PRACTICE IS EVERYTHING
Serving and
Carrying
You can do anything, no matter how hard it seems
at the beginning ! All you need is practice!
Carrying trays
Larger amounts of dishes,
Basic Serving beverages, cutlery and dinnerware
are transported from the kitchen to
and Carrying the dining room and from there to
Exercises the washing area by using a tray.
They are particularly used for long
serving ways (for example a garden
and a terrace) and for room service.
Spread the weight evenly across the tray to ensure
What is important stability
You could carry the tray on a flat hand or on your
when it comes to fingertips
Direct pour openings (spouts) of sauce boats and pots
carrying a tray with hot beverages away from your body in order to
avoid burns in case of spilling over
Do not twist your body when lifting up the tray. Keep a straight body posture
Carry heavy items on the side closest to your body and by the shoulder
Do not lay the tray on your shoulder in order not to transfer the vibrations of the body to the tray.
Go in corridors, staircases and in the kitchen etc., always on the right side
When wearing a full tray downstairs and upstairs hold the front edge of the tray with your free hand
Place the tray on the station on the sideboard. Apart from the risk of accident it is just not possible to
wait at table directly from the tray in sophisticated service/fine dining
Carry empty trays vertically.
Plates Carrying
There are several techniques for carrying plates in a safe and proper manner
Basically the plates are carried with the left hand regardless of which technique you use
Service and clearance are done by right hand (in USA service is done with the left hand)
There are two classic types of grip: an Overhand and Underhand Grip
A waiter can carry in a sophisticated manner a Single Plate, Two Plates or Three Plates in one hand
Hot plates should always be carried with a napkin
UNDERHAND GRIP
Your index and your middle fingers are under the first
plate. Your thumb and your ring fingers are on top of
it, keeping the first plate in place and supporting the
second plate.
CARRYING
PLATES
OVERHAND GRIP
The top plate is supported by your index finger and
the edge of the second plate from the bottom and
your thumb from above. All your other fingers support
the second plate from the bottom.
THREE PLATES CARRY
You perform first the two plates underhand grip
and then lay the third plate on top of your hand
as the edge of the bottom plate is supporting it
from down under.
CARRYING PLATTERS
Carry the platter on the palm of your left hand
while serving
The platter will be presented to the guest from
the left side
PLATTER
SERVICE
Food from the platter will be serve into the
guest's plate from the left side with right hand
The food from the platter will be serve either with
tongs or with fork and spoon!
Platters are use mostly by :
English service
Russian service
Banquet service
Cruise lines
THE SERVING CUTLERY CONSIST OF ONE SOUP SPOON
SERVICE AND ONE TABLE FORK AND IT IS THE UNIVERSAL
CUTLERY WORKING TOOL OF THE WAITER.
Tongs Grip : Flat Grip :
The tongs grip is used for dumplings, baked It is used for lifting delicate/fragile pieces
potatoes , pieces of pie and other pastries. (for example fish filets)
GLASSES ARE SERVED OR CLEARED ONLY WITH TRAY!
CARRYING
GLASSES
ALWAYS TOUCH NEVER PUT BY SETTING UP
STEMWARE YOUR FINGERS TABLES YOU MAY
CARRY STEMWARE
GLASSES BY INSIDE A GLASS GLASSES WITH THE
THE STEAM, A EVEN IN THE OPENING
TUMBLER BY USED ONES DOWNWARDS
THE LOWER BETWEEN THE
FINGERS ONLY IF NO
THIRD
GUESTS ARE
PRESENT
Clearing the table
The plates, glasses and cutlery are cleared from the right but first after all guests have finished the meal.
Exceptions: All plates which are standing on the guest's left are removed from the left.
START WITH THE LADIES
LIFT THE PLATE WITH THE CUTLERY WITH YOUR RIGHT HAND
TAKE THE PLATE BEHIND THE GUEST IN YOUR LEFT HAND
PLACE THE CUTLERY PROPERLY
MOVE IN A CLOCKWISE DIRECTION AND REPEAT THE PROCEDURE
IF YOU ARE ABLE, REMOVE ALL THE DINNERWARE FOR THE FINISHED COURSE
AT ONCE
REMOVE THE BREAD PLATE AND THE BUTTER KNIFE AFTER THE MAIN COURSE
CONSTANTLY REFILL OR REMOVE EMPTY GLASSES
