Ask JBogle!

Our resident everything expert, Julie Bogle, will answer your questions about pretty much everything from proper table manners to job interviews and everything in between.

This week: the etiquette of eating at event, banquet or restaurant.

Q: JBogle- I went to a banquet last night and realized that I don’t know what I’m doing when it comes to proper eating etiquette. Which fork do you use for what and when is it time to propose a toast? - Minding my manners

A: Manners- The formal dining experience is one that confuses most of us… so much so that Haskayne and a few sororities even host ‘etiquette training’ evenings! Here are some tips and tricks that will get you through your evening:

• The order for most banquets is: 1. Pre-dinner drinks and appetizers (often served while standing and socializing). 2. Salad (often you can help yourself to a dinner roll at this time). 3. Main course. 4. Dessert and coffee.
• During the Pre-dinner drinks, limit yourself to one or two drinks as you have the whole evening to socialize in a fairly intimate setting (a table of eight can get really awkward with one drunk table member).
• While eating appetizers, always take a napkin, even when the food is going straight into your mouth! You can reuse the napkin for future appetizers.
• Always stand up and shake hands when meeting your fellow table members.
• Place the napkin on your lap after all members of your table have arrived and your host (or most senior member of the table) places their napkin on their lap. If you leave the table before dessert, place the napkin on your chair. When you are finished your meal, place the loose napkin on your plate.
• When serving wine, always serve the most senior member of your table first. Depending on cultural traditions, often the females are served before males.
• Tear pieces of your dinner roll off (do not use a knife to cut the dinner roll) and individually butter each piece.
• Use your outermost utensils first and move your way ‘in’ towards the plate. Your dessert fork and spoon will be at the top of your plate whereas your salad fork will be more ‘outside’ than your dinner fork.
• When eating meat, cut off small bite size pieces by using your right hand and “placing your index finger about an inch down the handle to help you press down firmly”. Your fork should be in your left hand, prongs down. Use your left hand with your fork to bring the food to your mouth (don’t switch!)
• When resting your utensils, cross them on your plate. When you are finished and ready for your plate to be cleared, set your fork and knife side by side on your plate, fork closest to your body and knife blade closest to your body.
• The fork prongs always face down on your plate.

For more information and to learn the proper etiquette for a 7 course meal, visit http://life.familyeducation.com/eating-out/etiquette/48924.html