Understanding the rules of place setting can improve your dining experience.
Knowing the guidelines for proper place setting for dining seems like a lost art in today's hectic society. Learning the rules of place setting, however, can enhance the enjoyment of a fine meal for you and your guests. When properly arranged, the various elements of a table setting, including utensils, plates, bowls and glasses, come together to make an elegant presentation. Proper place setting can make guests comfortable and help put them in a frame of mind to savor their meal.
Instructions
1. Place a charger plate, or an oversized decorative plate, on the table directly in front of the guest's seat. Keep this plate on the table throughout the soup and salad courses and plan to remove it before the main course.
2. Set the bread plate and butter spreader to the upper left of the charger plate. Place the butter spreader directly on the bread plate, with the handle on the right side and the blade facing to the left.
3. Place the napkin and forks directly to the left of the charger plate, below the bread plate and spreader. The napkin goes on the far left, with the salad fork directly to its right. Place the dinner fork to the right of the salad fork. The dessert fork goes to the right of the dinner fork, next to the charger plate.
4. Place the water goblet at the upper right of the charger plate, opposite the bread plate and spreader. Fill the water goblet two-thirds of the way before your guests sit down for dinner. The red wine glass goes to the right of the water goblet, with the white wine glass to the right of the red wine glass.
5. Place the dinner knife directly to the right of the charger plate, with a teaspoon to the right of the dinner knife and a soup spoon to the right of the teaspoon. If you are serving shellfish, such as shrimp cocktail or oysters, place the oyster fork to the right of the soup spoon.
Tags: charger plate, bread plate, place setting, water goblet, wine glass