Table Ethics & Etiquette

Table Ethics & Etiquette

  We went to Sri lanaka institute of hotel management and Tourism as a filed visit.The Sri Lanka Institute of Tourism & Hotel Management (SLITHM) is the only Government approved premier Institute in Sri Lanka, which was established by the Government in 1964 to train young men and women in the complex field of Hospitality and Travel Industry.

Table manners are important in both professional and social situations, so it’s a good idea to know some basics. Using proper etiquette at the table will also help you socially and professionally in a restaurant or in someone’s home.It’s really important to know table manners as university undergraduates because we most likely to get in to work with high level people. Which it’s essential to learn basics of  Table Ethics & Etiquette.

To learn those things, we went to the Sri Lanka Institute of Tourism & Hotel Management. It was an interesting place. First we were given instructions about how to behave and improve your personality in a table. Then after that the lecture has moved on to table ethics.

NAPKIN ETIQUETTE

At informal meals, place the napkin in your lap immediately upon seating. During formal occasions, before unfolding the napkin, wait for the hostess to remove her napkin from the table and unfold it in her lap.

1. Place the napkin in your lap upon seating.
2. When leaving the table temporarily, put the napkin on your chair.
3. At the meal's end, fold your napkin and place it to the left of your place setting.

How do you hold a fork?
HANDLING UTENSILS

Proper table etiquette may vary depending on where you are. There are two traditional Western schools of eating with a fork and knife: the European "continental" style, and the American "cut-and-switch" or "zig-zag" style.[1] However, the American version may have actually begun several hundred years ago in France. In most modern settings, however, it doesn't much matter how you hold the fork as long as you're able to eat efficiently.

THE TABLE SETTING

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, 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 Armenia place the fork to the right of the dinner plate and informal settings in Turkey place the fork to the right of the dinner plate if not accompanied by a knife) Sauce-boats and serving dishes, when used, either are placed on the table or, more formally, may be kept on a side table.


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 30cm or 12 inches from the edge of the table. Often, in less formal settings, the napkin should be in the wine glass. However, such objects as napkin rings are very rare in the United Kingdom, Spain, Mexico, or Italy.

Formal
A formal table setting for one person.Utensils are placed inward about 20cm or 8 inches 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 to be used first (for example, a soup spoon or a salad fork, later the dinner fork and the dinner knife). The blades of the knives are turned toward the plate. Glasses are placed an inch (2.5 cm) or so above the knives, also in the order of use: white wine, red wine, dessert wine, and water tumbler.

SOUP ETIQUETTE
Hold the soup spoon by resting the end of the handle on your middle finger, with your thumb on top. Dip the spoon sideways at the near edge of the bowl, then skim away from you. Sip from the side of the spoon. To retrieve the last spoonful of soup, slightly tip the bowl away from you.


SEATING ETIQUETTE
 the guest of honor should sit in the best seat at the table. Usually that is one with the back of the chair to the wall. Once the guest of honor's seat is determined, the host should sit to her left. Other people are then offered seats around the table.

WE LEARNED LOT OF THINGS