1. Serving Styles and Table Setting

2. To determine which style you will use, you need to consider:
The number of guests being served
The manner in which they will be served
The number of courses being served
The person who will be serving the food
The space in which it will be served

3. There are six major styles of meal service:
American plated
Russian or continental service
English service
Compromise service
Buffet service

4. American or plated Table is set before the meal begins
Plates are portioned and garnished in the kitchen
Dishes are cleared and dessert is served in the same manner

6. Russian or Continental Service
This is the most formal style
Rarely used in the United States because servants are needed, but is used in fine restaurants and state dinners
Serving dishes and platters are not set on the table
The servant places the food on the plate and serves it at the table
Plate replaces plate as one course is removed and another is served

8. English Service This style also requires a servant
The servant places the food in front of the host or hostess who then places it on individual plates
The plates are passed to the guests or the servant places them at each guest’s place
There is a lot of passing of plates, so this is best used with smaller groups

10. Compromise
This is a combination of the very formal Russian and the English
Part of the food (usually the salad and dessert) is served from the kitchen and part is served at the table with the host or hostess dishing up the main course
There is still the presence of waitstaff

12. Buffet Service
Usually used when a large number of people are to be served
A serving area holds everything needed for the meal and guests go through “the line” serving themselves
Someone is needed to restock the serving area as items become low
Attention to detail is needed in setting it up as meat should be pre-carved, sauces should not drip onto other foods, hot foods need to be kept hot and cold foods need to be kept cold and beverages, flatware and napkins should be manageable while dishing up

14. Sample set up for a buffet
This sample suggests that after you get your plate, you start with the meat, move on to hot items and then the salads and condiments, finishing
off with the flatware
and beverages.

15. Setting the table There is no one “right” way to set the table.
It will depend upon:
The occasion
The size of the table
The number of people served
The menu

16. A table should always be set for convenience and beauty
Unnecessary objects should be avoided
Each guest should know which items are his or hers
Lines should be kept simple and straight

17. Think in terms of individual covers
A cover is the individual space needed by each person
It contains the linen, dinnerware, flatware and beverage ware needed by one person
A minimum of 24 inches across is needed for each cover

18. Think BMW
The bread plate, meal, and water glass are positioned from left to right.

19. Here’s where everything else goes:
Dinner plate-Place the plate in the center of the cover about one inch from the edge of the table.
Napkin-Fold the napkin and set it to the left of the dinner plate, or on the plate, or in the empty water glass.
Dinner fork-Place the fork to the immediate left of the plate.
Salad fork-Set this fork to the left of the dinner fork.

20. Dinner knife-Set this knife on the right side of the plate, with the blade facing in.
Soup spoon-Place the spoon to the right of the dinner knife.
Wineglass-Place the goblet above and to the right of the plate, above the knife.
Water glass-Place this glass slightly above and to the left of the wineglass.

21. Bread plate-Set this plate above and to the left of the dinner plate.
Butter knife-Rest the knife horizontally across the bread plate.
Dessert spoon-Lay horizontally above the plate, with the bowl of the spoon pointing left.
Dessert fork-Set the fork below the dessert spoon, with the prongs pointing right.

22. Of course, sometimes you don’t need anything besides a napkin and a fork…

23. Quick quiz… Can you identify what is wrong in the following pictures?

26. And finally, an easy one…