Table Etiquette: Who Serves First at the Table

Every time we sit down at the table, or better yet, when we invite someone to dinner, we try to follow those few rules of table etiquette. A few simple tips, mostly remnants of our grandparents' teachings and suggestions from books to show off the best of manners. Indeed, adopting good behavior at the table is certainly an added value as well as a matter of good manners. Choosing the right organic pasta, considering the perfect wine pairing, lights, and decorations, is not easy. But let's find out more!

Table Manners: All the Tips

First of all, let's consider that a good dinner is one that involves a succession of well-thought-out meals, capable of satisfying the guests' needs. Not everyone knows that good manners at the table start from the elements of the dinner. Choosing the perfect ingredients is not always easy. Starting from a healthy diet is certainly the basis. In most cases, organic foods that can satisfy everyone's palate are preferred. But serving them in the right way is equally important. Education and elegance are fundamental. Let's start with the impact that our table could have on the guests and therefore on how to set it. Setting the table properly is important; this technique involves the same care we take in cooking.

The Rules of Table Etiquette: How to Set the Table

Let's start with the classic elements: the tablecloth. A clean and well-ironed tablecloth is the basis. If we have decided to follow a specific theme, a common thread that connects the dishes to the decorations we have used for the table, good manners dictate that the tablecloth follows this line too. Following all the tableware, starting from the plates, chargers, glasses, down to the napkins, they all align with the theme. It is also important to choose a nice centerpiece, candles, and if we want to be thorough, even place cards. So, setting the table is extremely important! But what many call table manners go through important steps and do not focus solely on the aesthetic importance of lunch or dinner but go beyond, addressing above all the age-old issue of how to behave at the table.

There is a specific rule of etiquette that indicates how to sit at the table according to etiquette, what to eat, how to eat, but above all, who to serve first. Also in this case, it is very important to choose how to present the food during a dinner. The female guest is served first, and then it continues with all the guests until the hosts. If there are people of the same sex, instead, always start with the oldest. The hosts, on the other hand, are the last to sit down and the last to serve themselves dinner.

Table Etiquette: How to Eat

The rules only indicate how to set the table and who, during a dinner, should be served first. Table manners provide specific tips on how to eat and how to behave at the table indicating with the food. First of all, let's start with the posture at the table. Straight back, elbows away from the table without being particularly rigid. It is important in this case to bring the food to the mouth and not vice versa, avoid noise when chewing, and never talk with your mouth full. The use of the napkin is fundamental. It should be placed on the knees until the end of the meal and then placed on the table. Obviously, before starting dinner, make sure that all the guests are at the table, including especially the hosts. Etiquette on how to behave at the table also includes a specific guide on the use of cutlery. The fork is held in the right hand, but for cutting, it is held in the left. The same rule applies to glasses. Do we always know where the wine should be poured? Clearly in the goblet, but if we are using other drinks, remember to always start with the glasses on the left, holding the glass by the stem and never by the top! It seems that even the classic phrase "enjoy your meal" is obsolete and incorrect. This expression should be eliminated because, since ancient times, both lunch and dinner were moments of meeting and exchange of ideas, so food was seen only as a side dish. Of course, there are many rules, but once put into practice, our organic dinner will be truly perfect. So, what are you waiting for? Try it now!