How to Set Up a Table French Style

A formal table setting can make a dinner more memorable.

Presentation is everything, whether you work in the upper-scale service industry or just want to have a sophisticated looking dinner. A great meal can fall short of impressing your in-laws, boss or anyone important if the presentation isn't top-notch. Learning how to do a French-style table setup can surprise even the most hard-to-please guests.

Things You'll Need

• Dinner plate
• Salad plate
• Dinner fork
• Salad fork
• Cloth napkin
• Napkin ring (optional)
• Bread plate
• Butter knife
• Dessert spoon
• Dessert fork
• Dinner knife
• Salad knife
• Dinner spoon
• Soup spoon
• Water goblet
• Red wine glass
• White wine glass

Instructions

1. Place the dinner plate directly in front of where your guest will be sitting. Place your salad plate on top of the dinner plate.

2. Place the dinner fork directly to the left of your dinner plate. Place the salad fork to the left of the dinner fork.

3. Place your napkin directly to the left of your salad fork. Try to make the napkin look as sophisticated as possible. Try a special fold, or perhaps a napkin ring.

4. Place your bread plate on the upper left-hand side of your dinner plate. It should be above the dinner and salad forks. Place the butter knife onto the bread plate.

5. Place your dessert spoon and fork to the right of the bread plate, directly above the dinner plate. The dessert fork should be directly above the dinner plate, with the prongs facing toward the right. The dessert spoon should be directly above the dessert fork, facing the opposite direction of the fork.

6. Place your dinner knife directly to the right of your dinner plate. Place the salad knife to the right of the dinner knife.

7. Place the dinner spoon directly to the right of the salad knife. Place the soup spoon to the right of the dinner spoon. This completes your utensil setup.

8. Place your water goblet above the dinner knife. Place the red wine glass above the dinner spoon. The red wine glass should be closer to where your guest will sit than the water goblet. Place the white wine glass to the upper right of the red wine glass. The white wine glass should be farther from where your guest will sit than the red wine glass, but closer than the water goblet.

9. Enjoy your dinner with your French-style table setup.

Resources

• Read this Article in Spanish