As you begin attending networking events and setting up dinner meetings with associates, dining etiquette becomes more important. It’s common knowledge that nonverbal cues contribute to how you present yourself and dining is a perfect example of that.
I recently went to a great Dining Etiquette class and I wanted to share a few of the lessons I learned.
- Silverware
- The silverware in front of you shows what meal you’ll be having. Since you never reuse utensils, you’ll be using one set per course.
- Start from outside in. Begin by using the silverware on the outside and work towards the utensils closer to your plate.
- Sitting
- Sit down from the right of your chair.
- Wait for your host to sit first.
- Only take off jacket if host does. The instructor said that leaving clothes on to signifies power.
- Be aware of your real estate, know which is your water, your silverware, your plate when you sit down.
- Fold your napkin in half. Place it in your lap with fold near your knees so that you can easily brush off discarded food if need be.
- Being served
- Wait staff serves on left and clears from right. Keep this in mind during the meal so that you know which way to lean. Be sure to thank the wait staff!
- Eating
- Use “continental” style of eating – hold fork down, use knife to push food on plate. (see resources)
- Scoop soup away from self. Be sure not to slurp or blow on soup.
- If bread is offered, you may take bread and place it on the proper plate. Our instructor told us not to move bread plate up. Proper etiquette is to break off bite sized piece, apply butter, chew, repeat.
- Salt and pepper travel together. Consider the two married – pass and receive them together.
- If you have a piece of meat don’t cut up the whole piece. Be sure to cut off one piece at a time, chew that piece, and repeat.
- Try not to
mix all of your foods together. If there are separate pieces of the course that you would like to mix, you can mix them on a small scale – basically for each bite. Please refrain from mixing the whole plate together into one big mass. - Try food before salting. Our instructor shared a story with us about a job candidate heavily salting their food before trying it, the interviewer concluded that this was an impatient person who acted without proof and passed on them. While this is an extreme, tasting before salting probably makes sense. Also, salting before tasting can insult the cook if the meal is homemade!
- Only eat a bite at a time so that you can talk. Be sure to only eat small pieces of food so that you aren’t trying to speed chew to answer a question.
- Finishing your meal
- When done with soup, leave your spoon in soup or on the rim.
- Put silverware down properly to show resting or that you’re done.
- Don’t remove unwanted food from plate, just push it aside and ignore it.
- If you need to leave, just say “excuse me” and put your napkin on chair, if leaving permanently just say “it was wonderful dining with you”.
- 3 B’s of leaving a conversation - bathroom, bar, boring. Be sure to be polite when leaving a conversation!
- Paying
- If this is a free dinner or event you pre-paid for, then you’re all set!
- If you’re hosting and paying -try to set up a way to pay beforehand. Either pre-pay or put a card on record to avoid awkwardness at the end.
- If you attended, be sure to send a thank you note. Hand written preferred!
We hope that this has been helpful! Keep in mind that etiquette changes depending on the situation and that while we discussed some great general rules, this was mostly tailored to a more formal event.
Resources:
***
Phoebe Farber is the Founder & CEO of Prospective Plus, which has built CareerApp.me - the Common App for Jobs. She is from NY but is currently based in Boston as she attends Northeastern University. Feel free to reach out to Phoebe at phoebe@careerapp.me .
No comments:
Post a Comment