EAT

A Modern dAy Guide to ProPer Food Protocol

eAt + etiQuette 2

WHy eAt? 4

WHAt to eAt? 6

dreSS to iMPreSS 10 All you MeSSy eAterS 14

1\ 2\ 3\to eAt or not to eAt Poor eAtinG etiQuette ruleS And reGulAtionS

Be A Better eAter 18

ForMAl And inForMAl eAtinG 20

your MAP to tABle SettinG 22

PlAce SettinG 24

tHe nAPKin 26

SerVinG Food 28

tABle MAnnerS 30

GenerAl tABle

MAnnerS to liVe By 32

BreAd 36

cHicKen 38

FrencH FrieS 40

PAStA 42

SHriMP 44

SouP 46

SuSHi 48

neVer ForGet to eAt riGHt 52

4\eAt Better 5\

SPeciFic Food etiQuette 6\FinAl tiPS

1t o e At o r n o t t o e At

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eAt

According to Merriam Webster Dictionary ‘Eat’ is defined as: to take in through the mouth as food: ingest, chew, and swallow in turn.

etiQuette

‘Etiquette’ is def ined as: the conduct or procedure required by good breeding or prescribed by authority to be observed in social or off icial life.

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WHy eAt?

The reason for human consumption is as basic breathing air. We eat in order to survive. It is as simple as that. Once this basic instinct is satisf ied human consump-tion becomes a part of our every day patterns and routine. For generations we have consumed three meals a day making this way of life a norm. A meal is the consumption of two or more foods in a structured setting at a set time. But be honest with yourself meals aren’t enough to keep you satisf ied. This is why snacks were invented. Snacks consist of small amounts of food or beverage, which is eaten between meals. A typical eating pattern for the average person is breakfast in the morning, lunch midday and dinner in the evening

with snacks in between. However, routine is not the only reason we eat. We also eat for a sense of belong-ing, to be a part of family or customs. An example of this is someone who is not hungry but eats a birthday cake baked in his or her honour. Our eating habits are a result of learned behaviours developed through etiquette. These habits af fect our snack patterns, acceptable foods, food combinations and portion size. Etiquette and eating r ituals depend on the type of meal. Whether informal, formal or a special meal these habits can change our eating patterns and our behaviour towards our guests and food.

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WHAt to eAt?

Economic circumstances, cultural norms, and rel i-gious restr ictions af fect the types of food we eat. For example, it is acceptable in some cultures to choose horse, turtle, cat, or dog as part of their diet, while many other cultures consider that an offensive food source. The components of a meal general ly include grains, such as rice or noodles, meat or a meat substitute such as f ish, beans or tofu, along with other side dishes such as vegetables.

Food cHoice inFluenceS

There are many factors that inf luence what we may or may not eat. These include individual preferences, cultural inf luences, social inf luences, rel igious inf luences, economic inf luences, environmental inf luences and political inf luences. Members of a

social group depend on each other, share a culture and inf luence each other’s behaviours and values. For example, a basketball player may eat certain foods when accompanied by fr iends and other foods when accompanied by his or her coach. Religious inf luences range from relaxed to highly restr ictive, af fecting a fol lower’s food behaviours. For example, many Jew-ish and Muslim faiths prohibit the consumption of pork, causing these people to be restr icted from this food. Environmental inf luences affect food patterns, as some foods commonly grown in a specif ic region become a part of the local cuisine. For example, Prince Edward Island is known for their famous out of this world mussels. Political factors can also inf luence food avai labi l ity and trends as food laws and trade agreements affect what is available within and across each country.

2P o o r e At i n G e t i Q u e t t e

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Good MAnnerS Will oPen doorS tHAt tHe BeSt educAtion cAnnot.

– clArence tHoMAS

Poor etiquette is a real ity that many individuals fa l l prey to on a daily basis, and it has become a problem in today’s society as most people are in such a hurry they fail to see the mistakes they are making. The biggest problem it seems is that someone with poor etiquette is usually unaware that they even have poor etiquette. This could cost a person many opportunities in life. For example employers that have an interview with a future employee over lunch or dinner have been known to not give the person a job as a result of their poor eating etiquette. Proper eating etiquette represents you as a person. A person who takes the time to dine in a sophisticated manner is often viewed in a more favourable l ight. This person cares about how they are perceived by others, and this is a good quality to obtain as an upstanding person of society. The number one thing you can do to help someone that you know with poor dining etiquette is to let them know. If you happen to see your friend violently stuffing their napkin

into the collar of their shirt gently tell them a napkin belongs on their lap and this is the better option. Most fr iends wil l be grateful for your advice. Meals bring people in very close proximity with each other, and when you’re sitt ing so near you wil l begin to suring the safety and consideration for others. When carefully thought about, these dining rules make a lot more sense to follow instead of ignore. For instance, “You shouldn’t take big bites of your food”, this makes sense as you could choke with too much food in your mouth; “You shouldn’t talk with your mouth open”, as its unpleasant for others to see what is in your mouth and this makes them uncomfortable and unwil l ing to dine with you in the future; “Do not reach across the table”, this could lead to you spilling something, and nobody wants to clean up a mess. Table manners are simple and easy to fol low and they guarantee success in your future endeavors. So why would you choose any other way?

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3r u l e S A n d r e G u l At i o n S

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All you MeSSy eAterS

Do not chew with your mouth open. This includes smacking and crunching, as it can be seen as the equivalent to the sound of nails going down a chalkboard to the other dinner guests.

Do not devour your food.

Don’t worry it’s not about to run off your plate, it’ l l wait for you, I promise.

Never speak with your mouth full.

People will wait to hear what you have say, there is no need to rush yourself.

Bring your food to your face,

not your mouth to your food. This includes never drinking from your soup bowl.

Keep your elbows off the table.

Self-explanatory.

Do not reach across the table.

This is for the safety of your dinner guests.

Do not stuff your mouth with food. This is a very unattractive image.

Do not blow on your food

(sometimes an ice cube can be used to cool a hot drink, or when in doubt just wait it out).

Wipe your mouth before drinking.

This way the contents of your mouth wil l not be left on your glass.

Don’t be afraid to take a full bite.

Don’t take half bites of what’s on your fork or spoon.

Do not wave your cutlery about.

If you are not careful you could take an eye out.

Do not fidget excessively in your chair.

This includes rocking back and forth impatiently waiting for your next course.

Do not wave your server away.

This is seen as rude and disrespectful.

Do not push your plate away.

This is also seen as rude and disrespectful.

Do not slouch.

In years to come you wil l be happy you fol lowed this rule.

Do not pick your teeth at the table.

Excuse yourself to go to the bathroom where there are mirrors and better lighting, this can be a much more appealing option.

Do not groom yourself at the table.

Getting your hair out of your food wil l prove to be a challenge.

Pay attention to your host.

Everyone l ikes to be the centre of attention, give others a chance.

Always say ‘Please’, ‘Thank you’ and ‘Excuse me’. You know it’s the right thing to do.

Excuse yourself when leaving the table.

This shows respect for our host and the entire dinner party.

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4e At B e t t e r

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Be A Better eAter

The number one rule that will help you act appropri-ately in a formal dining situation is paying attention to your host. Being an attentive dinner guest wil l a l low you to pick up cues from your host and avoid 95% of the embarrassing situations that you might f ind yourself in. Also before attending a dining party make sure you dress appropriately, but remember you don’t need a custom suit to look professional. If you are visit ing someone’s house for this meal consider bringing a smal l token of appreciation such f lowers or a bottle of wine. If the host is a close friend perhaps ask if you can bring a dish to help them out, maybe a dessert. Simple things that show your gratitude wil l help you relax and enjoy your evening.

ForMAl And inForMAl eAtinG

ForMAl dininG is a seated meal. This means that you should arrive at least ten minutes early unless otherwise advised and you won’t walk in when dinner is being served.

Dress Code

Follow the dress code that has been requested on the invitation or that has been otherwise mentioned by your host.

Gift Bringing the host / hostess a small gift is polite and will show your gratitude for being invited to share this meal.

Seating

At a dinner party you must wait for the host / hostess to be seated first before taking your seat. Unless the host asks you to sit, you should not do so. If there are no dinner cards on the table wait until you are told where you should sit. When in doubt watch your host/hostess and take cues from others for the seating arrangements.

Prayer

Some homes may customarily say grace before meals. You can either join in or be respectfully silent.

Toast

A toast may be of fered at the beginning of a meal, always join in. If the host stands up during the meal, follow suit.

Thank you

Make sure at the end of the night to say thanks for being invited.

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inForMAl dininG is non-seated. This meansthere is no set t ime for everyone to sit around the table and dine as a group, this includes barbeques, and picnics where people arr ive and eat at var ious times. Even though this is an informal setting there are sti l l rules to l ive by in this setting.

Take an average size serving. Don’t put too much on your plate r ight away, this way others people wil l sti l l have a chance to try the dish in case seconds are not put out. If you are sti l l hungry you can always go back for seconds later, which is a compliment to the chef.

Do not double dip. If you really like the dip and need every part of your food to be covered in it then use a spoon. Do not take a bite and put the food back into the dip.

Precutting meat.

Cut the amount of meat off that you want to eat, don’t cut too much off or the meat will dry out.

Clean up after yourself.

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PlAce SettinG

Always start with the knife, fork or spoon that is furthest away from your plate, work your way in and use one utensil for each course. The salad fork is located on the outer left, and is followed by the dinner fork. Your soup spoon is on your outermost right, keeping a special place next to your beverage spoon (teaspoon), and then dinner knife. Your dessert spoon wil l be above your plate or brought out with dessert.

Eat to your left, drink to your right. Any food

or dish located to the left at your place setting

is yours and any glass to the right is yours.

Always work from the outside in with

your cutlery.

QuicK tiP :

tHe nAPKin

When you are unfolding your napkin, do so in one swift motion. Do not begin to violently shake your napkin, you could potential ly whack someone in the face and we don’t want to see that happen. The size of your napkin wil l determine how you unfold your napkin in your lap. For example, large napkins for a more formal occasion are to be unfolded half way on your lap while smaller napkins are unfolded complete-ly to cover your lap, incase an accident may occur. Please do not tuck your napkin into your col lar, or into your belt as this gives a very unsophisticated image of yourself.

Throughout your meal make sure you use your nap-

kin to blot or pat, not wipe your face. Also, if you are a woman wearing l ipstick you may want to blot your l ips before taking a drink so you do not leave too much residue on your glass. If you are brief ly leaving the table at any point during your meal make sure you leave your napkin on your chair.

Once you are f inished your meal and your plate has not been collected, you should put your plate in the center of your place setting leaving the napkin to the left of the plate. The napkin must be folded with the used part hidden. If your plate has been col lected then leave your napkin folded in the center of your place setting.

Always wait for your host to take their napkin

off the table and place it on their lap. This rule

applies in every formal dining situation. In

informal dining settings you should unfold

your napkin when you begin eating.

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SerVinG Food

When passing plates around the table, one guest wil l hold the dish for the next person to help themselves take or the dish may be handed to the next person to serve him or herself. If the dish is heavy, then it is put on the table next to the guest on your right. Keep in mind that is rude to stretch across the table, or cross over other guests. This can lead to an uncomfortable situation, as you will upset your dinner guest. This type of behaviour also has potential to cause injury in the cross fire between a guest struggling to reach their food and a guest struggling to eat their food. So remember to politely ask for the dish to be passed to you if you want seconds and ask anyone around you if they would like some once you are done with it.

Food is always served from your left side and

your plate is removed from the right.

QuicK tiP :

tABle MAnnerS

Always wait until everyone is served and seated before beginning your meal. It is proper etiquette to begin your meal once your host / hostess has started, and they have asked you to begin. Also, when beginning a meal it is best to keep in mind that there could be food served that you have never tasted before. In these types of situations it a lways best to put a smal l por-tion on your plate and give it a try. However, if you have an al lergy let your host / hostess know prior to your meal.

HAndinG utenSilS

After you are done using your cutlery they are to be placed on the plate or bowl that is provided. Never rest used cutlery half on the plate and half on the table, or place it on the tablecloth. When you are f inished with a course, place your knife and fork parallel with the handles on the r ight r im of the plate. The tips of your cutlery wil l rest in the ten o’clock position, with the blade of the knife facing inwards. The fork tines can face either up or down. This positions sig-nals that you are f inished.

PAyMent

Always assume that if you are dining in a restaurant in a group of more than six people that the check is going to be divided evenly among three people. Also, to make the dining arrangement move swiftly and ef f iciently advise your server that you wil l require separate bi l ls at the beginning of your meal. At a restaurant be sure to always leave a tip. Tips vary from 15% to 25%.

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Taste your food before salting it. This way your

host will not get offended, and you can be sure

that your food actually needs seasoning.

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GenerAl tABle

MAnnerS to liVe By:

If food is not served to your liking, it is unacceptable to make an issue if you don’t like it. If you cannot give a compliment it is always better to just keep silent.

Do not play with your food or wave your cutlery. This not only makes you appear childish, but if you are talking to a dinner guest and waving your knife as you speak itgives the impression you are aggressive.

Try to pace your eating so that you don’t f inish before others are halfway through. Do not continue to eat long after people have finished.

Try to mingle and keep a light conversation going with everyone around the table, as this makes for an enjoyable meal. DO NOT SHOUT LIKE THIS, or you may scare the dinner guests.

If you have to blow your nose please excuse yourself and go to the washroom. If you have to cough while eating, cover your mouth with your napkin to stop the spread of germs and muff le the noise.

Turn your cell phone off or put it to silent. It is impolite to text, or accept a call during a meal.

Do not use a toothpick, as this will turn other guests off of their meal.

When refusing wine make sure you never turn your glasses upside down. The most polite way to refuse wine is to hold your hand over the mouth of your wine glass to signal that you’d rather not have any. Also, when you do decide to have a drink, hold your wine glass by the stem not the rim.

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5S P e c i F i c F o o d e t i Q u e t t e

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BreAd

Use your f ingers to take the bread of f of the serv-ing plate. When bread and butter are supplied on a plate on the table, use it appropriately. For example, do your engulf your bread in butter. Spread the butter over your bread sparingly. Break slices of bread, rolls or muff ins in half or smaller pieces never larger than one bite. Small biscuits do not have to be broken. Do not cut a roll with a knife. Once you have taken your roll out of the serving basket, pass the basket to your right and place your roll on the break plate, which will be located on your right side.

cHicKen

A hundred years ago it was acceptable to pick food to the bone, such as chicken, and hold it in two hands, as you would eat corn on the cop. I would not do this in public, ever. When dining in a restaurant or public setting, chicken should always been eaten with a knife and fork, we don’t l ive in cave man days anymore. However, if you are at an informal barbeque with close friends, and you see other people eating chicken with their hands, then go ahead indulge yourself.

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FrencH FrieS

In a f ine dining restaurant it is respectful to use your knife and fork to eat your fries. When you are dining in someone’s home at a dinner party where the setting is formal, it is proper etiquette to eat your fries with a fork. Your best tactic in this situation is to do as your host does. In a casual setting it is acceptable to eat your fr ies with your f ingers. Most americanized restaurants don’t mind their guests eating a burger and fries with their hands, as this is how it has always been done. For the eating of fr ies it is best to be aware of your settings and watch your dining mates mannerisms.

PAStA

The correct Italian method for eating spaghetti or long str ingy pasta is to twirl it around your fork; a spoon can be used if assistance is needed in this process. Try to pick up two or three strands of the pasta to wind around the fork so that there isn’t too much on your fork once wound. It is a lso acceptable to cut pasta with a fork and knife. Cutting pasta must be done if you are eating ravioli or lasagna noodles. Do not ever slurp your mouthfuls of trailing pasta into your mouth, this is very unattractive and can turn dinner guests of f their meal. If you are hosting a dinner party try to serve your pasta in warm, shal low bowls instead of dinner plates as the side of the bowl will aid in turn-ing the pasta noodles on the fork. This will make your dinner guests’ meal easier to eat and allow them to be more relaxed while eating.

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SHriMP

cocKtAil

If shrimp are served in a glass, pick them up with an oyster fork and bite off a mouthful at a time. Do not stick your hands in the glass to f ish out the shrimp.

lArGe SHriMP

If large shrimp are served on a platter with sauce and no fork, then it is acceptable for the shrimp to be picked up with your hands, dipped into the sauce and put into your mouth. When eating shrimp with the tail still on, hold the shrimp by the tail and dip. Do not double dip into the sauce!

deeP-Fried SHriMP

Tail on deep fr ied shrimp is meant to be held with your f ingers.

SKeWered SHriMP

When eating shrimp on a skewer, sl ide the shrimp of f onto a plate with a fork. Do not eat it l ike a corn dog.

orientAl diSHeS

When eating shrimp with the tai l, remove the tai l with a fork and set it on the side of your plate or put it onto a discard dish that is provided.

SouP

Eating soup can be very tricky for some people. It requires soup until it is two thirds full and then sip the liquid from side of the spoon without putting the whole spoon in your mouth. Make sure you do not slurp your spoonful of soup, and as mentioned in Chapter 3 do not bring your soup bowl to your face and drink your soup.

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SuSHi

At typical sushi bars, your server will offer you a hot towel to wash your hands so you can pick up your sushi with clean f ingers. Please use this towel. If you are eating sushi at home make sure you use a hot washcloth. With your sushi order usual ly comes with pickled ginger, a small mound of wasabi, and soy sauce. You are supposed to eat a slice of pickled ginger after a variety of sushi to cleanse your palate. Do not mix you wasabi with your soy sauce as this is improper.

Also, while using chopsticks, do not rub them together to take out the splinters as it is considered rude. Sushi

is meant to be f inger food, so it is preferable to eat sushi with your hands rather than your chopsticks.Make sure you eat the whole roll at once. Do not eat half and put the rest back on your plate, as once you have started eating something you must f inish it a l l at once.

Do not dip the rice into the portion of the soy sauce as it becomes too moist and can cause it to fall apart. If a piece of f ish is on top of your sushi put the whole portion in your mouth and hold the sushi downward so the f ish part is touching your tongue.

If the piece of sushi is too big to eat at once, then

bite the sushi in half and place the remainder on

the plate.

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6F i n A l t i P S

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neVer ForGet

to eAt riGHt

Before leaving a dinner party, make sure to say thank you to your hosts. However, if you are in a hurry to leave, and your hosts are busy entertaining a large group of people, tel l a trusted fr iend to relay your message and then fol low up with a cal l or message within 24 hours.

FinAl tiPS:

Make sure to enjoy yourself in any kind of

dining party. Have a few drinks, but not too many. No one wants to be that drunken fool at a party who is falling all over themselves and embarrassing not only yourself, but also your host.

Talk to people!

Listen to what people say and try to understand them. This advice extends beyond dining with people. You should carry this rule with you all through your life, it wil l make you a better communicator and a more understanding individual.

Put your phone away, and live in the moment.

Do not spend your night with your eyes glued to your screen, you will miss out on the fun around you or a possible opportunity that may come your way.

Make these dining habits a part of your every

day meal, this way you will live by these rules

and follow them on a daily basis.

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Now that you have completed EAT you should be a master of any dining experience. Al l it real ly takes is some practice, patience and perseverance. The instructions in this book wil l help you to become a favourable choice for any one of your fr iends, or future colleagues to dine with. A little good etiquette carr ies you a long way. Surrounding yourself with good friends, good conversation and good manners is the secret to success.

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tHe World WAS My oySter But i uSed tHe WronG ForK.

– oScAr Wilde