Table manners at fancy dinners

Table manners at fancy dinners How does it actually work the tips and tricks

A fancy dinner is a natural one. Don’t let farmers, and most of them can still think of one. But what about the intricacies of the profession? How does it even work? Kitchen fire gives you a crash course!

1 Ladies first!

Over the years, women are treated more like men in many areas. According to the etiquette rules, however, it works differently: ladies are always served first and only then the men. At a dinner, it may also be appropriate for gentlemen to pull back the chair of a woman sitting next to you and sit down a bit if she wants to sit down.

2 Watch the host

You can make it easy for yourself by paying close attention to the hostess. So you shouldn’t start eating until the hostess has started. The same goes for the end of dinner: when the host ‘closes’ his cutlery you have to stop eating. Cutlery is closed when the knife and fork are next to each other on the board, with the fork down and the cartel edge of the knife to the fork.

3 Don’t make basic mistakes

Some rules have nothing to do with etiquette rules but are also discussed in everyday meals. That’s why it’s all the more important that you follow these rules. Here you can think of:

Phone off
Don’t burp
Don’t talk with a full mouth,

4 Eating and drinkingA number of do’s and don’ts related to the food itself.

Don’t: cut bread or bite off. The knife that is served is for the butter. Do: Bread cracks. Tear off a piece of bread and put the rest back down. Eat the piece all at once.

Don’t: grab the wine glass by the chalice (the part where the wine is in). Do: hold the wine glass by the stem. This is to prevent greasy fingers.

Don’t: mash food and scoop up. Do: prick with your fork some meat, vegetables and potato and bring it all to your lips.

Don’t: use a toothpick at dinner. Do: if you have ‘something green’ between your teeth, excuse yourself and walk to the toilet.

Don’t: cut pasta and eat with a fork. Do: wrap pasta against a spoon around your fork. Practice!

Don’t: leave your napkin. Do: fold your napkin into a triangle and place it on your lap with the tip facing you.

5 “Just be normal, then you’re crazy enough”

Although fancy dinners are still organised and in some restaurants you really have to pay attention to your table etiquette, etiquette is less important in the Netherlands compared to the past. Perhaps it has to do with the smartphone generation or with the many new cultures in the Netherlands, all of which bring their own etiquette.Table manners at fancy dinners

We would like to give you one last tip: if you are unsure whether you are completely compliant with the rules, you can always look at your host or at the people around you, then you are always good in practice!

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