BOSS

Valentine Dating & Dining

 

Impressing Your Date At The Dinner Table

February is the month for lovers and more than likely you have been invited to join your loved one at a special meal either at a restaurant or a cozy dinner at home. To your chagrin you learn that it will be a formal dinner and a few other guests will be present. You want to impress your loved one and the expected guests but you are not confident that your dining skills will compare favorably. Don’t panic, here are the basic rules for making a great impression at the dinner table.

 

Dinner at home scenario:

Begin by asking your date what you can do to help, or offer to bring something like wine, flowers or other complimentary items. That shows that you care and you want to help to make the evening is a success. Depending on your relationship you can assist in greeting the guests and putting away their coats etc. Be sure to discuss ahead of time how much of a role you can play; if during the course of the evening things become hectic offer to assist with things that you are capable of handling. Be the gentleman by catering to both your date and the other guests. After dinner help to tidy up before you make your departure.

 

At a restaurant:

Assist your date to remove her coat and scarf; if the waiter does not help, pull her chair and get her seated. You may do the same for other un-accompanied women. It is the gentlemanly thing to do. If a woman objects to your act of chivalry, don’t take it personally, just don’t assist that particular person again. Find out from your partner what role you will be playing before you get to the restaurant; find out who will be paying the bill so there are no surprises.

Once seated, wait for the host(ess) to take up and unfold their napkin, before you do. In better restaurants you will be given a cloth napkin, and the waiter may place it in your lap (say thank you). Never shake your napkin, simply open a large napkin, fold it in two and place it in your lap. Your napkin is to the left of your plate, or it may be on your plate or in your glass. Glasses, like knives and spoons are to your right.

Navigating the array of cutlery can be challenging but made easy by remembering this simple rule, forks go to the left, spoons and knives on the right. The table setting is set up so that you begin with the pieces that are furthest away from the plate and work your way in. Your bread plate is to your left. By remembering these simple rules you will not be confused by utensils in the future.

Wait for the host(ess) to start eating before you touch anything on your plate. If soup is your first course, remember that you drink/eat soup away from you - spoon the soup to the outer edge of the soup bowl/container and bring it towards you – that way any dripping will happen in the soup and not on your lap. When eating salad, use the knife and fork provided (remember you are starting from the outside and working inwards).

Cut your meat one piece at a time and eat that piece before cutting another. Eat a little of everything on your plate. Dinner rolls are broken and buttered a small piece at a time – do not cut the roll or butter the entire thing in one go. If there is an item that you do not like, take a small amount and do not make a fuss. IF you are allergic to an item, do not have it. You need to be gracious – not sick!

Between bites of food you’ll need to ‘rest’ your knife and fork. There is a North American way of doing this and an European way. Not to complicate matters we’ll address the North American method. The knife sits at the edge of your plate with the blade facing in toward the food and the fork sits further inside with the tines (the pointy edges) down. This way the server will know that you are not finished.

When drinking wine, especially white wine, hold the stem of the glass and not the bowl. In some restaurants the server may bring a small bowl of tepid water – a finger bowl, that is – do not drink the contents, as the name implies, it is for fingers, to clean your fingers between courses. Simply dip your fingertips into the bowl, wipe your fingers dry and place the bowl to the top left of your place setting.

Once the main course is completed, place your used utensils in the five o’clock position in your plate, never put used cutlery on the table. Desserts and coffee will follow, the utensils for these may be at the top center – a fork and a spoon, if they are not there they will be presented you.

The host(ess) will signal that the meal is over by placing the napkin on the table, you should follow suite, by placing your napkin to the left of your setting, there is no need to re-fold the napkin, but it should not be crumpled either.

Behavior at the table:

• • Chew with your mouth closed.
• • Sip your liquids; don’t make noises as you do so.
• • Pace yourself so that you finish at the same time as other guests.
• • If you are unsure, wait a bit and see what the host is doing and follow.
• • Make polite conversation to your co-diners at either side of you.
• • If asked to pass the salt, pass the salt and pepper together.
• • Do not stretch across the table to obtain an item, ask the person closest to it to pass it to you.
• • Remember to say please and thank you.
• • Do not speak badly about food that was served.
• • Always use the serving utensils to obtain food, never use your personal utensils.
• • Do not talk with food in your mouth.
• • Taste your food before adding seasonings.
• • Keep your elbows off the table.
• • Turn off your cell phones etc. before you sit down.
• • Do not clean or stack your dishes, remember there is a server to do that.
• • Do not pick at your teeth or apply lipstick at the table.
• • Thank your host(ess) for the delightful meal.

The rules may appear to be many, but they are easy to remember. Once you familiar yourself with them you will be able to impress the toughest critic – Happy Dining!