By Tiffany Maree Lim Huey Min
“Hey! You are not supposed to eat until all the other guests’ has arrived!”
“Please excuse me, I need to visit the ladies’ room.”
These remarks can be heard everyday where people from all around the world practice basic table etiquette as guests. Hence, from the moment we were seated on the table as a child, we have always been aware of exerting good table manners as it reflects on our character and personality.
Now, what if the roles were reversed and this time, we have to practice basic table etiquette as hosts instead of guests? Are we equipped with enough knowledge of basic table etiquette to host a proper dinner party?
School of Hospitality, Tourism and Culinary Arts (TCHT) student, Sim Jin Ling, 20, is more than happy to help in that area.
Sim was crowned gold in the Table Setting Category at the Culinaire Malaysia 2015 on 2 October, and she has kindly shared all there is to know about basic table etiquette.
Decisions, decisions, decisions
Decide on the type of table setting that you want to go for. Table d’hôte or À la carte?
Table d’hôte gives you the opportunity to fix the menu of the night, hereby setting the table according to your menu. Meanwhile, à la carte allows your guests to order off a specific menu of your choosing, thus setting the table according to the guests’ choice of food.
“Table d’hôte setting is where your guests are required to eat from the top to the bottom of the menu, using utensils placed from the outside to the inside,” Sim said.
Sim also added that for the à la carte setting, one could only set the table after the guests are seated.
Know your basics
“Table setting is all about similarity,” Sim said.
Sim stated that even though the sequence of setting the table may differ according to the type of table setting, the placing of the crockeries are more or less the same.
“The show plate will always be placed at the middle, with the fork on your left and the knife on your right. If your menu requires a spoon, place the spoon on the right, next to your knife,” Sim explained.
“Place the chopsticks on the right as we usually hold it with our right hand. The bake and butter (b&b) saucers will be on the left, while the water goblet, followed by the wine glass, will be placed above the knife on the right,” Sim continued.
Less is definitely more
When asked on tips to add a little flair to the table setting, Sim said that she likes to keep things to a minimum while staying classy at the same time, hence the use of table cloth.
“Classy is flair,” Sim commented.
“During Culinaire Malaysia 2015, the tablecloth that I used looked white and plain. But there were actually glitters on the surface of the cloth, giving off a shimmery feel to the whole look,” Sim said.
Sim added that even though the cloth is white and plain, it can enhance the food on the table while at the same time keeping things classy.
Preparation is the key to everything
Sim mentioned that to have a good table setting, one must be knowledgeable, patient, and most importantly, passion driven.
“You must do a lot of research on the food that you’re presenting in order to set a good table setting, hence knowledge is important,” Sim added.
She also said that table setting requires patience as setting a table with so many crockeries and utensils can never be easy.
Lastly, Sim ended that passion is the key to making table setting a success.
“My trainer, Mr. Alex Stephen Sanmugam, told me that you have to do it with love, and when you do it love, I can see the fire in you,” Sim said.
“It is an amazing feeling when the guests appreciate your table setting. The feeling is just wonderful,” Sim gushed.
“Please excuse me, I need to visit the ladies’ room.”
These remarks can be heard everyday where people from all around the world practice basic table etiquette as guests. Hence, from the moment we were seated on the table as a child, we have always been aware of exerting good table manners as it reflects on our character and personality.
Now, what if the roles were reversed and this time, we have to practice basic table etiquette as hosts instead of guests? Are we equipped with enough knowledge of basic table etiquette to host a proper dinner party?
School of Hospitality, Tourism and Culinary Arts (TCHT) student, Sim Jin Ling, 20, is more than happy to help in that area.
Sim was crowned gold in the Table Setting Category at the Culinaire Malaysia 2015 on 2 October, and she has kindly shared all there is to know about basic table etiquette.
Decisions, decisions, decisions
Decide on the type of table setting that you want to go for. Table d’hôte or À la carte?
Table d’hôte gives you the opportunity to fix the menu of the night, hereby setting the table according to your menu. Meanwhile, à la carte allows your guests to order off a specific menu of your choosing, thus setting the table according to the guests’ choice of food.
“Table d’hôte setting is where your guests are required to eat from the top to the bottom of the menu, using utensils placed from the outside to the inside,” Sim said.
Sim also added that for the à la carte setting, one could only set the table after the guests are seated.
Know your basics
“Table setting is all about similarity,” Sim said.
Sim stated that even though the sequence of setting the table may differ according to the type of table setting, the placing of the crockeries are more or less the same.
“The show plate will always be placed at the middle, with the fork on your left and the knife on your right. If your menu requires a spoon, place the spoon on the right, next to your knife,” Sim explained.
“Place the chopsticks on the right as we usually hold it with our right hand. The bake and butter (b&b) saucers will be on the left, while the water goblet, followed by the wine glass, will be placed above the knife on the right,” Sim continued.
Less is definitely more
When asked on tips to add a little flair to the table setting, Sim said that she likes to keep things to a minimum while staying classy at the same time, hence the use of table cloth.
“Classy is flair,” Sim commented.
“During Culinaire Malaysia 2015, the tablecloth that I used looked white and plain. But there were actually glitters on the surface of the cloth, giving off a shimmery feel to the whole look,” Sim said.
Sim added that even though the cloth is white and plain, it can enhance the food on the table while at the same time keeping things classy.
Preparation is the key to everything
Sim mentioned that to have a good table setting, one must be knowledgeable, patient, and most importantly, passion driven.
“You must do a lot of research on the food that you’re presenting in order to set a good table setting, hence knowledge is important,” Sim added.
She also said that table setting requires patience as setting a table with so many crockeries and utensils can never be easy.
Lastly, Sim ended that passion is the key to making table setting a success.
“My trainer, Mr. Alex Stephen Sanmugam, told me that you have to do it with love, and when you do it love, I can see the fire in you,” Sim said.
“It is an amazing feeling when the guests appreciate your table setting. The feeling is just wonderful,” Sim gushed.