1. Western tableware

Broadly speaking, Western tableware includes knives, forks, spoons, plates, cups, napkins and so on. One of the plate and dish, pudding plate, milk plate, white off the plate, etc.; wine glass is more elaborate, formal banquet almost every kind of wine, have to change the special glass wine glass.

The narrower cutlery is exclusively knives, forks and spoons. Knives are divided into serving knives, fish knives, meat knives (with a serrated edge, used to cut steak, pork chops, etc.), butter knives and fruit knives. Forks are divided into serving forks, fish forks, meat forks and shrimp forks. Spoons include tablespoons, dessert spoons, and teaspoons. Utility knives, forks and spoons are significantly larger than dinner knives and forks.

The arrangement of cutlery: a plate is placed in the center of the table, with a neatly folded napkin or napkin (or a napkin or napkin in the shape of a stamen placed in a glass) on top of the plate. The knives, forks, and spoons are placed in neat parallel lines on both sides of the plate, and the seat cards, if any, are placed in front of the plate. All knives are placed on the right side of the plate with the blade facing the plate. Spoons are placed to the right of the knives, with the center of the spoon facing up. Forks are placed on the left side of the tray with the tines facing up. Only three sets of knives and forks are usually placed at a table. The bread plate is placed to the left of the guest, with a bread knife (i.e., a butter knife for spreading cream and jam, not for slicing bread), and wine and water glasses are placed to the right. If there is pasta, the spoons and forks for eating pasta are placed horizontally in front.

2. Use of Cutlery

Knives and forks. When using a knife, the end of the handle should be placed in the palm of the hand, with the thumb against the side of the handle, the index finger pressed on the handle of the knife, but need to pay attention to the index finger must not touch the back of the knife, the remaining three fingers are bent to hold the handle. If the fork is not used in conjunction with a knife, the tines should be up. The fork should be held as close as possible to the end of the handle, which rests on the middle finger, with the ring and little fingers in the center for support. The fork can be used alone to fork a meal or to pick up food, or to pick up certain first courses and pies, or to pick up the kind of entrees that don't need to be cut.

Use of knife and fork. Holding a knife in the right hand and a fork in the left, the food is first held down with the fork, then cut into small pieces with the knife, and then brought to the mouth with the fork. Europeans do not change hands when using, that is, from cutting to send food into the mouth with the left hand holding a fork. Americans cut, put the knife down for the right hand fork to send food into the mouth.

When using a knife and fork together, the fork is held in a similar position to a knife, but the tines should be down. Usually the knife and fork are used when taking the main course, but if there is no need for a knife to cut, then the fork can be used to cut, and both methods are correct.

Spoon usage. The spoon is held in the right hand in the same way as a fork, but the fingers must be on the end of the spoon handle, and the spoon is not used to take food other than soup.

Napkin usage. When eating, the large napkin can be folded (usually in half) and laid flat on the leg with the fold outward, while the small napkin can be stretched out and laid directly on the leg. Do not hang the napkin on your chest (but you can do so in places where there is not much space, such as on airplanes). To wipe your mouth, use the top of the napkin and wipe your mouth with the inside of the napkin. Never use it to wipe your face or to wipe knives, forks, dishes, etc.

Western dining etiquette

Because Western food is mainly in the tableware, dishes, drinks and other aspects of different from Chinese food, therefore, to participate in Western banquets, in addition to the basic etiquette of Chinese banquets should follow the aforementioned, should also be mastered in the following aspects of etiquette knowledge.

1. Tableware etiquette

Eating Western food, we must pay attention to the table arrangement and placement of tableware position, do not take randomly. Formal banquets, each food, dishes, that is, with a set of corresponding tableware (knife, fork, spoon), and the order of the dishes from the outside to the inside. When eating, you should first take the outermost set of knives and forks on the left and right sides. After each dish, the knife and fork will be put side by side on the plate, indicating that the dish has been used up, the waiter will take the initiative to remove this set of tableware. If not yet finished or temporary pause, the knife and fork should be eight-type left and right rack or cross on the dinner plate, knife blade inward, meaning to tell the waiter, I have not finished, please do not take away the tableware.

When using the knife and fork, try not to make it collide, so as not to make a big sound, not to swing the knife and fork to talk to others.

2. Eating etiquette

Western food is of many different kinds and flavors, so the order of serving the food varies according to different cuisines and specifications, but the basic order is largely the same.

A full meal of western food is generally seven or eight, mainly composed of such parts:

First, drinks (juice), fruit or cold pots, also known as hors d'oeuvres, the purpose is to enhance the appetite.

Second, soups (also known as first courses). A spoon is required, and at this point it is usually topped with butter and bread.

Third, vegetables, cold dishes or fish (also called side dishes). The corresponding knife and fork on either side of the padded plate may be used.

Fourth, the main course (meat or cooked vegetables). Meat entrees are usually accompanied by cooked vegetables, which should be cut with a knife and fork and placed on the plate for consumption. If you have a salad, you will need a salad spoon, salad fork and other utensils.

Fifth, the meal food. Generally, desserts (snacks), fruits, ice cream and so on. Lastly, there is coffee, and you should use a coffee spoon or a long-handled spoon to drink coffee.

When eating, in addition to using a knife, fork, spoon to pick up and deliver food, sometimes you can also use your hands to take. For example, when eating chicken or lobster, you can tear it with your hands when signaled by the host. Cookies, potato chips or small fruits can be eaten by hand. Bread is always taken by hand, pay attention to take the front of their left hand, not to take the wrong. When taking bread, take it with your left hand, tear it with your right hand, spread butter on it, and tear it in small pieces. Do not dip the bread into the soup or bite into the whole piece.

When you drink soup, you must not drink from a soup plate, but must drink from a spoon. The posture is: with the left hand to hold the edge of the plate, the right hand with a spoon, not end of the plate to drink soup, do not make a squeaky sound, and not too fast frequency. If the soup is too hot, wait until it cools down naturally.

Be especially careful when eating meat or fish. After pressing it with a fork, slowly cut it with a knife, cut it and eat it with a fork, and never fork the whole thing up and send it to your mouth to bite. This type of dish dish generally some lettuce, often used to garnish and increase appetite, eat or not by you, do not in order to face strong eat down.

The condiments on the table are usually already prepared and placed on the table. If the distance is too far, you can ask someone else to trouble you, you can not stand up and reach for it yourself, which is very ugly.

Talking to each other when eating Western food is a very normal phenomenon, but you can not make a lot of noise, laughing, and do not smoke, especially in the eating should be chewing and swallowing, the mouth should not make a lot of noise, and not to put the fork knife into the mouth. As for holding a knife and fork as a gesture waving in front of others, is more rude and lack of cultivation behavior.

Eating Western food should also pay attention to sitting. Sit to be correct, the body should be straight, the back of the spine can not be close to the back of the chair, generally sit in the seat of three-quarters can be. Do not stretch your legs, can not cross your legs, and do not put your elbows on the table.

When drinking, do not overfill your glass, and do not try to persuade others to drink (these are different from Chinese food). If you have just finished eating greasy food, it is best to wipe your mouth before drinking, lest you let the grease from your mouth make your glass oily. When you drink a toast, even if you don't, you should touch the glass to your lips as a sign of courtesy.

Some people have summarized the procedure for a polite drinking session: first, raise the glass and look at it with level eyes to appreciate the colors; second, bring it slightly closer and smell the wine lightly; then, take a small sip; fourth, taste it slowly; and finally, praise the wine for its goodness and aroma.

In short, Western food is both heavy etiquette, and rules, only to seriously grasp the good, to be able to eat in the dining room to show a gentle and elegant, quite elegant.