Module 1: Kitchen Basics

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Module 1 Kitchen Basics
Table Etiquette
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Table Manners

• Good manners are used to show consideration and
  respect for others.

Learning good manners will enable you to feel
comfortable, more confident and relaxed in any
situation. As with any skill, developing good
table manners comes with practice.
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Appearance and Hygiene

• Come to the table neat and clean.

• Wash your hands before coming to the table for a
  meal.

• Do not comb your hair or apply make-up at the
  dining table.

4
Table Conduct Being Seated

• Come to the table when the meal is ready.

• Allow your elders to precede you.

• Wait for all who are dining to arrive at the
  table then wait for a signal from the host or
  hostess to be seated.

• People should seat themselves from the left side
  of the chair assist those who need assistance in
  being seated.

5
Table Conduct Use of Napkins

• Place the napkin in your lap as soon as you are
  seated.

• Your napkin should be used to blot your mouth
  lightly and to wipe your fingers as necessary.

• If you cough, sneeze, or need to blow your nose,
  use a tissue rather than the napkin. It is
  polite to leave the table if you have a long bout
  of coughing.

• Excuse yourself and find the washroom if you need
  to blow your nose.

6
Table Conduct Use of Napkins

• The napkin should remain in your lap throughout
  the meal. If you leave the table for any reason
  during the meal, place the napkin on the seat of
  your chair. At the end of the meal, leave the
  napkin to the left of your plate. It need not be
  refolded, but should be neat.

• If you spill anything, use your napkin to mop up
  the spill. If the spill is large or very messy
  seek the assistance of you host.

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Table Conduct General Behaviour

• While waiting to be served, keep your hands in
  your lap.

• Sit straight do not slump. Elbows should be
  kept off the table until after the meal. While
  eating, keep your elbows near your sides.

• Be polite. Contribute appropriately to the
  conversation so that the meal is a pleasant
  experience for all present.

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Table Conduct Handling Food

• Wait for the host to indicate that it is time to
  begin passing food. If you are the host, you
  are expected to start first.

• You may serve yourself foods that are close to
  you. Wait or ask politely for other items to be
  passed to you. Assist those beside you who may
  need help.

• When serving yourself, take only the amount of
  food that you will eat. Do not take more than
  your share.

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Table Conduct Handling Food

• Unless you are allergic to a food you should take
  or accept a bit of each food that has been
  prepared. This is a courtesy to the cook.

• Unless you are dining with a large group (more
  than eight people), wait until everyone is served
  before you begin eating.

• If you are uncertain about which piece of cutlery
  to use, follow the lead of your host.

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Table Conduct Handling Food Appetizers

• Sauces that are served for vegetables, nachos or
  other appetizers should be spooned onto your own
  plate for dipping. DO NOT dip your food into the
  main serving dish, unless individual plates are
  not provided.

• If seafood cocktail is served, use the fish fork.

• If fruit cocktail is served, use the teaspoon
  provided.

• Place the used utensil on the plate to be removed
  and taken to the kitchen.

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Table Conduct Handling Food Bread or Rolls

• Place your bread or roll on your bread plate, if
  one is provided. If pats of butter are provided,
  transfer one from the butter dish using the tiny
  fork supplied. If a block of butter is provided,
  use the butter knife to place butter on your
  bread plate.

• Break, do not cut, small, bite-size pieces off
  your bread or roll and spread butter on it each
  time you want to eat a piece.

• The bread plate is also used for relishes,
  olives, pickles, celery and jam or jelly for the
  rolls.

12
Table Conduct Handling Food Soup

• Soup is to be eaten quietly and neatly.

• Wait for hot soup to cool do not blow on it to
  cool it off.

• To eat soup, dip the spoon into the soup, moving
  the far edge of the spoon away from you. Do not
  fill your spoon full.

• Lift the spoon to your lips rather than bending
  down to the bowl. The arm you are using to eat
  with should not be resting on the table.

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Table Conduct Handling Food Soup

• Sip (not slurp) from the side of the spoon,
  instead of the tip.

• When you have finished your soup, do not leave
  the spoon in the bowl. Place the spoon on the
  side of the soup plate.

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Table Conduct Handling Food Salad

• If the salad is served as a separate course,
  before the main course, a salad fork is used.
  The salad fork is found on the outside of the
  cutlery setting to the left of the plate.

Salad Fork

• If the salad is served as part of the meal, use
  the dinner fork.

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Table Conduct Handling Food Salad

• If the salad is served as a separate course,
  after the main course, as is done at formal
  dinners, the salad fork will be immediately to
  the left of the plate or may be provided by the
  server.

Salad Fork
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Table Conduct Handling Food Salad

• If ingredients in the salad are too large to eat,
  cut them with your fork, if possible, or cut the
  them one piece at a time with the dinner knife.

• When you are finished eating the salad, position
  your cutlery across the salad plate, in the five
  oclock position, with the tines of the fork
  placed downwards.

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Table Conduct Handling Food Main Course

• The main course of a meal is also sometimes known
  as the entrée.

• Most North Americans eat the main course using
  what may be called the zig-zag method. We cut
  our food then set the knife down on the edge of
  the plate. (Note that you should not set the
  knife on the table nor should you bridge the
  plate and table with the knife.) We then
  transfer the fork to the dominant hand to eat.

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Table Conduct Handling Food Main Course

• A more direct method, the Continental style, is
  used in European countries. The fork is held in
  the left hand and the knife in the right. After
  cutting one bite of food, the food is transferred
  to the mouth with the fork still in the left
  hand, tines facing downward. This eliminates the
  transferring of cutlery from hand to hand.

• This method of eating is considered more formal
  than the zig-zag method.

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Table Conduct Handling Food Main Course

• Cut large pieces of food into smaller ones, one
  bite at a time. It is considered impolite to cut
  all of your food at once.

• Lift the food to your mouth do not lean down to
  your plate to eat.

• When taking a mouthful of food, eat all of the
  food off of the fork or spoon at one time. Do
  not take any of it out again.

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Table Conduct Handling Food Main Course

• Cut large pieces of food into smaller ones, one
  bite at a time. It is considered impolite to cut
  all of your food at once.

• Take small bites chew your food slowly and with
  your mouth closed.

• Avoid talking with your mouth full. If someone
  asks you a question when your mouth is full, wait
  to answer until you have chewed and swallowed the
  food.

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Table Conduct Handling Food Main Course

• Swallow the food in your mouth before taking a
  sip of a beverage. Drink carefully avoid
  slurping or gulping.

• Do not handle any foods with your hands except
  for finger foods. Finger foods include bread or
  rolls, carrot sticks, celery, corn on the cob,
  olives, potato chips, and most sandwiches.

• In informal settings, it is permissible to pick
  up a chicken, steak, or pork chop bone to finish
  off the remaining meat once you have cut off as
  much meat as possible.

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Table Conduct Handling Food Main Course

• There are conventions about the placement of the
  knife and fork when not in use.

• Your knife and fork should never be propped
  against the sides of the plate, nor should the
  knife be placed between the tines of the fork.

• If you are merely pausing in your eating, cross
  your knife and fork on the centre of the plate.

• If you are finished dining, place the knife and
  fork (tines down) in the five oclock position.
  Leave your plate where it is do not push it
  away, stack it, nor pass it to others to stack
  unless directed to do so by the host.

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Table Conduct Handling Food Dessert

• Dessert cutlery is either positioned at the top
  of the dinner plate or is provided when the
  dessert it served.

Dessert Spoon and Fork
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Table Conduct Tips

• Remove fruit pits or seeds, or large pieces of
  fat from your mouth with your spoon.

• Remove fish bones from your mouth with your
  fingers.

• Place the pits, seeds, pieces of fat, and fish
  bones on the edge of your plate. Do not place
  them on the table.

• If particles of food become stuck in your teeth,
  leave the table to remove the particles. Use
  dental floss or a toothpick in private.

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Table Conduct End of the Meal

• A finger bowl, containing water and sometimes a
  piece of lemon, may be provided. To use a finger
  bowl, dip your fingers, one hand at a time, in
  the water. Swish your fingers gently, then dry
  them on your napkin.

• Your host will signal the end of the meal by
  placing his or her napkin on the dining table.
  You may rise and leave the table when your host
  rises.