5-Course Meal Place Setting Proper Technique
For a five-course meal, the courses are served one at a time and usually include soup, fish, entree, salad and dessert. New silverware should replace silverware that's been used. While dinnerware is placed in the middle of the setting, cups, saucers and side dishes are not placed on the table until it is time to use them. Begin with a five-piece setting, which includes fork, knife and spoon, teaspoon and salad fork. Expand the setting from that point. The piece of silverware to be used first is set farthest from the dinner plate. All silverware should be aligned an inch from the edge of the table. Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- Salad, meat, fish forks
- Meat, fish, bread knives
- Soup and/or fruit spoon
- Dessert spoon and/or fork
- Dinner, bread and salad plates
- Soup bowl
- Coffee cup and saucer
- Water glass
- Red and white wine glasses
- Napkin
Instructions
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Put the dinner plate in the center of the setting.
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2
Depending on which main course you serve first, place the meat or fish fork directly to the left of the dinner plate. Once the course is finished, replace the fork. Place the salad fork to the left of the meat or fish fork.
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Depending on which course you serve first, place the meat or fish knife directly to the right of the dinner plate. Replace the knife once the course is done. Place the soup spoon to the right of the dinner knife.
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4
The bread plate should be set above the forks and to the left of the dinner plate. Place the butter knife on the bread plate. It should rest at a horizontal position with the blade pointing left. The salad plate should be placed slightly below the bread plate and above and to the left of the forks.
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5
Place the soup spoon to the right of the dinner knife. The dessert spoon should be placed above the dinner plate and rest in a horizontal position with its handle pointing right. If you are also using a dessert fork, the place the fork under the spoon. The fork should also rest in a horizontal position, but the handle should point to the left.
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6
Place the water glass above the knife and spoon and to the right of the dinner plate. Wine glasses should be placed slightly below and to the right of the water glass.
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Once coffee or tea is served, the cup and saucer should be placed to the right of the knife and spoon.
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Tips & Warnings
Avoid placing more than three pieces of silverware on either side of the dinner plate at any one time. The only exception is an oyster fork.
