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Solving the Utensil Puzzle
by Lydia Ramsey
Published on this site: March 29th, 2006 - See
more articles from this month
Many people know how to navigate place settings and know when
to use each utensil. How to hold those knives, forks and spoons,
where to put them when you are not using them and what to
do with them at the end of the course or the meal may still
be a challenge. Glancing around you while dining out and trying
to
get a clue from others may not solve the problem. A quick
study of people eating out will reveal that there are almost
as many ways to hold a knife or fork as there people using
them.
The fork is held between the first knuckle of the third finger
and the tip of the index finger with the thumb to steady the
handle. This is much the same way that you would hold a pencil
although observation will tell you that there are variations
on that as well.
The knife is held between your thumb and third finger with
the index finger resting on the top of the blade. If this
seems awfully basic, look around. You'll find people gripping
the knife like a dagger and holding the fork like a miniature
cello.
There are two differing styles of eating: American and
Continental.
The difference between the two is primarily how you hold the
knife and fork while taking food to your mouth and what you
do with them while resting between bites.
- The American Style is the one most commonly used
in this country and is often referred to as the zigzag method.
When you are cutting your food, the fork is in the left
hand with tines down and the handle between your thumb and
third finger. Your index finger rests on the back of the
handle. The knife is in your right hand at this point. Assuming
that you are right-handed, when you are ready to take the
food to your mouth, you put the knife down (on your plate,
blade facing in) and switch the fork to your right hand.
Tines go up as the food goes to your mouth.
- The Continental or European Style is less formal
and actually seems more efficient. The knife and fork are
held the same way as they are for the American Style when
you cut food. The difference is that the fork is not moved
to the right hand nor is it turned tines up when food is
taken to the mouth. The knife can remain in your right hand
while you chew. The knife then becomes more versatile. You
can use it to move food onto the back of your fork (which
is kept in the tines down position). However, it is still
not permissible to wave it around or use it to punctuate
your conversation.
One more point to keep in mind when cutting your food; cut
only one bite at a time. If you are thinking that your mother
always cut up all your food at one time, that was because
she wanted to be able to eat her dinner uninterrupted, not
because it was good table manners.
Lydia Ramsey is a business etiquette expert, professional
speaker, corporate trainer and author of Manners That
Sell - Adding The Polish That Builds Profits. She has been
quoted or featured in The New York Times, Entrepreneur, Inc.,
Real Simple and Woman's Day. For information about her programs,
products and services, e-mail her at [email protected]
or
visit Manners
That Sell
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