Setting the tables correctly is obviously important if you run a restaurant or hotel but it’s still surprising how many establishments get a simple job wrong! Naturally, once you know how to do it, it becomes second nature.
Of course, you may well know exactly how to set a table correctly and it might be that your staff are unsure as to what a table should look like when laid so it’s a good idea to refresh their memory every once in a while. When new staff come on-board don’t forget to check to see if they know what the right cutlery and dinnerware is to use and where it should be placed.
Restaurants need to have the right atmosphere and setting the table is an important component in setting the scene. By setting a beautiful table you are presenting a lasting impression to your customers. It is even more of a priority if your restaurant focuses on fine dining or even traditional Western food because different countries have different methods of setting a table.
You should also make sure you have plenty of cutlery and dinnerware available. Think about how many customers you serve per shift and also match the cutlery to your menu, for example, if you are a meat restaurant make sure you have plenty of steak knives. You will need different cutlery according to different meals of the day and you should allow approximately 24” space per place setting. All tableware should be placed at least 1” from the table’s edge.
Work your cutlery from the outside in, starting with the first course, then the second course. Glasses should be placed on the right, with the water glass first and wine glasses behind it. Champagne glasses are always placed behind wine glasses. Additionally, each place setting needs a napkin and there should always be condiments on the table (salt and pepper). Some restaurants and hotels also place toothpicks in a holder alongside condiment sets.
Here’s some more information on what you need according to which meal occasion:
If you open at breakfast or if you are a hotel then your diners need the following:
- Dinner fork
- Dinner knife
- Teaspoon
- Dessert spoon
- Bread and butter plate
- Cup and saucer
- Water glass
- Juice Glass
Set the cutlery as follows from the left hand side:
Fork, table knife, dessert spoon. The teaspoon can be placed with the cup and saucer.
You will need:
- Salad fork
- Dinner fork
- Dinner knife
- Small knife
- Dessert spoon
- Bread and butter knife
- Bread and butter plate
- Water glass
- Wine glass
Set the table from the left:
Salad fork, dinner fork, dinner knife, small knife, dessert spoon should go across the top, handle end pointing at the top of the dinner fork. Note; dessert spoon can be left out until dessert is served. Place bread and butter plate on the right, next to the small knife and place bread and butter knife on top of the plate.
For formal dining you will need:
- Salad fork
- Dinner fork
- Dinner knife
- Small knife
- Soup spoon
- Dessert Spoon
- Bread and butter knife
- Bread and butter plate
- Starter and dinner plate (these are used when serving the meal and don’t need to be on the table setting)
- Water glass
- White wine glass
- Red wine glass
- Champagne glass (optional)
Set the table from the left:
Salad fork, dinner fork, dinner Knife, small knife, soup spoon, dessert spoon should go across the top, handle positioned above the dinner knife. As with lunch, place the bread and butter plate on the right, next to the soup spoon and place the bread and butter knife on top of the plate.
You will need:
- Small fork
- Dinner fork
- Dinner knife
- Small knife
- Bread knife
- Bread and butter plate
- Salad plate and dinner plate (which are used when serving the meal and don’t need to be placed on the table before ordering food)
- Water glass
- White wine glass
- Red wine glass
Set the table from the left: salad fork, dinner fork, dinner knife, small knife, bread and butter plate next to the small knife with the bread knife on the top.
Chinese Dining
Chinese dining is entirely different to Western dining and the table is set differently, using different cutlery and crockery.
You will need:
- Chopsticks
- Chinese soup spoon
- Soy sauce pot
- Chopstick stand
- Rice bowl
- Plate
- Chinese teacup
- Chinese saucer
Place the chopstick stand to the right of where the plate will be (centre to the setting) and either place the chopsticks along the top or alongside. The chopsticks should always have the larger end pointing toward the table edge so the thin end points upwards. The soup spoon should be placed along the top of the setting with the large end to the right. Soy sauce pots should be placed above the soup spoon. Put the rice bowl in the centre of the place setting with a plate underneath. Chinese teacup and saucer should be placed to the right of the soup spoon (similar place to Western glassware position).
Japanese
You will need:
- Hashi (Japanese for chopsticks) and Hasioki (Japanese for chopstick rest)
- Sushi Set, 2 sets of chopsticks, sushi plate and small dishes for soy sauce and wasabi
- Sake bottle
- Sake cup
Place the chopsticks on the chopstick stand and the sake at the end of the chopsticks. Place the Japanese Sake pot opposite the cup. The sushi platter will be placed to the left of the chopsticks and the soy sauce dish to the left of the platter. Chopsticks should always have the pointed end facing upwards toward the table.
You can find a list of everything you need for your restaurant or hotel in the cutlery and crockery sections of the buying guides and available to purchase on the Alliance website.