Part of the traits of being a higher animal involves structure. Structure in going about our daily activities from the simplest one to the hardest task.
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One of these structured ways is the right way to behave when dining with people.
You might think you don’t need to learn about this until it comes to hunt you.
Imagine a situation where Your boss who is a European or probably one from the Middle East invites you for dinner, or you have been invited to a proper date.
You will need to not only know how to dine properly but also how to appreciate your host after the meal.
For example, in some parts of the Middle East, you have to burp after food to show your host you enjoyed the food while this is regarded as bad table manners in some other parts of the world.
Moreover, If you are invited to Fine dining, How do you set your cutleries to pass a message to the Chef without talking?
These are some of the things you will learn today. Okay, let us start.
Table Manners And Dining Etiquette:
Table of Contents
EATING WITH A CLOSED MOUTH: This is approved by all standards. Only uncivilized people eat noisily with an open mouth. When eating, your lips should be closed while your mouth is chewing with less noise. Eating with your lips shut will prevent people from seeing the chewed food in your mouth and food spilling out which can be very disgusting to your host or the people you are dining with.
STRATEGIC FORK AND KNIFE PLACEMENT: If invited to fine dining, your cutlery positioning can communicate to your chef whether you are done eating, you want more, you love the food, you are displeased, etc. Below is an image that shows this;
WINE ETIQUETTE:
One of the first things you should do when offered a bottle of wine is to find out if your wine is alcoholic or non-alcoholic. You should also check the percentage to know how much you will take.
Drinking the wine
Don’t gulp your wine so you can take in all the goodness and flavor of the wine. Hold the stemmed wine glass just below the base, twirl gently the wine glass, savor the smell, and drink slowly.
You can gulp your juice however you want but wines are supposed to be enjoyed. If you have to first drink water so you can enjoy your wine, please do so.
HOW TO EAT YOUR MEAT:
When in the comfort of your home, you are afforded the luxury of destroying the flesh, bones, marrow, and fluid. However, when you are in public or invited as a special guest, there is a way it is done.
By the way, you are within your right to ask for a take-home pack for your protein but if you would eat it outside, there are ways to do it. You can cut and eat with cutleries and these are in 2 ways:
THE AMERICAN FORK FLIPPING AND THE EUROPEAN STYLE:
The American fork flipping is almost the same as European in that the knife is placed in the right hand while the fork is on the left hand.
The difference is after the meat is cut, the Americans drop the knife and flip the fork to the right hand to pick and eat while the Europeans use the left to finish the business without switching.
However, if it’s a funfair and BBQ is served. It’s safe to use your hands and clean up after yourself.
Except the bones are soft to eat and swallow, don’t attempt to start breaking bones and chewing.
SOME GENERAL BAD TABLE MANNERS:
- Don’t talk with a mouth full of food. It can be very irritating
- Reaching out to get food over another person’s food is not only bad table manners but also dirty. You could introduce body and clothing particles and micro-organisms. Ask for it to be passed to you.
- Don’t be the one to start the eating. You don’t want to be termed a glutton. Let the host start. Be watchful.
- Sit properly. You can make people uncomfortable and I won’t specify a chair because not every race uses chairs to dine.
- Some will say talking while eating is bad. I partially disagree with that However, my opinion is the subject of discussion. Be wise to choose a merry subject that won’t make people lose their appetite.
Lastly, always remember to do more research like you doing now. Who knows, your eating habits might be your winning tool on that date or business dinner.
If you find this article helpful, Please share and comment to encourage me.
And also let me know your thoughts concerning this write-up.
Is it ok to use spoon that I’m comfortable with to eat in public, and then use fork and knife to dice the chicken?
No. it is not OK!. start and finish well. Take your time to learn it at home. your spare time and watch tutorial videos on it.
Proper etiquette is essential for making a favorable impression at both lunch/dinner interviews as well as in social business situations. Although common sense is often your best guide but you still provided some really helpful tips for some. Thanks for this wonderful information you've shared here. Actually I wrote an article on Fz Movies and will be grateful if you can take the time to check it out using the link below https://www.techshure.com/fz-movies/