A set of authentic western tableware includes: butter knife, bread plate, appetizer knife and fork, main course knife and fork, soup spoon, dessert spork, red wine glass and white wine glass.
Place napkins correctly
The napkin should not only be placed on the leg, but also folded in half, and the crease should be close to yourself. When leaving the table temporarily, put the napkin on the chair or press the corner of the napkin with a knife to let it droop. Never hang it on the back of the chair or put it back on the dining table.
3. How to use a knife and fork
If you really can't remember the purpose of the knife and fork, just remember that the order of using the knife and fork must be from the outside to the inside. Also, when using a knife and fork, you must not use "brute force". You have to use the power of your forearm to cut food, so that the knife and fork are basically at a 90-degree angle. If you leave the table halfway, the knife and fork should be placed in a figure of eight with the fork back facing up, which means "I haven't finished eating". When the fork is facing down, it means that the meal is finished, and the waiter will come and take away the plate. If you are full, you should put the knife and fork side by side on the right side of the plate, with the fork backward and the knife on the right side of the fork.
Take food with both hands.
When you take food from your plate, be sure to use both hands. Take a baked potato, fork in your left hand, spoon in your right hand, and put the food on the plate. Don't fork food directly into the plate, it's very impolite.
Step 5 eat soup and bread
The soup is very hot, so don't blow through your mouth. The function of scooping the first spoon is to "detect heat". Generally don't scoop it too full. Spoons should be scooped from the inside out. When there is not much soup left, you can gently tilt the soup plate outward.
When eating bread, don't pick up the whole bread and put it in your mouth. The correct way to eat bread is to tear it into small pieces by hand and then put it into your mouth slowly.
6. Main course etiquette
Cut the steak from the left. When eating fish, be careful not to turn the fish upside down after eating the fish above, but pick off the whole set of fish bones with a knife and fork first, and then eat the fish below. When eating lobster, the first step is to insert a knife between the shrimp shell and the shrimp meat to peel it off, and then take out the shrimp meat and slice it slowly for enjoyment.
7. fruits and desserts
Eating ice cream cake should start from the edge in front of you, and if it is a triangular cake, it should start from the top. After a meal, fruit is usually a piece of fruit after peeling and removing seeds, which is very convenient to eat. If melons are peeled like honeydew melons, they should be peeled first and then cut into small pieces to eat.
8. Others
It is polite to drink cocktails. If you can't drink well or don't know something on this occasion, the pink girl or Daikiri will ensure that you won't get drunk and lose your manners.
When drinking coffee, milk tea or lemon, don't put sugar directly into the cup with your hands. The correct way is to put the cube sugar into the teaspoon first, and then put the teaspoon into the cup, so as to ensure that it will not spill. After using the teaspoon, it is polite to put the teaspoon horizontally outside the saucer.
When you go to a western restaurant or coffee shop, you should put your handbag between your back and the back of the chair. It's unsightly to put it on your desk or leg.
In western table manners, men are required not to finish eating before women finish eating, so women who are used to slow heating should pay attention to adjusting the dining speed properly and don't let men wait too long.
Table manners at dinner:
People who attend a formal western dinner for the first time may be surprised by the table manners in western culture. Knowing them will help you make a good impression. Good table manners mean knowing, for example, how to use a knife and fork, when to make a toast and how to behave at the table. Next to your napkin, you will find a small roll and three cups-one for white wine, one for red wine and one for water. There are two pairs of knives and forks on the table. The fork is on the left of the plate and the knife is on the right. When you see two spoons, the big one is for dessert and the small one is for dessert. The knife and fork closest to your plate is a little bigger than the one next to it. When you sit down at the table, you can pick up your napkin, spread it out and put it on your lap. In China, you sometimes get a hot wet cloth to wipe your face, face and hands. However, this is not the custom in western countries.
Dinner begins with a side dish, which is usually called an appetizer. Some people pray before eating, while others may be silent for a while. Then you can say "please enjoy your meal" to each other and everyone will start eating. For appetizers, you eat with the smaller pair, with a knife in your right hand and a fork in your left. After the appetizer, you will get a bowl of soup-but only one bowl, and never ask for a second bowl.
The next course is the main course. Many westerners think that chicken breast and its white and tender meat are the best parts of chicken. Some people can use their fingers when eating chicken or other poultry, but they never touch beef or other meat with bones. It is polite to finish everything on your plate, so don't eat more food than you need.
When eating, you should try to talk quietly and smile often, but don't laugh all the time.
Most westerners like soft drinks if they want to drive home. Many of them drink white wine or red wine with their meals. When you drink to someone's health, you raise your glass, but it should not be touched. In some parts of China, the custom of toasting is to drink it all at once, but westerners usually only take a sip. The best advice for drinking while eating is not to drink too much.
Table manners will change over time. They followed the fashion of the time. Besides, table manners are only important at formal banquets. If you are not sure what to do, you can follow the host. Although politeness always makes you look good, you don't need to worry about all these rules when you eat with friends or family.