How to Arrange Place Settings of Silverware for Formal Dining

Family dining in a busy world too often centers around food that comes in a bag with plastic cutlery. There are still those occasions, though, where formal dinners mean quality cuisine in an elegant setting. To enhance the experience of a formal dinner, set the table in a proper manner. Ensuring that all of the china and silverware is in its proper place will leave the focus on the food and hospitality.

Things You'll Need

• Dinner forks
• Salad forks
• Dinner knives
• Salad knives
• Soup spoons
• Dessert spoons
• Dessert forks

Instructions

1. Place the cutlery on the table in an "outside-in" arrangement. Formal place settings are arranged with the soup and salad cutlery on the outside and the main dish cutlery on the inside.

2. Place the knives on the right of the dinner plate, with the cutting edges facing inward. The smallest knife should be on the outside, with the main course knife being closest to the plate.

3. Place the soup spoon next to the knives on the right side of the dinner plate. The spoon should be located to the right of the knives.

4. Place the dinner fork on the left side of the dinner plate, with the salad fork to the left of the dinner fork.

5. Place the dessert fork above the dinner plate, perpendicular to the other cutlery, with the handle on the left.

6. Place the dessert spoon above the dessert fork, with the handle on the right.

References

• University of Missouri Business School