The art of entertaining guests has been lost over time, yet it is highly acknowledged almost everywhere in the world. From this comes a diverse set of skills, from table-setting and designing the aesthetics of your dining room to ensuring the comfort and luxury of guests.
Though these may seem irrelevant, they set a good tone for any get-together or gathering at your home.
Whether a casual gathering or an extravagant dinner party, table setting and silverware placement play a crucial role. A well-set table changes a group’s whole vibe and brings subtle elegance to the event.
This article will discuss table setting and silverware placement while understanding flatware use for a formal or casual table setting.
Types of Flatware
Flatware across the world differs based on the type of cuisines served. So while most flatware is the same, some might have a slight difference.
Below is the commonly used and globally accepted flatware based on whether you serve an appetizer, soup, salad, main course, entree, or dessert.
1. Salad Fork
The salad fork is a five-inch, three-pronged fork, slightly smaller and blunter than the main course fork. This is placed at the farthest left of the plate, as salads are usually the first dishes to be served in many parts of the world.
2. Fish Fork
The fish fork or an appetizer fork is placed next to the salad fork. A fish appetizer is served following a salad in the USA, UK, and other parts of Europe. This fork is half an inch larger than the salad fork and has four sharp prongs.
3. Dinner Fork
The dinner fork is placed closest to the plate. It is usually 7 inches and has four shark prongs. The dinner fork is used for any main course meal and is the most significant fork on the table.
4. Dinner Knife
The dinner knife is the first thing closest to the plate on the right side. It is slightly sharp-edged and is about 7 inches. The dinner knife is used for eating any main course dish.
5. Fish Knife
The fish knife is an optional choice. Often when a fish appetizer is served, a fish-based main course dish would also follows. This is an oddly shaped knife, which helps with almost all seafood.
6. Salad Knife
The salad knife is a blunt five-and-a-half-inch knife kept at the right end of all the blades. This is always the first knife to be used.
7. Soup Spoon
Soup is commonly served as the first course and is eaten with a five-inch round spoon. This spoon sits next to the salad knife on the right side.
8. Oyster Fork
The oyster fork is a long three-pronged fork kept on the farthest right side of the soup spoon. It is best used for eating any shellfish.
9. Butter Knife
The butter knife is the dullest knife on the table and is kept on the bread or butter plate, which is placed diagonally to the forks.
10. Cake Fork
The cake fork is a five-inch blunt three-pronged fork on the plate.
11. Dessert Spoon
The dessert spoon is kept on top of the cake fork. It is a five-inch, slightly rectangular spoon convenient for eating custard and ice cream.
Informal Table Setting
The informal table setting is elementary. It is the most commonly used setting for any gathering. The number of flatware you place for the diner depends on the number of courses you wish to serve.
For starters, the informal table setting should contain at least one dinner fork, a dinner knife, a soup spoon, a butter knife, and a dessert spoon. In an informal setting, you are not obligated to place the dessert flatware and other utensils simultaneously; you can bring them along with the dessert.
For an informal silverware placement, place a dinner fork next to the plate on the left-hand side of the plate and a napkin next to the fork. First, place a dinner knife on the right-hand side, followed by a soup spoon.
The butter knife can be placed on the butter plate, with its handle pointing toward the diner. The dessert spoon can go on the top, with its handle perpendicular to the dinner fork. And If you plan on serving wine, you can place the glass next to the water glass.
Formal Table Setting
While there is a universal method of Silverware placement for a formal setting, you can make your variations of it based on the multi-course meal you plan to serve.
Place a dinner plate at the setting. The knives should be pointing upward with the blades facing toward the plate.
Start by laying a salad fork farthest from the plate. Next, place a fish fork if you plan on serving a fish course, followed by the dinner fork closest to the plate.
Then place the knives and spoons on the right. Start with a dinner knife which will lay the closest to the plate, on the right-hand side. Then, set a fish knife next to the dinner knife.
Lastly, put the soup spoon after the fish knife, which would be the farthest away from the plate. This makes it convenient for the diner to use the spoon since soup is usually served after the salad.
Place a dessert fork and spoon above the plate, with the fork pointing towards the right. Then set a spoon above the fork, pointing towards the left.
Put a bread plate diagonal to the forks if you plan to serve any bread. Do not forget to place a butter knife whose handle is pointing towards the diner’s right hand.
Lastly, place a water glass above the table knives at the top right of the plate. If you plan on serving wine, you can put the glass next to the water glass on the right-hand side.
To Sum It Up
A well-set table can mean a lot to your guests. The fact that you took the time to set the table for them makes it clear that you made an effort to make their meals comfortable.
Silverware placement also makes the experience feel more elegant and luscious. It sets a whole new vibe for your event.