Here are some basic food guidelines to follow while enjoying your meal.
Don't Cut the Bread: The knife is there, it's easy enough, or is it? When presented a loaf of bread or a roll, one is to break the bread with their hands, and use the knife to spread the butter, margarine, honey, etc.
Horderves: You may arrive to a meal/event early and horderves, might be offered. When presented, remember, they are not your meal, they are an appetizer, take one or two. If it gets down to the last one and in a group, before grabbing for yourself, offer to another.
Clang to Attention: At a special function glasses might be raised in a toast or used for signaling, be careful what you do. If there is going to be a toast (or a set of toasts), do not take a drink from your glass (if you have both water and wine, you may drink from the water as the wine one will be used for the toast), until it is time for the toast. Do not clang a piece of silverware on your glass, especially to grab the attention of a server. For one, this may be considered inconsiderate (at least in the US) and if it is a business/formal meal, the person in charge may use such an act to get the audiences' attention.
When to Season: Don't dash it until you've tried it. Basically, if you are being served food, do not season the food until you have tasted it, otherwise it may be disrespectful to the cook. This is the standard for the USofA, it may be different overseas.
Finger's Away: When you're out, you are not at home or a kids party, if you are at a formal function, then you are to use your silverware to eat, there is no such thing as finger foods. WAIT, there is one exception, and that is asparagus, this is the one food (as long as it is not prepared in a sauce or mix that would make it a mess) that you can eat with your fingers. Also, say you put something in your mouth and find it is to big or to hot and must take it out, once again, keep your fingers away, whichever utensil you used to put it in, you will use to place it back on your plate.
Cut and Eat: You may find yourself presented with a nice piece of steak, do NOT go straight to cutting it into a bunch of pieces and eating away at your masterpiece. The general rule is cut out 3 chew-able pieces, replace your knife, then eat the 3 pieces, then repeat. Note: Once you have used a utensil, do NOT place it back on the table, let it rest on your plate/bowl, just not at the 5-o-clock position.
No Plate Spinning: Remember, this is not kid-you, this is sophisticated-you. Typically, when placed, your main course will have the protein nearest you. What this means, is you do not turn the plate to move the vegetables closer to you, instead you leave the plate how it is and eat as you like, no need to move it closer. Note: if the protein is placed further away, move it closer, as this prevents drip/mess over the rest of the food.
There are many ways to eat using your utensils, here is a generally accepted method:
It also does a good review of the other skills
Remember: Class and sophistication, show-up your fellow party members at your next major function.
Bon appétit!
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