How to set the table - Anna Post

Summary

This video offers practical and traditional table-setting etiquette tips, guiding viewers through the proper placement of utensils and decor. It explains the reasoning behind common practices, such as the arrangement of dinner forks and knives, the positioning of soup spoons, and how to organize glasses for water and wine. Additionally, it provides helpful memory tricks, like the 'B-M-W' method for bread, meal, and water placement, and demonstrates how to set the table for different courses. Whether you're preparing for a casual or formal meal, these tips will help you set a polished and proper dining experience.

Takeaways

• 😀 Use either a placemat or tablecloth, not both, to avoid clutter and keep the table looking neat.
• 😀 Place decorative items like flowers or candlesticks on the table, but only light candles during the evening.
• 😀 For the main course, place the dinner fork on the left and the dinner knife on the right with the blade facing the plate.
• 😀 When setting for salad, the salad fork should go outside the dinner fork, and the salad knife goes outside the dinner knife.
• 😀 The knife blades should face inward as a traditional gesture of politeness and nonaggression.
• 😀 Place the soup spoon outside the knives if soup is part of the meal, but only set utensils you'll actually use.
• 😀 Position the dessert bowl above the plate for ice cream, or flip the dessert fork upside down for cake.
• 😀 The bread plate should be placed to the left of the main plate with the butter knife angled on the plate, blade inward.
• 😀 Place the wine glass to the upper right of the plate and the water glass to the left of the wine glass.
• 😀 Remember the simple mnemonic 'Water, Wine' (W-A, W-I) to help you remember the placement of drinks.
• 😀 Use the B-M-W trick for bread, meal, and water: Bread goes left, Meal in the middle, Water on the right.

Q & A

What is the traditional placement for the dinner fork and dinner knife on the table?

The dinner fork should be placed on the left side of the plate, and the dinner knife should be placed on the right-hand side, as this corresponds to the hands used for eating.

Why do we eat 'outside-in' when using utensils?

The 'outside-in' rule means you start with the outermost utensils and work your way in towards the plate. This is because courses are typically served in order from the outermost to the innermost, starting with salad and moving to the main course.

What does it mean when the knife blades are pointed toward the plate?

Pointing the knife blades toward the plate is a tradition from a time when knives were sharper. It signified politeness and nonaggression, as a way of signaling that the knife was not a threat to other diners.

Where should the soup spoon be placed in relation to the knives?

The soup spoon should be placed outside the knives on the right side, as it is used with the right hand and typically served before the main course.

What is the correct placement of the dessert utensils?

For dessert, the utensils are placed above the plate. If you're having ice cream, the bowl is pointed to the left, making it easy to slide it into the right position when it's time to eat.

Should you set a soup spoon if you're not having soup?

No, you should only set the table with the utensils you will actually use. If soup is not part of the meal, there is no need to place a soup spoon.

What is the rule for setting the bread plate and butter knife?

The bread plate should be placed to the upper left of the setting, with the butter knife placed at an angle on the plate. The blade of the knife should point inward, towards the plate.

Where do the wine and water glasses go on the table?

The wine glass is placed to the upper right of the plate, and the water glass is placed to the left of the wine glass. A helpful mnemonic is to think of the letters 'w-a' for water and wine, which are in alphabetical order (left to right).

How can you remember where to place the bread plate and water glass?

You can use the acronym 'B-M-W,' where 'B' stands for bread plate (on the left), 'M' stands for meal (in the middle), and 'W' stands for water (on the right).

Where should the napkin be placed on the table?

The napkin is traditionally placed to the left of the forks, but it can also be placed underneath them. For fancier meals, it is sometimes placed in the center of the setting, especially when space is limited.