Table Ethics and Etiquette

As Professionals to be in near future these ethics and etiquette matters alot when it comes to Professional get-togethers, Business parties, Conferences and so on. So by knowing these ethics and etiquette makes us know on how to sit for a dinner/ lunch, how to behave in a table, what should dress for all these kind of professional get-togethers. Mos of the time we are in trouble and wonder what to wear for this and what to wear for that and all. The session we had in Sri lanka Institue of Tourism and Hotel management gave us some good understanding about the above mentioned problems. 

This session was conducted by organized by Madam Sarasi Senadheera and the it was conducted by head of the department, Food & beverages. 

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.

Handling Utensils

How do you hold a fork, a spoon and a knife

The table setting 

Deciding which knife, fork, or spoon to use is made easier by the outside to in rule.Use utensils on the outside first and working your way inward. So, if you are served a salad first, use the fork set to the far left of your plate.

 Your water glass is the one above the knife in your place setting and your bread plate is to the left. 

When to start eating

At a small table of only two to four people, wait until everyone else has been served before starting to eat. At a formal or business meal, you should either wait until everyone is served to start or begin when the host asks you to.

Resting Utensils

Making a cross shape or a v shape says that you are not done with eating, it says that in a break for like having a chat or have gone for another food.

Placing the knife and fork parallel with the handles in the four o'clock position on the right rim of the plate says that your done with eating and no longer you need the food plate.

After the teaching session was done

After teaching ethics and etiquette, We were invited to have a lunch provided by them. It was a three course meal where the first course was an appetizer which normally gives to make people more hunger, then we got a bread with butter and main course. Main course was a seafood which was really delicious. A yummy fruit salad was provided to end up the dinning session.

This day was an unforgettable day where we learnt so many things, had so much fun and added good memories to our life journal.