How to Serve a 5-Star Meal

Serving a five-star meal is a process. In normal dining, all appetizers, entrees and breads are served at once. During a five-star meal, individuals gather around a dining table, and each portion of the meal is served at a different time. Once one course is served, the next is brought out shortly after. Does this Spark an idea?

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Dining table and chairs
Place settings
Guests
Servers
Appetizer
Soup
Salad
Carbohydrates
Meat
Dessert
Bread
Palate cleansers

Instructions

How to Serve a 5-Star Meal
- 1
  
  Serve the appetizer. There are a variety of appetizer options. Consider escargot, shrimp cocktail, or cheese and fruit.
- 2
  
  Bring out soup or salad. If you are serving both soup and salad, serve the soup first and follow it up with salad. If you have picky guests, you can modify the salads. For example, a tomato basil salad can be substituted for a house salad.
- 3
  
  Serve the main carbohydrates, probably rice, potatoes or pasta. This portion of the meal consists of the main grains and carbohydrates of your five-star meal. Portions are modest because there are still two more courses to be served.
- 4
  
  Bring out the meat. This is the main course and often the highlight of the meal. You can choose whatever type of meat you'd like. For a more casual dinner, you may opt for chicken or salmon. For a fancier occasion, you may serve lamb, veal or even lobster.
- 5
  
  End with a sweet treat. Many people have a sweet tooth, and there's no better way to end a five-star meal than with a fabulous dessert. You can serve a chocolate cake, berry soufflé or any dessert you wish.

Tips & Warnings

Have bread or rolls available for guests throughout the meal. Periodically check the bread basket and replenish if needed.
In between courses, serve a palate cleanser, such as lime or orange sorbet.
Do not serve the courses too quickly. This will make your guests feel rushed. Instead, serve your courses at a relatively slow but steady pace. A five-star meal isn't merely about the food. It's also about providing an opportunity for people to spend quality time together.