Wednesday, 11 November 2015

TIPS ON TABLE ETIQUETTE

06:45

In the infamous words of W. S. Gilbert, the man who bites his bread, or eats peas with his knife, I look upon as a lost soul. We need to remind ourselves that though the Victorian epoch has come and gone, good behavior while eating still remains proper. Just to remind you of some still relevant rules for the elegant set dinners.

1)      LATENESS ON TABLE


. Don’t, when an invited guest, be late for dinner. It is both insulting to your host and other guest and seen as a sign of rudeness. Can also mean uncultured behavior.

2)      NAPKIN USAGE.


 Remember not to tuck your napkin under chin. You, my dear, are neither toddler nor child. For this reason u do not need a bib or tucker. When confused about what to do with your napkin, drop it loosely besides your plate. Also you are expected not to mop your face with your napkin. When in use, draw it neatly across your lips.

3)      ON THE LADIES;


 Ladies must be served first before the men and this includes even the ladies of the same household. Only after then can the men be served. No wonder we say ladies first upon gentlemanly behavior.
It is rude to ignore the lady besides u. she has first claim to your attention whether or not you are introduced to her. To give attention to her is most proper of a gentleman. And if a lady, courtesy says u listen ladylike.

Do not fail to rise when ladies leave the table after eating. Remain standing until they have left the room, then u can re-seat and smoke if u have to.

No matter what, you do not offer your left hand to lead a lady to sit on dinner. It signifies betrayal and can be perceived ill. Offer your right hand when leading her to the table and remember to seat her on your right hand side too.

I need to remind the ladies to never come to the table in your curlers, undies, or in improper raiment.  And please for the men reading this……. Do not seat on the table in your dressing gowns and pyjamas.

4)      USE OF CUTLERY; 


Do not eat soup from the side of your spoon. To sip from spoon, use the side. Don’t gurgle either or make sound while eating from your spoon. It’s annoying on its own and inappropriate. Don’t bend over your plate or drop your head when you chew. Please please please, never put your knife in your mouth.

We are not on a suicide mission lest u impale yourself. Don’t carry too much from your fork into your mouth. It never looks pleasant.

 Not only does it imply gluttony but it also smacks of untidiness.  Handle your cutleries effortlessly. Trying too hard makes it more awkward and unwieldy. Carry your cutleries with ease and be relaxed. Your knife is for cutting so do not put it in a dish, the butter or the salt shaker.

5)      HANDLING YOUR FOOD;


 It’s more appropriate to break your bread than to bite from it directly. And u should bear in mind not to dip it in soup or cup. Another reminder is to eat slowly. I mean it is not really a relay or eating competition. The key word here is culture. Eat slowly and do not be in haste. Eat quietly without chewing loudly. Enough food in mouth is appropriate.
Too much at once reminds everyone of bloated, dead cows………. Yea! Am reminded. Don’t eat anything with spoon that you can do with a fork….hehehehe…I bet you didn’t know that.

 I think I learnt this from my dad, it’s also advised to not finish off your plate. Remember to desist scrapping the plate entirely lest you come of worse than Oliver twist.

6)      YOU AND THE BONES;


 don’t reject bits of bones, or other substances by spitting them back in the plate. Kindly remove them from your mouth with your spoon or fork, holding it to your lips, then place them back in the plate. Fruit-stones should be passed quietly from lips to plate with your cutlery.




7)      GENERAL TABLE MANNERS;


 Do not stretch hands or other body parts over someone’s plate.

Do not turn your back on one person to talk to another on the table. Neither should you talk across the person seated next to you.

Never talk with mouth full. Do not even have your mouth full. It’s in better taste to eat in little morsels. Not only does it look sexy but u end up looking on top your game.

Don’t lean on the table or put your elbows on the table.


Do not also chew garlic and onions. Not when you are with guests. Basically for the bad breath when u speak but remember that a glass of milk can take away the small of onions and garlic. Hence if the food is loaded on either, do well to take a glass of milk afterward.

If you can avoid it, do not press your guests to eat, not if they decline persistently.While on the dinner table, avoid vulgar expressions that can irritate guests on the table. It is bad to remember disgusting things that can ruin a meal.


Most definitely, leave of excessive drinking.


If you are the dinner host, be the last to leave the table. Its best to wait for your guests to finish their meal and announce the end of dinner.

Even with food, never take a second helping till your guests all have or have been asked and decline. It is so that you take care of your guests and ensure they are satisfied. You only rise at the end of the meal.


I can never cover all the primary rules of table manners but for a start, these are first steps towards been the umbrella gentleman needed for the modern man.

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