Video: Proper Etiquette for Using a Knife Continental Style

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There is a proper etiquette for using a knife continental style, learn all about proper dinner etiquette in this free video.

Comments

socaldevereaux Apr 05, 2011
Its cultural differences chill.
neklos Mar 04, 2009
The problem is that the Continental style of eating is rather barbaric, so talking about its "etiquette" is silly. The Continental style suggests that you have to gobble your food down so quickly that you cannot take a split-second to change hands. This lack of pause for switching hands also results in the tendency of the diner to bend over more and more until his head is nearly to the plate and he is just shoveling food into his mouth. In the United States, it also an affectation --in essence announcing, "I've been to Europe." Therefore, although, as Ms. Brouwer says, it "is what you will find all over the world" (I guess like spitting or flatulence), it is generally not appropriate in the United States and it is offensive for her (from her accent, apparently a European) to come here to advise us that we are eating improperly and that her way is what is done "all over" the world. In addition, it looks silly to hold the fork upside-down, especially when one must mash peas onto the fork to be able to pick them up, looking like a slob and destroying the fun of eating peas, which is to pop them between the teeth.
neklos Mar 04, 2009
The problem is that the Continental style of eating is rather barbaric, so talking about its "etiquette" is silly. The Continental style suggests that you have to gobble your food down so quickly that you cannot take a split-second to change hands. This lack of pause for switching hands also results in the tendency of the diner to bend over more and more until his head is nearly to the plate and he is just shoveling food into his mouth. In the United States, it also an affectation --in essence announcing, "I've been to Europe." Therefore, although, as Ms. Brouwer says, it "is what you will find all over the world" (I guess like spitting or flatulence), it is generally not appropriate in the United States and it is offensive for her (from her accent, apparently a European) to come here to advise us that we are eating improperly and that her way is what is done "all over" the world. In addition, it looks silly to hold the fork upside-down, especially when one must mash peas onto the fork to be able to pick them up, looking like a slob and destroying the fun of eating peas, which is to pop them between the teeth.

Video Transcript

Hello I am Elena Brouwer from the International Etiquette Center in Hollywood, Florida. Website is etiquettecenter.com. Let’s continue with our table manners, we are now going to practice our continental way of eating. We pick up our silverware, index finger in the back of the fork, index finger on top of the knife. We would hold the food with the fork, cut going one way. Keep your knife in your right hand and bring the food to your mouth with the tines down that is how you eat continental style. Sometimes you need to push your food onto the fork; you would do it with your knife. Your knife and your fork will be in your hands at all times, so we continue to eat this way. That is the continental style of dining and this is what you will find all over the world.