salad, commenting on the ingredients - is indecent.
9. If you come across a cartilage or a bone in some dish, you need to carefully return the inedible element back to the spoon and move it to a plate (or napkin).

How to handle appliances

1. In no case should you check the cleanliness of the appliances, and if you still notice a cloudy spot on the fork or spoon, you need to quietly draw the attention of the waiter to this oversight and politely ask for a replacement.
2. In most restaurants, the table is set in advance, and cutlery is laid out on both sides of the serving plate.
3. Do not get lost if there are more dishes on the table than you expected to see - everything has its own purpose, and if you are in doubt about which fork or spoon you should take, you can always see how other guests solve this problem.
4. Those devices that lie on the left of the plate are used by the left hand, and those that are laid out on the right must be kept in right hand.
5. With complex serving, each dish relies on its own devices, so if you are in doubt which fork should be taken, take the far one - the one that is furthest from the edge of the plate. As you change dishes, you will gradually approach the nearest appliances.
6. The knife is used either for cutting food or for spreading pâtés and butter (for example, during breakfasts). You should not try pieces from a knife.
7. Cut meat or fish should be sequentially, as it is eaten. Cutting the whole portion at once is a bad form. It is generally accepted that this way the dish cools down faster and loses its main flavors.

Learn in advance a few differences between different cutlery, so as not to get into a mess.

Forks

• second hot dishes are eaten with a table fork, it has four cloves, and in length it is slightly inferior to the diameter of the plate and is placed on the left;
• a fish fork is used for hot fish dishes, looks smaller than a diner and has four short cloves, a fish fork is easy to recognize by its recesses - they are needed to separate the bones;
• snack fork - a reduced duplicate of a table fork, they eat cold snacks with it;
• dessert fork - for pies, small, corresponds to the size of a dessert plate and looks atypical;
• a fruit fork equipped with two prongs, usually served with a fruit knife;
• the remaining forks are considered auxiliary, they are placed next to the dish that they need to eat.

Knives

• any second hot dishes are eaten with a table knife, it is placed to the right of the plate, the blade is turned to the plate;
• a fish knife is blunt and resembles a spatula, used to separate the flesh of the fish from the bones;
• the snack knife is small and has teeth;
• dessert and fruit knife look similar - they are the smallest.

spoons

• a tablespoon - the largest, lies to the right of the plate;
• a dessert spoon is served with a dessert that does not require cutting - soft puddings, jellies and whipped cream;
• an ice cream spoon is served with a bowl;
• the cocktail spoon has a very narrow and long handle;
• a teaspoon can be served with any hot drink;
• coffee spoon - the smallest, served only with black coffee.

Dialogue and table manners

Table etiquette includes not only the use of utensils, proper positioning and good posture, but also the manner in which dialogues and conversations are conducted.

It is worth noting that table etiquette categorically prohibits discussing provocative issues that can lead to a serious conflict - therefore, one should refrain from commenting on money, politics and religion.

How to behave at the table and what to say? Be sure to look at the person who is addressing you, listen without interrupting, and only then answer. If you think some questions of the interlocutor are inappropriate for a meal, delicately offer to discuss this a little later. In all other cases, the answer should be easy and unconstrained.

The restaurant does not mean also violent disputes - refrain from inappropriate comments and lighten the mood with a cute joke if someone else raises their voice.

You should not talk only together, involve the rest of the participants in the meal. For example, if the conversation turned to a recent vacation, you can ask one of the interlocutors if he is going to go on vacation in the near future or what places he prefers to relax.

Also good tone in any table conversation there will be praise of the host, chef or initiator of the meeting - find a few kind words to note the general atmosphere of the evening.

A short course in etiquette

• Do what the majority does.
• Don't point out to others their mistakes, in the most extreme case, this can be said quietly in an undertone and only to your neighbor on the table.
• Don't skip meals for too long.
• Leaving the table - apologize.
• Try everything and eat what you like.
• Behind common table do not discuss diet, eating disorders, food restrictions alcoholic beverages and diet.

It is better to study some rules of behavior at the table by looking at the pictures - look at the basic table setting patterns, you can also watch the video on how to properly hold this or that device.

Table etiquette is not that difficult if you give it a little time, and following all the rules will help you present your best side.

How many times in the cinema have each of us seen comical (mostly) scenes in which the characters were baffled by such seemingly ordinary things as cutlery? Or rather, ignorance of their purpose and inability to use them. Many times, right? At the same time, most of us, having laughed at actors portraying clumsiness, rarely think about how competent we ourselves are in this area. And in vain - everything happens in life. Suddenly you find yourself at a reception, for example, with the Spanish king! Or at a business dinner with potential partners. Or you and your friends will be invited to lunch by Robert De Niro ... In general, this text will be useful for everyone to read. It contains details about cutlery.

Knife

Where else to start a story about cutlery, if not with a knife? At first, of course, the knife was a universal object: it was taken to war, to hunt, it was also used at the table. But time passed, needs and habits became more refined, people (at first to know) were no longer satisfied with this state of affairs - knives began to differ from each other in their purpose. A separate type of them appeared - table knives. All of them had (and have) an oval and blunt end of the blade. This is due, as you might guess, with the rather rigid mores of the past: sharp knife on the table could always become a weapon. Actually, it can be assumed that a table knife can also become a melee weapon - it all depends on the situation. But still, one must think that harming them is somewhat more difficult. Not worth checking.

The spoon

Although the spoon appeared later than the knife, it became a cutlery earlier. So, for example, in Russia it has been known since at least the 12th century. Whereas table knives entered European use not earlier than the 16th century (before that, as already mentioned, they were not singled out as a separate category). Spoons along with knives were usually worn behind the tops of boots. Those who were richer had special cases. In general, it used to be customary to carry cutlery with you - you never know where you have to eat. There are even sayings on this subject: “With your spoon at other people's dinners”, or “A thrifty guest does not go without a spoon”.

Fork

The fork came into use in Europe around the 15th century. Although “came into use” is a strong word: this device appeared in very limited quantities and was the privilege of the nobility. The distribution of the fork "from top to bottom" occurred gradually. As for Russia, it was brought to our state by Peter I. Separate attempts to introduce a fork into Russian life were, however, earlier, but unsuccessful. Thanks to the first Russian emperor nevertheless, its slow, but ultimately victorious march across the domestic expanses began. Here is what is written in the edition of the century before last "Russian Antiquity": "At the device of Peter I, they always put wooden spoon, seasoned with ivory, a knife and a fork with green bone handles, and the attendant on duty was charged with the duty to carry them with him and put them in front of the king, even if he happened to dine at a party. At first, the forks were flat, with two prongs. But gradually their shape became more convenient, the number of teeth increased to three, and then four. The common people in Russia recognized the fork and began to use it only in the 19th century.

How to use correctly

Everyone cutlery separately, you see, we rarely use. With a knife, for example, it is generally impossible to eat - you need a fork. Unless a spoon is, in general, a self-sufficient thing, but it has long been perceived as one of the rather numerous representatives of the cutlery family.

The meal usually starts with appetizers. In this case, there are snack cutlery. Usually it is a knife and fork. The length of the snack knife, as a rule, is equal to the diameter of the snack plate (it is also special). However, it is assumed that it (the knife) will be slightly longer (a centimeter or two). The fork may be slightly smaller. Appetizers are served with cold appetizers of all kinds, as well as some hot ones: pancakes, scrambled eggs, fried ham and others.

Further on the table, most likely, there will be main dishes: first, second. Cutlery should be changed. Actually, a spoon, a fork and a knife for the main hot dishes are called “canteens”. Here, as in the first case, the table knife should be equal in length to the diameter of the dinner plate. Spoon and fork can be a little shorter. In the absence of special devices on the table (which will be discussed below), a tablespoon, fork and knife are also used to transfer portions of food from a common plate to the mealer's plate.

If lunch or dinner includes a fish dish or even dishes, then in order to taste them, it would be good to use special fish utensils. This is a knife and fork. The first one is dumb and appearance resembles a spatula. Fish fork - with four prongs, but shorter than those of the "classic" fork. By the way, they use fish appliances for eating mainly hot fish dishes. There is also (though rare) a separate auxiliary fish device - a fork for sprats. She has a wide base with a shovel, five teeth. The teeth at the end are interconnected by a bridge: to make it easier to pick up fragile fish with a fork, so that it does not deform. Please note that the sprat fork is intended only for shifting fish (not only sprats, but also, for example, sardines) into your plate.

Now dessert. They also rely on him special devices. Desserts are a knife, a fork and a spoon. The length of the knife, as many have probably guessed, should roughly correspond to the diameter of the dessert plate. A dessert knife is narrower than a snack knife, with a pointed tip (which means not all table knives are blunt!). The spoon and fork can be slightly shorter than the knife. The latter should have three teeth.

Dessert knife and fork are used if cheese, some types of cakes, sweet pies (including the famous "charlotte"), watermelon, melon are served. A dessert spoon is useful for sweet dishes that do not need to be cut. These can be berry mousses, berries with cream or milk, fruit and berry compotes, ice cream, sweet cereals and other types of desserts. It happens that a dessert spoon is also served with broths in cups. This is a common mistake. If the broth or light soup is served in a cup, it should be drunk. Eating from a cup with a spoon, even a dessert one, is simply inconvenient.

Fruit is also a dessert, but there is a separate type of device for them. Fruit knife and fork are smaller than dessert ones. The fork has only two tines.

For tea and coffee, separate types of spoons are used: tea and coffee. However, not only for tea and coffee. So, for example, a teaspoon is also useful for coffee with milk, cocoa, fruit cocktails, grapefruits, soft-boiled eggs or “in a bag”. But a small coffee spoon is served, basically, only with coffee: espresso or brewed in an oriental way. There are also special spoons with a long handle - for example, they are served with tea or coffee with ice, other drinks in tall glasses.

Wooden chopsticks are also cutlery. They came to us from East Asia along with dishes of Chinese, Korean, Japanese and other cuisines, which are now very popular in Russia and in the world in general. In fact, chopsticks are not only wooden, but also metal, bone, plastic. If it happens outside of countries where chopsticks are traditional cutlery, then European cutlery is usually served along with them - in case someone does not know how to use chopsticks. However, in the same China, if you eat not quite in a cheap eatery (anything happens), you will also be served a fork and knife if you ask, not to mention good restaurants.

Use of auxiliary devices

In addition to the main cutlery, there are also auxiliary cutlery. One of them (sprat fork) has already been mentioned above. Now a few words about other table helpers.

Knives. In addition to those already described, there are at least three more types of knives. First of all, a butter knife. It is needed to cut off and transfer pieces of butter to your plate (if it is served in a piece). Characteristic such a knife - a curved semi-arc blade.

In addition to the butter knife, there is also a special knife for serving a piece of cheese. It is called a knife-fork and has a crescent shape with teeth at the end. With it, the cheese is cut off from big piece and placed on a separate plate. For cutting lemons there is a knife-saw. After the lemon is cut, you can take a slice of it special fork for a lemon with two teeth.

Other “auxiliary” forks: for serving herring (two-horned), in a set of cutlery for crabs, crayfish, shrimp - long, with two prongs, for oysters, mussels, cold fish cocktails - three prongs, one of them (left) is more powerful than the others, to make it easier to separate the pulp of mollusks from shells. The chill fork has three prongs, they are short and wide - needed for hot fish snacks.

Spoons. They are also different. In addition to the above, there is, for example, a salad spoon. It is usually larger than the dining room. There are salad spoons with three small teeth at the end. The purpose of such a spoon is to transfer salad from a common dish to a serving plate. A ladle familiar to everyone is also a spoon (bottling). Need it, of course, for pouring soups, as well as milk, jelly, compotes. The sizes of ladles vary depending on their specific purpose. A very small spoon (about a centimeter in diameter) is for salt. She puts herself in the salt shaker.

Forceps. Do not worry and do not remember dentistry: we remain within the framework of cooking. Tongs are also auxiliary cutlery. So, large confectionery tongs serve to transfer (again from a common dish to an individual plate) flour confectionery. Small confectionery tongs are used for shifting sugar, marmalade, chocolates (assorted, unwrapped), marshmallows. Nut tongs are two V-shaped handles with serrated recesses for nuts. Ice also requires tongs - they are made in the form of a long U-shaped bracket, at the ends of which there are serrated blades on both sides. If you love asparagus, then you probably know that there are special tongs for it. They are needed in order to shift the asparagus from the grill, on which it is often cooked. Actually, asparagus tongs are always sold complete with a grill.

Next, let's move on to the blades. To table blades. There are many of them: caviar is similar to a flat scoop; it is used to transfer granular or chum salmon caviar to a caviar plate. The so-called "rectangular" blade is used for shifting meat and vegetable dishes. In general, for hot and cold dishes there is also a figured spatula with slots. And without a small figured spatula, you and I, of course, will not be able to cope with the pate. Cakes with cakes (those that you can’t take with tongs) must be shifted with a large figured spatula, these are quadrangular in shape.

Of course, hardly anyone can find a complete collection of cutlery at home. Even restaurants don't always have everything. Nowadays, the culture of food consumption has become somewhat simplified, fast foods and other eateries reign: time is saved on everything, even on food - we are in a hurry to live and feel in a hurry.

In conclusion, just a few words about how to properly use cutlery. Actually, no one doubts that the readers of "Culinary Eden" are well aware of this. Still, it doesn't hurt to consolidate knowledge.

So, never hold a knife in your left hand. This is an unshakable rule. Even for lefties. Bring your fork (or spoon) to your mouth, not the other way around. During the meal, when you carry the fork or spoon to your mouth, keep it parallel to the table. Do not be greedy, do not fill the spoon with soup to the brim - "on the way" you can accidentally spill some, stain the tablecloth or even one of the neighbors. Do not blow on hot soup - again, there is a danger that splashes will reach other participants in the meal. And yes, it doesn't look great from the outside. If you tilt your plate to finish your leftovers delicious soup- Tilt it away from you. Some etiquette experts, however, generally do not allow the possibility of such "liberties" in polite society: a meal is almost a sacrament.

If you took the device from the table, you should not put it back on the tablecloth. Not in the sense that you should put it in your pocket, but in the fact that, firstly, you can stain the tablecloth, and secondly, dust particles with villi can stick to the device, which have no way into your mouth. During a pause in the meal, put the cutlery on a plate, next to the food. If this is a knife and a fork, then their ends should intersect a little ("draw" a full-fledged cross in a plate is not worth it). When the meal is over, put the cutlery on the plate in parallel (knife with the tip to the fork): the waiter or the owner of the feast will understand that the plate can be removed.

Or at a dinner party, it can be difficult for an inexperienced person to figure out how to properly use all these countless cutlery. It won’t take long to get confused, remembering the purpose of several dozen forks and spoons. It will not be possible to study the rules for using cutlery immediately. The ability to eat aesthetically while maintaining a relaxed look is a whole art.
In order to study the table rules of etiquette, cutlery, their types, purpose, it will take time. People who have been taught since childhood definitely have advantages, but others should also start to understand this art.
Information: why and for what all cutlery, will help you feel more confident in any society, it is easy to start useful links, it is beautiful to enjoy the most exquisite food.
There are two styles of table etiquette - continental(for Europe) and American. Each of them implies significant differences in behavior at the table. In the European style of etiquette, every movement of the hands, the position of the items left on the plate are important. According to one theory, it has remained unchanged since the 17th century. Other researchers argue that the Napoleonic era greatly simplified etiquette in favor of convenience.

traditional cutlery

Every item on the table has a purpose. There are several sets that are customary to use in a solemn setting:

• Large dining set: contains the usual spoon, knife, fork, which is used to eat most dishes.
• snack set: items in it are somewhat smaller than ordinary dining rooms.
• dessert set: small in size, but the items are similar to ordinary ones.
• Garnish forks: there are two of them, one has 4 teeth.
• sauce spoon.
• meat set: consists of 2 forks of different sizes with 2 prongs and a knife.
• Steak knife.
• Salad spoons and salad tongs.
• Fish set.

Cutlery serving

Correctly setting the table for guests is the task of the waiters or the owners of the house. The cutlery on the table is arranged in strict accordance with the order in which the dishes are served, so it is easier to navigate which fork and what to eat. Under each item you need to lay a napkin. Which side the spoon and fork lies on depends on whether the guest is right-handed or left-handed.
is needed not only for aesthetics, its purpose is also the convenience of eating. In accordance with the cutlery, lying in a certain order, the rules should be clear: how and why to use them, why they are here. So guests can understand where the fork or knife is for fish, with which fork they eat salad. During meals, the mood of others, the atmosphere is very important. The location of food utensils according to etiquette has been determined for centuries, it serves as a good helper to look aesthetically pleasing and dignified.

How to properly hold a knife and fork according to etiquette

In which hand to hold a knife with a fork depends on the style of etiquette. According to American You can eat pre-cut food with your right hand. The fork is first in the left hand, then the knife is put on the plate, and it can be shifted to the right. This method is convenient for everyone who is not used to frills while eating. You can take a knife only when necessary. It must be put aside on the edge of the dish.


The European style is more strict about which hand to hold the knife and which one to hold the fork. Do not let go of cutlery while eating. The fork must always be held in the left hand.
If the food does not require cutting, hold the fork correctly in the right hand and use it like a spatula to break off a piece of chopped steak or scoop up a portion of the side dish. This method does not require special skills. You can just eat soft food with a fork or.
The upper third of the cutlery handle must be clasped with the whole palm in order to eat them more confidently without risking dropping them.

There are 3 ways to hold the fork:

You can cut meat with a knife only towards yourself in order to avoid accidents. It is unacceptable to produce extraneous sounds by touching the edges or bottom of the dishes with appliances.

cutlery language

The knife and fork on the plate can tell a lot to the waiter. Gestures with two cutlery will help confident communication with service personnel during a meal. After eating, put the knife and fork in parallel so that the dirty plate is taken away.
If you want to praise the chef, you need to place the items parallel to the edge of the table towards the left on your plate. You can put the fork and knife far apart, which serves as a signal that the guest is full, good taste food.
Signs of poor service cutlery can be filed in three ways:

• Cross them by holding the knife between the teeth (did not like the food);
• Objects are located with their handles up at an angle to each other (the attitude is unfriendly);
• Items lie parallel towards the edge of the table (administrator call).

There is another flirtatious signal. Cross objects slightly. Above is a knife. This speaks of a great mood after a wonderful dinner.
To change dishes faster, objects must be crossed perpendicularly. This is a signal that the guest is in a hurry.
A sign of a pause so that the plate is not taken away will be objects crossed or located on the edge of the plate.

Dessert tableware

There are separate serving items for desserts and coffee. The tea ceremony of Europeans is not as complicated as the Chinese one, but cutlery must be put no less.

Tongs, spoon for sugar.

Cake spatula.

Cheese knife.

Spatula, tongs for baking.

Coffee spoon.

Fruit set.


Compote spoon. It is customary for her to eat boiled fruits along with syrup.

Sour cream spoon. She is as fat as a ladle.

dessert set.

Special cutlery

Some appliances are served only with certain dishes.

Lobster fork and lobster tongs. Break the shell with tongs. A two-toothed small fork is used to get meat from the claws.

Devices for black caviar. With the help of a special spatula, caviar can be safely transferred to a plate or sandwich.


Tongs and a small snail fork. They get tender meat from the shell.




Knife and fork for oysters.

In 5 signs to the waiter that you need to know.

When we eat in a restaurant, how do you signal to the waiter that you are waiting for the second course?

And how do you let him know that you have gone away for a minute and you don’t need to take away the plates? There has long been a sign language, which the waiters are trained to recognize. Here are a few simple rules, remembering which it will be possible to signal your intentions.

Just remember that these signs may vary slightly, depending on the host country.

The meal is over

In order to signal to the waiter that you have finished eating and that your dishes can be removed, you should not dump used napkins into plates and move them away from you. Just fold the fork and knife parallel to each other, handles to the right. The blade of the knife should be facing you and the tines of the fork should be facing up. Do the same with your fork and spoon after dessert.

Finished:

First courses are always served in deep plates set on shallow ones. If you are in a Russian restaurant, then the spoon, after the soup is eaten, can also be left in a deep plate. Leave it there if the meal is still going on. Therefore, do not rely on the attention of the waiter, but watch your plate yourself so as not to part with it ahead of time. In Europe, when the soup is eaten, the spoon must be taken out and put on the bottom plate.

Ready for the next meal:

They do the same when they eat salads and desserts served in small, deep vases or bowls placed on a shallow dish. Until you have finished eating, put the knife and fork, resting their tips on its edge. After finishing the meal, put the cutlery on it in parallel. If the dishes allow, the spoon can be left directly in the vase.

Excellent:

did not like:

A LITTLE ABOUT EASTERN WISDOM.

To tell a waiter in a Chinese restaurant that it's time to put the dishes away, just put the chopsticks across the plate with the sharp ends to the left. In a Japanese restaurant, this is not allowed, and the chopsticks, both during the meal and after it is completed, are placed on a special rectangular stand with the ends up.

THE LANGUAGE OF THE TISSUE.

With the help of a tissue napkin, you can also give some signals. If you decide to leave for a while, put her on a chair, and when you return, fold it in half and place it on your knees again. If you are leaving the restaurant, place the napkin to the left of the plate, with the used side facing inward. Thus, you will inform that you are leaving completely, and you can remove everything from the table.

Just don't put cloth napkins in dirty dishes and don't try to give them original view, constructing figures from them.

It is very easy to pass for a savage because of the way you wield a knife and fork. But at dinner parties, at a restaurant, or at formal events, you'll probably prefer to use classic style. There is a European (continental) style and American style. Which do you prefer?

Steps

Part 1

European (Continental) style

The fork should be on the left of the plate and the knife on the right. If you have more than one fork: the last one is used for salads, and the one closer to the plate is used for the main dish. The main course fork is larger than the salad fork.

• We will deal with the issue of table setting at the end. Now concentrate on how to hold the cutlery and learn how to use it! Use it right, of course.

1. To cut the dish on your plate, hold the knife in your right hand. The index finger should lie straight and be located at the base of the blunt side of the knife blade. The other four fingers wrap around the handle. While forefinger located on one side of the knife (blunt side), the thumb holds the knife on the other side (by the handle). The end of the knife handle should touch the base of your palm.

   • The knife is used in the same way in both styles. The rules are for right-handers in both styles. If you are left-handed, follow the instructions given, taking into account your peculiarity (thus, you will hold the knife in your left hand and the fork in your right).

2. Hold the fork in your left hand. The teeth should point down. The index finger is straight and located on the back of the fork, at its base, but not so close as to touch food when using the device. Other fingers wrap around the handle.

   • This is commonly referred to as the "hidden handle" method. That's because your hand hides the entire handle.

3. Bend your wrists so that your index fingers are pointing down towards the plate. Thus, the ends of the cutlery will also be facing down. Your elbows should be relaxed, not hanging in the air or positioned awkwardly.

   • While you are eating, as a rule, the elbows are located outside the table. But if you decide to take a break, you don't have to follow this rule.

4. Hold the food with a fork by applying pressure to the device with your index finger. If you must use a knife, cut off the food at the base of the fork with a sawing motion. Dishes such as pasta require a little effort, but you may have to work a little to cut the meat. Usually one or two incisions are made at a time.

   • Hold the fork so that the tines are curved towards you, with the knife further away from you than from the fork. You can hold it at an angle - just make sure you can see the knife so you know where you're cutting. You should be able to see the knife behind the fork.

5. Use a fork to put a small piece of food in your mouth. The teeth must be facing down. The back of the fork points up.

   • Take a plug in left hand even if you are right handed. By experimenting, you will find that this method is more effective than the other.

   Part 2

   American style

   1. When you cut food, hold the fork in your left hand. Unlike the Continental style, in the American style you hold the fork like a pen. You hold the handle with your thumb and forefinger, middle and thumb hold the base, and the index is located on top. And in this case, the teeth are facing down.

      When you cut, hold the knife in your right hand. The location of the fingers of the right hand is the same as in the previous version - the index finger is along the base, the others are clasping the handle.

      Cut off food. Hold the piece with a fork (teeth pointing down), gently cutting off the food with a sawing motion. The fork should be closer to you than to the knife. Cut off one or two pieces before continuing.

   2. Now change hands. The most important difference between this style and the previous one: after you cut a piece, put the knife on the edge of the plate (blade at 12 o'clock, handle at 3) and take the fork in your right hand. Rotate the fork so that the teeth are facing up! Tadam.

      • This method was common in America when it first became America. Europe also used this method until a more efficient approach was found. In the United States, such a jump did not occur, although there are differences everywhere.

   3. If you are not cutting anything, hold the fork in your right hand (teeth pointing up). If you are eating a dish that does not need to be cut, keep the fork in your right hand at all times. The teeth can be pointing down if you want to cut off a piece, but basically they always point up. However, remember that these rules should be observed only formally. This refers to the situation when, for example, the president is sitting opposite. Otherwise, don't worry about it.

      • Your cutlery should never touch the table. If you are only using a fork, make sure the knife rests on the edge of the plate. When you put the fork down, place it on the edge of the plate with the tines in the center.

   Part 3

   Additional cutlery

   1. Understand how the table is set. In 95% of cases, you will only use a knife, fork and spoon. But in the other unlikely cases, you will come across other accessories and not understand what you should do with them. Here are the options:

      • Serving with four utensils: salad fork, main course fork, main course knife, coffee teaspoon. The salad fork is located on the edge and smaller than the main course fork.
      • Serving with five utensils: the same thing with a soup spoon. A soup spoon should be much larger than a teaspoon.
      • Serving with six utensils: fork and knife for first courses (at the edges), fork and knife for main courses and dessert (salad) fork and teaspoon. The last two devices are the smallest.
      • Serving with seven utensils: the same thing with a soup spoon. A soup spoon is much larger than a teaspoon, but smaller than a knife and fork.
        • If you ever see a small fork on the right (forks are usually never on the right), know it's an oyster fork.
        • Cutlery is usually arranged in the order in which they are used. If you suddenly have doubts, start by using devices on outside and then on the inside.