TABLE SETTING

Table setting or place setting refers to the way to set a table with tableware—such as eating
utensils and dishes for serving and eating. The arrangement for a single diner is called a place setting.
The practice of dictating the precise arrangement of tableware has varied across cultures and historical
periods.

Place setting

Informal settings generally have fewer utensils and dishes but use a layout based on more formal
settings. Utensils are arranged in the order and according to the manner in which the diner will use
them. In the West, forks, bread plate, butter knife, and napkin generally are placed to the left of the
dinner plate, and knives, spoons, stemware and tumblers, cups, and saucers to the right. (By contrast,
formal settings in Greece, Armenia, and Turkey place the fork to the right of the dinner
plate.) Sauceboats and serving dishes, when used, either are placed on the table or, more formally, may
be kept on a side table.

Formal
Utensils are placed about in an inch from the edge of the table, with all placed either upon the same
invisible baseline or upon the same invisible median line. Utensils in the outermost position are used
first (for example, a soup spoon and a salad fork, then the dinner fork and the dinner knife). The blades
of the knives are turned toward the plate. Glasses are placed an inch or so above the knives, also in the
order of use: white wine, red wine, dessert wine, and water tumbler.

Formal dinner
The most formal dinner is served from the kitchen. When the meal is served, in addition to the central
plate (a service plate or dinner plate at supper; at luncheon, a service plate or luncheon plate) at each
place there are a bread roll (generally on a bread plate, sometimes in the napkin), napkin, and flatware
(knives and spoons to the right of the central plate, and forks to the left). Coffee is served in Butler
Service style in demitasses, and a spoon placed on the saucer to the right of each handle. Serving dishes
and utensils are not placed on the table for a formal dinner.[1] The only exception in the West to these
general rules is the protocol followed at the Spanish royal court, which was also adopted by the
Austrian Habsburg court, in which all flatware was placed to the right of the central plate for each diner.

Informal
At an informal setting, fewer utensils are used and serving dishes are placed on the table. Sometimes
the cup and saucer are placed on the right side of the spoon, about four inches from the edge of the
table. Often, in less formal settings, the napkin and/or cutlery may be held together in a single bundle by
a napkin ring. However, such objects as napkin rings are very rare in the United Kingdom, Spain, Mexico,
or Italy.

Different Styles of Table Settings

Table setting style is the focus of any party where food is served. Tableware and setting plan depends on
the event or occasion and it can be as important as the food you serve. The first step to do in putting
together a beautiful and well-planned meal is to understand the different styles of table settings.

3 Different Table Settings:

 1. Formal Table Setting
This is the table setting for festive family dinners, holiday celebrations, weddings and semi-formal events.
A variety of specialty pieces are used depending on the formality of the occasion or event and meal plan.
Formal table setting includes dinner plate and fork; salad plate and fork;knife; bread and butter plate;
butter knife; spoon; water and wine stemware; and linens.

 To the left of dinner plate (outside in): individual salad fork (when salad is served before the main
course), and dinner fork.
 Above salad fork and dinner fork is bread and butter plate and butter knife.
 A salad plate is not set. If salad is served before the main course, the salad plate is placed on top of
the service plate.
 At the center: service plate, with napkin or soup bowl at the center. Appetizer or other first course
is placed on top of the service plate.
 When it is time for the main course, the used appetizer, soup or salad plate is removed along with
the service plate. The entree is immediately served on the dinner plate.
 To the right of dinner plate (outside in): soup spoon (if serving an appetizer in lieu of soup, place
cocktail or oyster fork to the right of knife), place or dinner knife.
 Dinner spoons and forks may be placed horizontally above the place setting, with spoon facing
right and fork facing to the left, or may be brought in on the dessert plates.
 To the right above knife (from left to right forming triangle) : water goblet, (white) wine glass, and
champagne flute.
 Cup and saucer with teaspoon may also be brought in with dessert, or served separately.

2. Casual Table Setting

This table setting is designed for everyday use and is suitable for any meal.

Casual table setting includes dinner plate and fork; salad plate and fork; knife; spoon; water and wine
glasses; and linens.

 To the left of the dinner plate: napkin, salad fork, place fork. Napkin can also be placed on top of
the plate.
 At center: Dinner plate with salad plate or appetizer - if one is to be served - should already be in
placed.
 Set bread and butter plate to the upper left of a dinner plate. Lay butler spreader horizontally
across bread and butter plate with handle to the right.
 To the right of dinner plate (outside in): teaspoon (can be placed on the table or brought in later
with dessert), dinner knife.
 To the top of dinner knife and teaspoon: water goblet and wine goblet may be placed.

3. Buffet Table Setting

This table setting is based on your needs and space limitations. Food are arranged down the table in
succession. Using your creativity, you can work with what's best for the situation.

A buffet table setting includes flatware, multiple dinner plates, stemware, and linens (number of settings
will depend on number of guests expected).

 Buffet table style is the easiest to serve a large number of guests.

 The food being served and the logical sequence of serving yourself usually determine the layout of
the buffet table.
 Dinner plates should come first followed by entree and serving pieces.
  Napkins should be large enough for placement on guest's laps and, along with flatware, should
come last so that they need not be carried the entire length of the table. It is also helpful to guests
to have flatware wrapped in napkin or tissue.
 Leave enough room between serving bowls so that guests can rest their plates as they move
through the line.
 Set up a side table for coffee, tea, and other beverages.
 Dessert can also be set at a side table or the main buffet can be cleared and reset for the dessert.

Foods you can get by hand:

1. Bread: break slices of bread, rolls and muffins in half or into small pieces by hand before
buttering.
2. Bacon: if there’s fat on it, eat it with a knife and fork. If it is crisp, crumble it with a fork and
eat with your fingers.
3. Finger meals: follow the cue of your host. If finger meals are offered on a platter, place them
on your plate before putting them into your mouth.
4. Foods meant to be eaten by hand: corn on the cob, spareribs, lobster, clams and oysters on
the half shell, chicken wings and bones (in informal situations), sandwiches, certain fruits, olives,
celery, dry cakes and cookies.

Removing inedible items from your mouth:

1. Olive pits: drop delicately into your palm before putting them onto your plate.
2. Chicken bone: use your fork to return it to the plate.
3. Fish bones: remove with your fingers.
4. Bigger pieces: bigger bones or food you don’t appreciate you should surreptitiously spit into
your serviette (napkin), so that you can keep it out of sight.

Which glasses go with what drinks

Wine connoisseurs agree that each type of wine needs a particular type of glass to bring out the
distinctive bouquet. Using a narrow glass for a rich Burgundy, for example, won’t allow enough room to
swirl it around in, and it’s the swirl that brings out its bouquet. The glass also needs to taper properly
toward the top so that it captures the bouquet yet allows for sipping. In general, the stem of a glass
should be long enough to keep hands from touching the bowl, which can affect the wine’s temperature,
and therefore its bouquet.

a. Water: full body glass with short stem. Hold the glass by the stem to preserve its chill.

b. Brandy: brandy snifter. Roll the snifter between both hands and then cup it in one hand – warming
the glass brings out the bouquet in brandy.

c. White wine: slightly smaller glass with wider bowl to capture the bouquet. Hold the glass by the stem
to preserve its chill.

d. Burgundy Reds and Pinot Noirs: a wide bowl to bring out their complexity. The glass is slightly taller
than the white wine glass.

e. Champagne: a narrow fluted glass, which reduces the wine’s surface area and keep the bubbles from
dissipating.
f. Red wine: the bigger of the wine glasses. Hold the glass at the bottom of the bowl where it meets the
stem.