Western-table-manner

WesterntablewaresandtablemannerFromtimetotime--perhapsatanimportantbusinessdinner,aromanticdateatanexpensiverestaurant,orafirstdinnerwiththefamilyofthepersonwhomaybetheOne--Tablemannersplayanimportantpartinmakingafavorableimpression.itisnecessarytograspsomegeneralrulesonwesterntable.Howdowesterncountriesplacetablewares?Inthemiddletwoplatesarestackedtogether.Theupperone,smalleroneissaladplate.Thebiggeroneisserviceplate.Andthereisanapkinonthesaladplate.Ontheleftsideoftheplatesaretwoforks.Thesmalleroneissaladfork,thebiggeroneisdinnerfork.Exceptforthesetwoforks,thereisanotherforkwhichisplacedinfrontofthetwoplates.Thisforkisforeatingcake.Whatputupperbehindthecakeforkisdessertspoon.Sorememberthatthecakeforkandthedessertspoonareplacedinfrontofthetwoplates.Whereisthesoupspoon?Itisplacedontherightsideofthetwoplates.Thesmallerspoonnexttosoupspoonisteaspoon.Theknifewhichisclosetothetwoplatesisdinnerknife(sometimesanotherknifecalledfishknifewillbeplacedbetweenthedinnerknifeandteaspoon).Theknifewhichisplacedonthebreadplateisbreadknife.Andthebreadplateisplacedinthefrontofdinnerfork.Thelastisthesettingofglasses.Theglassesareplacedontherightsideofbreadplatewhichshouldbeplacedontheupperrightsideofdessertspoon.Fromlefttorighttheuseofeachglassesisdifferent.Theleftoneisusedfordrinkingwater,themiddleoneisusedfordrinkingredwineandtherightsideoneisusedfordrinkingwhitewine.Theuseofnapkin:Unfoldthenapkinandfolditinhalfbeforeputtingitonyourlap.Placethenapkinonthearmorbackofyourchairifyouneedtoexcuseyourselffromthetableforawhile.Placethenapkinattheleftsideofyourplatetosignalyouarefinished.Usethenapkintowipeyourmouthgently.Don’tblowyournoseintoyournapkin.Theuseofknifeandfork:Startingwiththeknife,forkthatisfarthestfromyourplate,workyourwayin,usingoneutensilforeachcourse.Knifeinrighthand,forkinefthandholdingfood.Afterafewbite-sizedpiecesoffoodarecut,placeknifeonedgeofplatewithbladefacingin.Eatfoodbyswitchingforktorighthand.Aftereatingsomething,you’dbetterputtheknifeandforkdiagonallyonthefurthersideofyourplate.Don’tplacethemleaningontheplate.Alwaysplacetheknifewiththebladein.(Don’tplacethemleaningontheplate.Alwaysplacetheknifewiththebladein.)Resting:Separatetheknifeandforkontheplate,bladesfacingin/prongsdown,ifyouexcuseyourselffromthetableforawhile.Done:Placetheknifeandforkparalleledonyourplatetogether,bladesfacingin/prongsup,tosignalthatyouraredonewiththecourse.GeneralTableManners:Wearproperly.Arriveintime.Pulloutthechairfortheladywhositsonyourrighthandside.Donotsitdownbeforealltheladiesareseated.Takeyourseatfromtheleftsideofthechair.Pullyourchairupandsitclosetothetable.Turnoffyourcellphoneorswitchittosilentmodebeforesittingdowntoeat,andputitinyourpocketorpurse.JoinyourforeignfriendswhentheybowtheirheadstosaygracebeforethemealbeginsinmanyChristianhomes.Whenthehostesstakeshernapkin,openyournapkininhalfandputitonyourlap.Tryalittleofeverything.(Foodisservedfromtheleft.Dishesareremovedfromtheright.Formoreformaldinners,fromcoursetocourse,yourtablewarewillbetakenawayandreplacedasneeded.)Alwayssaypleasewhenaskingforsomething.Besuretosaythankyoutoyourserver.Dipthespoonintothesoup,movingitawayfromthebody,untilitisabouttwo-thirdsfull,thensipthesoupquietlyfromthesideofthespoon.Itisperfectlyfinetoraisethebowlslightlytoscoopupthelastspoonfulortwoofsoup.Alwayspassfoodfromthelefttotheright(unlessthepersonaskingforthefoodistoyourimmediateleft).Ifthedishyouarepassinghasahandle,offerthehandletotherecipientwhenpassingit.Keepyourelbowsoffthetable.Keepyourlefthandonyourlapunlessyouareusingit.Don'tblowonyourfoodtocoolitoff.(Ifitistoohottoeat,takethehintandwait.)Donottalkwithyourmouthfull.Chewwithyourmouthclosed.Cutonlyenoughfoodforthenextmouthful.Eatinsmallbitesandslowly.Removethefoodyoucan’tswallowwithyourforkandputinonyourplaceandtrytocoveritwithvegetables.Don'tansweraphoneduringdinner.(Ifyoumustmakeortakeacall,excuseyourselffromthetableandstepoutsideoftherestaurant.)Talktothepeoplebesideyou,butdon’tspeaktooloudly.(Onthetable,theyprotestquiet,enjoyableandpeacefuldinningenvironment.Theyadvocatefreedomandthinkthathavingdinningwithnoiseisveryrudeandimpolite.)Neverturnawineglassupsidedowntodeclinewine.(Itismorepolitetoletthewinebepouredandnotdrawattention.Otherwise,holdyourhandoverthewineglasstosignalthatyoudon'twantanywine.)Donotblowyournoseatthetable.(Excuseyourselftovisittherestroom.)Alwaysleaveatipwheneatingatarestaurant.(Tipscanvaryfrom15%to25%.)TherearemanydifferencesbetweenChineseandwesterntablemanners.Itisnecessaryforustohaveaknowledgeaboutwesterntablemannerssothatwewon’tfeelatalosswhenfacingsomanytablewaresonaforeigndinnertable.Westerntablemannersarealittlecomplicated,butaslongasyouhavemasteredthebasicrules,youwillbeabletoadaptsmoothlytothesituationflexiblyandhandleeventhemostformalevent.