Table
manners
Table manners are the rules of etiquette
used while eating,
which may also include the appropriate use of utensils.
Different cultures observe different rules for table manners. Each family or
group sets its own standards for how strictly these rules are to be enforced.
United
Kingdom
In the UK, the host or hostess takes
the first bite unless he or she instructs otherwise. The host begins after all
food is served and everyone is seated.[1]
Food should always be tasted before salt and pepper
are added. Applying condiments or seasoning before the food is tasted is viewed
as an insult to the cook, as it shows a lack of faith in his/her ability to
prepare a meal.[2]
In religious households, a family meal may commence with saying Grace,
or at dinner parties the guests might begin the meal by offering some
favourable comments on the food and thanks to the host. In a group dining
situation it is considered impolite to begin eating before all the group have
been served their food and are ready to start.
When eating soup, the spoon is held in the right
hand and the bowl tipped away from the diner, scooping the soup in outward
movements. The soup spoon should never be put into the mouth, and soup should
be sipped from the side of the spoon, not the end.[3]
The knife should never enter the mouth or be licked.[1]
Food should always be chewed with the mouth closed.[4]
Talking with food in the mouth is seen as very rude.[1]
Licking one's fingers and eating quickly is also considered impolite.
On formal dining occasions it is
good manners to take some butter from the butter dish with your bread knife and
put it on your side plate (for the roll). Then butter pieces of the roll using
this butter. This prevents the butter in the dish getting full of bread crumbs
as it is passed around. Knives should be used to butter bread rolls but not to
cut them - tear off a mouthful at a time with your hands.
White wine is held by the stem of
the glass and red wine by cupping the bowl.[5]
Wines should be served in the sequence "white before red, light before
heavy, young before old".[6]
Pouring your own drink when eating with other people is acceptable, but it is
more polite to offer pouring drinks to the people sitting on either side of
you.[1]
It is impolite to reach over someone
to pick up food or other items. Diners should always ask for items to be passed
along the table to them.[1]
In the same vein, diners should pass those items directly to the person who
asked.[2]
It is also rude to take photographs while eating,[7]
slurp food, eat noisily or make noise with cutlery.
When you have finished eating, and
to let others know that you have, place your knife and fork together, with the
prongs (tines) on the fork facing upwards, on your plate. Napkins should be
placed unfolded on the table when the meal is finished.[1]
At family meals, children are often
expected to ask permission to leave the table at the end of the meal.
North
America
Modern etiquette provides the
smallest numbers and types of utensils necessary for dining. Only utensils
which are to be used for the planned meal should be set. Even if needed, hosts
should not have more than three utensils on either side of the plate before a
meal. If extra utensils are needed, they may be brought to the table along with
later courses.[8]
A table cloth extending
10–15 inches past the edge of the table should be used for formal dinners,
while placemats may be used for breakfast, lunch, and informal suppers.[9]
Candlesticks, even if not lit, should not be on the table while dining during
daylight hours.[10]
Men's and unisex hats should never
be worn at the table. Ladies' hats may be worn during the day if visiting
others.[11]
Phones and other distracting items
should not be used at the dining table. Reading at a table is permitted only at
breakfast, unless the diner is alone.[12]
Urgent matters should be handled, after an apology, by stepping away from the
table.
If food must be removed from the
mouth for some reason, a diner should subtly bring the napkin to his/her mouth
(as if to wipe his/her mouth) and quietly spit out the food into the napkin,
which is then returned to the lap (while still concealing the partially chewed
inedibles). The diner thus avoids insulting the cook/host since the process is
nearly indistinguishable from merely wiping one's mouth. An exception is that
fish bones may be removed from the mouth between the fingers.
The fork may be used in the American
style (in the left hand while cutting and in the right hand to pick up food) or
the European Continental style (fork always in the left hand). (See Fork etiquette)
The napkin should be left on the seat of a chair only when leaving temporarily.[13]
Upon leaving the table at the end of a meal, the napkin is placed loosely on
the table to the left of the plate.[14]
India
In formal settings, it is important
for diners to allow the host or the oldest person to begin eating first.[15]
Similarly, one should not leave the table before the host or the eldest person
finishes his or her food. It is also considered impolite to leave the table
without asking for the host's or the elder's permission.[16]
A cardinal rule of dining is to use
the right hand when eating or receiving food.[17]
Handwashing, both before sitting at a table and after eating, is important.
Cleaning with cloth or paper tissue may be considered unhygienic.[18]
Small amounts of food are taken,
ensuring that food does not reach the palms. It is considered important to
finish each item on the plate out of respect for the food served.[19]
Traditionally, food should be eaten as it is served, without asking for salt or
pepper. It is, however, now acceptable to ask for salt or pepper with a mention
that you like more of it.
Distorting or playing with food is
unacceptable. Eating at a medium pace is important, as eating too slowly may
imply dislike of the food and eating too quickly is rude. Generally it is not
acceptable to burp, slurp, or spit. Staring at another diner's plate is taken
as being rude. It is inappropriate to make sounds while chewing. Certain Indian
food items can create sounds, so it is important to close the mouth and chew at
a medium pace.
At the dining table, attention must
be paid to specific behaviors that indicate distraction or rudeness. Answering
phone calls, sending messages and using inappropriate language are considered
rude while dining and while elders are present.
China
Seating and serving customs play
important roles in Chinese dining etiquette. For example, the diners should not
sit down or begin to eat before the host (or guest of honor) has done so. When
everyone is seated, the host offers to pour tea, beginning with the cup of the
eldest person. The youngest person is served last as a gesture of respect for
the elders.
Just as in Western cultures,
communal utensils (chopsticks and spoons) are used to bring food from communal
dishes to an individual's own bowl (or plate). It is considered rude and
unhygienic for a diner to use his or her own chopsticks to pick up food from
communal plates and bowls when such utensils are present. Other potentially
rude behaviors with chopsticks include playing with them, separating them in
any way (such as holding one in each hand), piercing food with them, or
standing them vertically in a plate of food. (The latter is especially rude,
evoking images of incense or 'joss' sticks used ceremoniously at funerals).[20]
A rice bowl may be lifted with one hand to scoop rice into the mouth with
chopsticks. It is also considered rude to look for a piece one would prefer on
the plate instead of picking up the piece that is closest to the diner as
symbol of fairness and sharing to the others.
The last piece of food on a communal
dish is never served to oneself without asking for permission. When offered the
last bit of food, it is considered rude to refuse the offer. It is considered
virtuous for diners to not leave any bit of food on their plates or bowls.
Condiments, such as soy sauce or duck sauce, may not be routinely provided at
high-quality restaurants. The assumption is that perfectly prepared food needs
no condiments and the quality of the food can be best appreciated.
South
Korea
In formal settings, a meal is
commenced when the eldest/most senior diner at the table partakes of any of the
foods on the table. Before partaking, intention to enjoy their meal should be
expressed. Similarly, satisfaction or enjoyment of that meal should be
expressed at its completion. On occasion, there are some dishes which require
additional cooking or serving at the table. In this case, the
youngest/lowest-ranked (non-child) diner should perform this task. When
serving, diners are served the meal (including and beverages: water, tea, or
alcohol) in descending order starting with the eldest/highest-ranked diner to
the youngest/lowest-ranked.
Usually, diners will have 1 bowl of
soup on the right with 1 bowl of rice to its left. Alternatively, soup may be
served in 1 large communal pot to be consumed directly or ladled into
individual bowls. Dining utensils will include 1 pair of chopsticks and 1
spoon. Common chopstick etiquette should be followed (See Chopstick Etiquette), but rice is generally eaten with the spoon instead of
chopsticks (as eating rice with chopsticks is considered rude). Often some form
of protein (meat, poultry, fish) will be served as a main course and placed at
the center of the table within reach of the diners. Banchan
will also be distributed throughout the table. If eaten with spoon, banchan
is placed on the spoonful of rice before entering the mouth. With chopsticks,
however, it is fed to the mouth directly. The last piece of food on a communal
dish should not be served to oneself without first asking for permission, but,
if offered the last bit of food in the communal dish, it is considered rude to
refuse the offer. Bowls (of rice or soup) should not be picked up off the table
while dining, exception for large bowls of noodle soup (See Korean noodles).
Slurping while eating noodles and soup is generally acceptable, is not uncommon
to chew with mouths open.
If alcohol is served with the meal,
it is common practice that when alcohol is first served for the
eldest/highest-ranked diner to make a toast and for diners to clink their
glasses together before drinking. The clinking of glasses together is often
done throughout the meal. Never served alcohol to yourself. Likewise, it is
considered rude to drink alone. Instead, keep pace with other diners and both
serve & be served the alcohol. Alcohol should always be served to
older/higher-ranked diners with 2 hands, and younger/lower-ranked diners may
turn their face away from elder/higher-ranked diners when drinking the alcohol.
The entire wiki link on this subject can be found at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Table_manners
No comments:
Post a Comment