Formal dinner

* Formal dinner

The most formal dinner is served from the kitchen. When the meal is served, in addition to the place plate at each setting there is the roll, the napkin, and the following cutlery/silver: knives, to the right—never more than three—and forks to the left, also never more than three. Coffee is served demitasse and spoons are placed on the saucer to the right of each handle. The dessert spoon, to the right, and dessert fork, to the left, are placed on dessert plates when brought to the table. The utensils at a formal dinner must be sterling silver. Serving dishes and utensils are not placed on the table for a formal dinner.[1] The only exception to these general rules is the protocol followed at the Spanish royal court, which was also adopted by the Habsburg court: accordingly all utensils were placed on the right.

At a less formal dinner, not served from the kitchen, the dessert fork and spoon can be set above the plate, fork pointing right, to match the other forks, spoon pointing left.

In Europe, if many courses are to be served, the table is only laid for soup, fish, and meat. The pudding spoon and fork and the savoury knife and fork are then placed on the table as required


* Possible courses are:

- Hors d'oeuvres (also known as appetisers, starters)
Hors d'oeuvre might include:
Canapés
Cold cuts
Crudités (raw vegetables for dipping)
Snack foods
Cheeses
Sausages
Dumplings
Bruschetta

- Soup course (occasionally sorbet)
- Fish course
- Entrée course (which may be a palate-cleansing course such as sorbet)
refers to a smaller course that precedes the main course
- Meat course
- Dessert (also known as the Sweet or pudding course)
- Cheese course


* Elements of silver service

Silver service food is always served from the left, drinks from the right.
Meals are served to the customer from platters, not plated in the kitchen.
The guest to the host's right is served first. (Usually a female guest)
Service continues clockwise.
Plates are cleared from the right[1], glasses from the right; again starting with the guest to the host's right.
Glasses are stacked in a diagonal to the right and away, with wine (by course) in order, and then lastly, water glass in front.



1/ List of eating and serving implements.

Chopsticks
Drinking straws
Fork
Knife
Knork
Splayd
Spoon
Spork
Tongs


2/ List of Drinkware

Beaker
Beer stein, Tankard, flagon
Chalice and goblet
Coffee cup, Coffee mug
Mug or cup
Quaich
sake cup (choko)
Teacup, Japanese tea bowl (chawan or usucha)


3/ List of Glasses

Collins glass
Highball glass
Pony glass
Iced tea glass
Juice glass
Pilsner glass
Pint glass
Shot glass
Tumbler
Wheat beer glass


4/ List of Stemware

Champagne flute
Cocktail glass
Sherry glass
Wine glass
Snifter
Tulip glass (for scotch, brandy and cognac)


5/ Type of Dishes

Plates, such as dinner plates, salad plates, or bread plates
Bowls, including soup bowls, cereal bowls, or dessert bowls
Teacups, saucers and mugs
Sugar bowl and creamer
Serving dishes, including platters, salvers, and trays