British Table Manners

Table Manners.

Reserved Sign One of the things that sets us apart from the rest of the animal kingdom is the ability to eat with cutlery; unfortunately it’s not unusual for cutlery to be used in such a way as to question that belief. Whilst in the process of writing this page I went to my local pub and saw two young men each eat their whole meal without even unwrapping their cutlery from its serviette. So point one is a very basic but necessary one.

Use cutlery to eat your meals.
Keep your mouth closed when chewing.
Finish one mouthful before starting the next.
Never put your knife in your mouth, or lick your plate.
Do not speak with your mouth full.
Unless there is an imminent threat of the theft of your meal take your time and enjoy it, you are not just filling up a hole. Overly bulging hamster cheeks are not attractive.
Finish your mouthful before taking a drink.
Never spit food out.
If you always eat off of your lap in front of the TV when at home try to make an effort to eat at the table once in a while.
Make time for family meals, family is the building block of society, eating together is fundamental, after all we are sociable animals.
Break your bread into small pieces with your fingers and butter it one piece at a time, your butter knife will normally be on your side plate (remember this is on your left) or next to it. The only time you should butter a piece of bread without breaking it is your toast at breakfast as it will normally have been cut in half for you.
Do not scrape your plate with your cutlery.
Never scoop food up with your fork the tines should always point downwards.
Move your soup spoon from 6 o’clock to 12 o’clock when spooning up soup, when only a little is remaining, tilt the bowl away from you to enable you to finish it.
Ask “May I get down please” if you’d like to leave the table early.

Cutlery is a potential minefield all of its own, it is important that we know how to hold it and how to use it. The following photographs show the correct way to hold the various types of cutlery together with positions that your cutlery should be placed in when you have finished or are merely taking a rest. It is important to note that if you are taking a rest, no food is left on your fork.

The place settings below are for a three course meal starting with soup, the first has the pudding cutlery alongside the crockery whereas the second has the pudding cutlery placed above; both are correct. The fundamental rule regarding the order of use of cutlery is to work inwards from both sides.

You will notice that your bread plate and knife are to your left.

The following are the correct ways to leave your cutlery when taking a break or when you have finished.