How to properly set a table in a dining room. Different ways to serve the table

Beautiful table decoration for the holidays

Serving comes from French word servir - to serve. Setting is preparing the table before eating (for breakfast, lunch, dinner, festive feast, banquet, buffet, banquet-cocktail, tea ceremony). It includes the correct arrangement of items necessary for eating (tablecloths, dishes, cutlery). The purpose of serving is to create maximum convenience during the meal process, Have a good mood, expressions of attention and goodwill.

Table setting rules

Serving items must correspond to the compiled menu, be in harmony with both the shape of the table, tablecloth, napkins, and the interior of the room, must be selected in shape, texture and color, and reflect the thematic focus of the celebration, if any.

Serving must meet existing rules. In order to set the table correctly and beautifully, you need to know about the numerous serving items, what they are called and what they are intended for.

Before setting the table, you need to think through everything, show artistic taste, accuracy, and most importantly, a desire to please the guests. To create an atmosphere of solemnity and comfort, you will need beautiful dishes, a set necessary devices, snow-white or colored tablecloth. All this will not only guarantee a good appetite, but also a great mood.

Sequence of table setting

1. Tablecloth.

2. Plates.

3. Cutlery.

4. Glassware.

5. Napkins.

6. Spices.

7. Vases with flowers.

8. Cold snacks.

By following this sequence, you can quickly and correctly set the table: arrange numerous items without missing a single detail.

Before serving, glass and cutlery must be polished to a shine with a clean, dry towel or napkin.

For Defender of the Fatherland Day Serving can be more ascetic, using military-themed attributes.

A napkin folded in any of the above ways is placed on a snack plate for each guest. Instead of linen napkins, you can use paper ones.

Table setting. Photo

Flowers on the festive table

Flowers are an integral part of table decoration. They enhance the thematic focus of the celebration, adding solemnity, severity or romance. When serving breakfast, flowers put you in a positive mood and fill you with energy for the coming day.

Vases with a small number of flowers are usually placed in the center of the table so that they do not obscure the guests and dishes. Flowers in baskets and large bouquets are not placed on the table, but placed in a specially designated place.

Table decoration with flowers. Photo

You can decorate the table not only with flowers, but also beautiful bouquet from leaves, twigs of rowan and spruce. You can decorate the table and wildflowers, and ikebana in original vases, vases with floating flowers. All this will create an unforgettable holiday atmosphere.

The rules for setting the table are not just about preparing it for breakfast, lunch, dinner or tea. This is a kind of art that depends more on the taste of the person setting the table, and not on his financial means.

The aesthetics of the table depends on the tablecloth, napkins, cutlery, dishes, flower arrangements, present on the table, as well as from the overall harmony with the interior of the room, its color range and style.

In addition, the table setting rules have the following requirements: compliance with the type and occasion of the feast, combination with the menu and correct location serving items.

There is a certain sequence of actions that helps to quickly and correctly arrange numerous serving items.

First, cover the table with a tablecloth, which must be spotlessly clean and ironed. It is desirable that the ends of the tablecloth hang evenly from all sides of the table by about 25-30 cm, and the corners of the tablecloth should cover the legs of the table.

After this, the plates are placed. It is recommended not only to wash and wipe them well, but even to polish them until they shine with a towel or napkin. The snack plate should be placed strictly opposite each chair at a distance of approximately 2 cm from the edge of the table. Place the snack plate at a distance of 5-15 cm to the left of the snack plate pie plate. In this case, the center of the plates should be on the same line. Depending on the type and occasion of the feast, there may be several plates. In such cases, small dinner plates are placed under the appetizer plates, and the pie plate (bread plate) can be placed so that the edges of the plates farthest from the edge of the table are in line with the small dinner plate.

Serving examples for a two-course menu.
A deep plate is used for the main course. The dessert plate is served later as needed. Cutlery is arranged in such a way as to avoid confusion in its use: the knife and fork lie next to the main dish and, accordingly, are intended for it. The dessert spoon lies behind the plate with the handle facing to the right. If wine is served, then on the right behind the knife there is a corresponding glass for white or red wine. If several drinks are served (beer, juices, water), the remaining glasses should be placed in the same place.

IN in this case A deep plate intended for spaghetti sits on a large stand. A bread plate is a must with Italian dishes. Spaghetti is eaten with a spoon and fork, so the knife is replaced with an appropriate utensil, the dessert spoon lies in the same way as in the previous case, and the butter knife lies on the bread plate. Water is always served with Italian dishes, so a glass of water (mineral, for example) should be in the first position, closer to the dish. The wine glass is located on the top left behind the water glass.

Cutlery is laid out immediately after arranging the plates. If there are a large number of knives, forks and spoons, then start with the cutlery for the main course. Knives are placed on the right side, blade towards the plate, forks - on the left side, tip up. The soup spoon is placed with its spout up, next to the knife. If the menu includes several dishes that require the use of separate appliances, proceed as follows. A table knife is placed closest to the plate, next to it to the right is a fish knife, and last is a snack knife. By the way, if you serve butter with bread, then place a small butter knife on the bread plate (or pie plate), which should be located to the left of the fork. If soup is served, the soup spoon is placed between the snack knife and the fish knife. It can be used instead of a fish knife if a fish dish is not provided. On the left side of the plates there are forks corresponding to the knives - table, fish, diner. The distance between the devices should be slightly less than 1 cm, as well as the distance between the plate and the devices. The ends of the cutlery handles, as well as the plates, should be 2 cm from the edge of the table.

Now it’s the turn of glass (crystal) dishes. Each drink has its own serving item. If it is intended to serve only water, then a wine glass or glass is placed behind each plate, in the center or slightly to the right. It should be located at the intersection of the top edge of the plate with the end of the first knife. If kvass or fruit drink is served instead of water, then instead of a wine glass a mug is placed, with the handle facing the right. For alcoholic drinks your own dishes are provided, which are placed next to the wine glass, to the right of it. When there are several items for drinks, the wine glass is moved to the left of the center of the plate, and next to it, to the right, the rest of the items are lined up on the same line. But it is not customary to place more than three items in one row. At full serving drink items are arranged in two rows. The distance between objects should be at least 0.5-1 cm.

Serving examples for a four-course menu.
There is a deep plate and a soup cup on a stand. The soup spoon lies on the right along the outer edge, then the knife and fork for appetizers. The knife and fork for the main course lie next to the plate. Remember, guests always start eating with cutlery that lies on the outer edge, and then take cutlery towards the plates as they change dishes. Next: the dessert spoon is placed behind the plate. A glass of white wine, which is supposed to be used for appetizers, is located on the top right behind the soup spoon. If water is served, the glass for it is placed on the left behind the glass for wine. And finally, the red wine glass for the main course is placed in a straight line above the other glasses.

A soup plate and a deep plate stand on a stand. Next to the left, just above the forks, is a plate for bread. The cutlery is located as follows: the soup spoon is on the right next to the fish knife, the fish fork is on the outer left edge, and for the main dish, the corresponding fork and knife are located near the plate. Small knife for butter and a snack lies on a pie plate. Dessert utensils lie above the plates: the fork is with the handle to the left, the spoon is with the handle to the right. Glasses are placed in the following sequence from the soup spoon to the right and up: for white wine for appetizers, a glass for water and a glass for red wine for the main course.

A napkin is an indispensable attribute of table setting, which is laid out immediately after placing glassware (crystal) on the table. There are many ways to roll napkins, both simple and requiring some skill. Folded napkins are placed on each guest's appetizer plate. In some cases linen napkins can be replaced with paper ones.

The final touch to the table setting is the arrangement of cutlery with spices, vases with flowers and other decorative elements. Utensils with salt and pepper are placed in the middle part of the table on special stands. If there is a need for it, the device with mustard is placed nearby. You can also place bottles of vinegar next to the spices, vegetable oil or hot sauces.

And, of course, only flowers will add a festive touch to the table. Plants must be spotlessly clean; petals, leaves and pollen must not be allowed to fall onto the table. Flowers can be placed on the table in any flat dish or low vases so that the bouquets do not obscure the people sitting at the table or the dishes for which the setting was carefully selected.

A full table setting will take up space but will draw guests' attention to such a sophisticated approach.

Basic rules for table setting - arrangement of plates, cutlery and glasses:

The art of serving is not so complicated! Read the commentary for each item below. All items in the photo, including a wonderful round table, from the French brand “Du Bout Du Monde”, serving napkins from the brand “Beauville”.

1. Plate.

The bottom plate (the so-called sub-plate) serves as a stand, and is removed only after dessert. The edge of the plate is placed flush with the edge of the table. Plates are placed on it for the dishes that you are going to serve and which will be used during meals. At the very bottom is a plate for the main course. A plate is placed on it for snacks or meals. The soup plate will stand even higher. Without a plate - the plate stands stand a centimeter from the edge of the table.

Instruments on the left.

The forks are located on the left. There is a simple rule, and it is not difficult to remember. For many changes, the cutlery is used from edge to plate, that is, first the outermost, left-hand fork is used, then the one next to it and closer to the plate. And so on. The outer fork is for snacks. Then, if necessary, a fish fork, and a meat fork is located at the plate itself.

3. Instruments on the right.

Here is a place for spoons and knives. The outermost one is a soup spoon. Then the appetizers. Further towards the plate are: an appetizer knife and a butcher knife. If necessary, place a fish knife between them.

Dessert cutlery.

Small spoons and forks for dessert are placed above the plate, perpendicular to the other cutlery. The handle of the fork points to the left, and the handle of the spoon points to the right.

5. Glasses and glasses are located at the top right of the plate. The order of construction is the one in which they will be used. In front is a glass for the first wine or other aperitif, diagonally - a glass for the second wine. Nearby on the right is a glass or glass for water. It will remain on the table all the time, but unnecessary wine glasses can be removed.

6. Bread plate.

On the left, next to each place, above the napkins and forks, there is a plate for bread. The butter knife is placed on the right edge of the plate with the blade to the left.

tip: when setting the table, start by arranging the plates and gradually add everything else.

Stages of table setting:

1. Lay an old white tablecloth or undyed felt on the table, which will help prevent stains from appearing on the table if water spills. In addition, this fabric will muffle the sounds of dishes, protect the table from hot plates, and the festive tablecloth will lie more smoothly.

2. Lay out a linen tablecloth. When choosing a tablecloth, remember the influence of colors: red and its shades increase appetite, while blue, on the contrary, mutes it. Make sure that the ends hang evenly and that the tablecloth lies flat and without wrinkles.

3.Remember, table settings need color selection. When organizing table decorations and selecting flowers, it is worth remembering that these decorations will always be in sight of guests, so they should not be too bright and pretentious. You should also avoid flowers with strong odor, as some guests may be sensitive to fragrances.

Artificial flowers were used here for decoration. It is best to place them, of course, not in plates, but next to glasses or add them to decorate napkins with rings...

4. Place mats under plates and placemats.

in the photo there is a French cotton tablecloth from Nice and place mats with an olive pattern.
Rugs are more of an additional decor; it is good to combine a plain tablecloth and brightly patterned rugs, or vice versa.
This table setting is bright and colorful; the richness of the pattern is appropriate here.

5.Place jugs of water.

6.If a large number of dishes will be served during dinner, then put knives and forks for each of them, in the order of use. On the right side, towards the plate: a soup spoon, a fish knife, two table knives. On the left side, towards the plate: a fish fork, two table forks. A dessert spoon and a cheese knife are placed above the plate, with the handle turned to the right; underneath them is a dessert fork, the handle turned to the left.

7.Napkins are beautifully decorated and placed on a plate. Often they put some kind of sweet in the napkin to please the guest.

If you don't have napkin rings, that's okay. Use ribbons, cotton cord, scrap fabric, suede cord... If you don't have any, just fold the napkin into a pointed rectangle and place it on a plate.

8. Glasses and glasses are placed on the right side, near the soup spoon. They should all be placed close to each other, with the tallest glass being furthest from the guest.

Serving (from French. servir - serve) has the following meanings: preparing the table for breakfast, lunch, dinner; proper placement of dishes, cutlery, and table linen intended for these purposes on the table.

Basic requirements for table setting:

compliance with the type of service: breakfast, business lunch, lunch or dinner according to the custom-made menu;

aesthetic orientation (correspondence of the shape and size of the plates to the shape and size of the table, combining them with the color of the tablecloth and napkins, the forms of folding the latter);

coordination of serving items with the decorative design of the interior of the hall;

compliance of tableware with the range of dishes, snacks and drinks served;

reflection national characteristics and the thematic focus of the room or table.

There are two types of table setting: preliminary and additional. Preliminary is called serving, which is carried out when preparing the restaurant hall for service before the arrival of consumers, which significantly speeds up the service process and gives the hall solemnity and elegance.

Additional serving carried out in accordance with the accepted order and taking into account the range of dishes and drinks served.

Preliminary sorting of the table is carried out in the following sequence:

covering the table with a tablecloth;

serving with plates;

serving with cutlery,

serving with glassware;

laying out napkins;

arrangement of cutlery with spices, vases with flowers and other table accessories.

The specified sequence ensures quick serving and safety of the dishes Covering the table with a tablecloth is carried out as follows. First, the tablecloths, ironed and folded in four along the length, are laid out on the tables, then each one is unfolded and placed along the length of the table (Fig. 5, a). Take the edges of one of the sides with both hands (Fig. 5, b); the tablecloth is raised and lowered onto the tabletop with a sharp movement, as if shaking (Fig. 5, c). The air cushion formed between the unfolded tabletop and the tablecloth makes it possible to lay it in the desired position (Fig. 5, d). In this case, the central fold of the tablecloth should coincide with the center of the table (Fig. 5, d), the perpendicular fold should also run through the middle of the table.

When covering round and square tables, the edges of the tablecloth should fall equally on all sides of the table at least 25-30 cm from the edge of the tabletop, but not lower than the seat of the chair. The corners of the tablecloth should go down strictly along the table legs, covering them. When covering rectangular tables, the descent of the tablecloth from the ends increases to 35-40 cm.

It is not allowed to level the tablecloth by pulling the corners or stroking its surface with your hands. After covering the table with a tablecloth, the chairs (armchairs) are arranged, which is a guideline for the correct placement of plates on the table.

In Fig. Figure 6 shows a diagram of covering the tabletop with moulton, a tablecloth, a naperon, and arranging chairs. When setting a table with two small tablecloths, first cover the table with the tablecloth on the side opposite the entrance to the hall, then with the second tablecloth.

The tablecloth is replaced if a large stain has formed on it (Fig. 18). The waiter stands at the end of the table and pulls the tablecloth towards himself so that the opposite side is located along the edge of the table (a), then the tablecloth prepared for replacement is placed on the table, folded in four so that its middle is located at the bottom (b), the bottom the side of the clean tablecloth is lowered over the opposite edge of the table (c); Hold the middle edge of a clean tablecloth with your index and thumb, and with your middle finger

And ring fingers- the edges are stained. Gradually remove the dirty tablecloth and at the same time cover it with a clean one, moving towards you. The table top should not be exposed when replacing the tablecloth (d). Before changing the tablecloth, dishes and drinks are moved to the utility table. If the stain on the tablecloth is small, it should be squeezed out with a towel and covered with a napkin.

Utility tables, which are placed next to dining tables during service, are also covered with specially sewn tablecloths or large napkins.

Table setting with plates Depending on the type of service, table setting can begin with arranging serving, snack or pie plates. Plates (serving, snack plates) are placed on the tables strictly in the center of each chair (armchair) at a distance of 2 cm from the edge of the table, pie plates - 5-10 cm from the edge of the table and 5-10 cm to the left of the snack plates. The company logo on the plate should be located on the side opposite the edge of the table.

When setting a table with serving plates, the waiter takes a stack of each type of plate in his left hand and arranges them with his right hand. You can place a handbrake or a napkin folded in four on your left hand under a stack of plates. Each plate is pushed forward slightly with the thumb of the left hand, then with the right hand they are removed one by one and placed on the table. The table is set in the same way with snack plates, which are placed on serving racks. In both cases, the waiter moves clockwise (from right to left). Then the table is set with pie plates, holding the stack in the palm of the right hand, placing them on the table to the left with the left hand. At the same time, the waiter moves along the table from left to right.

Table setting with cutlery. After the preparatory work (wiping, polishing with a handbrake), the waiter lays out the cutlery on a medium tray covered with a napkin, or on a small dinner plate with a napkin folded in an envelope. The cutlery is placed on the tray in the order in which the table is served (Fig. 19). If the cutlery is placed on a plate, then table knives, snack knives, table and tea spoons are placed inside the envelope; Table and snack forks are placed under the folded corner of the napkin.

The table can be set with cutlery by holding it in a handle folded into an envelope, so that the cutlery is directed deep into it.

First, the table is set with knives and spoons, holding the handbrake in the left hand, then the table is set with forks, placing the handbrake with utensils in right hand. To the right of the plates (serving and snack bars), knives are laid out with the blade facing the plate at a distance of 2 cm from the edge of the table to the handle of the utensil in the following sequence: table knife, table spoon (for dinner), snack knife. To the left of the plate, lay out the forks, tines up, in the following order (from right to left): table forks, snack forks. The distance between the plate and the device, as well as between devices, should be no more than 0.5 cm. All devices should be located on the table parallel to each other.

Table setting with glassware(Fig. 20). On a tray covered with a linen napkin, place wine glasses in the amount of 4 or more units (a). The waiter approaches the table and places a wine glass with his right hand along the axis of the serving or appetizer plate. This arrangement of glass or crystal is called centric. You can place the wine glass to the right of the plate at the line where its top edge intersects with the end of the first knife. This arrangement of glass or crystal is called right-handed. The distance between the plate and the wine glass should be 0.5 cm.

Table setting with glass can be done by hand, holding four wine glasses between the fingers of your left hand. by the legs with the containers down (the hand is turned palm up)(b). When setting a table with glass, the waiter moves clockwise with the tray, stops on the right side of the chair, takes the wine glass with his right hand by the stem, without touching the container, and places it on the table to the right.

Laying out napkins. A napkin is a mandatory table setting item. It should be well ironed and beautifully folded. The linen napkin should not be heavily starched. The most convenient to use is a semi-soft napkin. When folding napkins, take into account the possibility of folding them comfortably and simply so that when unfolded they do not look wrinkled.

When setting the table, the waiter places napkins on appetizer plates, and in the absence of the latter, on the table between the cutlery.

When serving consumers on a daily basis, paper napkins are sometimes included in table settings for breakfast or business lunch. Each napkin is beautifully folded and placed in vases, stands and directly on the table. Do not cut paper napkins into pieces and place them in vases and stands.

Arrangement of cutlery with spices. The waiter places a salt and pepper shaker on a small dinner plate covered with a linen napkin folded in an envelope, and an ashtray under the folded edge of the napkin and places the spice utensil closer to the center small table or along the axis, and the ashtray is closer to the edge of the table on the opposite side. In this case, the salt and pepper shaker should be placed in the right hand between the thumb, middle and index fingers, without touching their upper part. For a table for six or more people, two or more spice utensils are recommended. They are placed on the table asymmetrically on both sides behind the pie plates in line with the wine glasses. Often, devices with spices are placed on special stands. Next to them you can place bottles with vinegar, vegetable oil and hot sauce.

Serving – ancient art decorating a table for a shared lunch or feast. To decorate the table in accordance with generally accepted rules and customs, you should familiarize yourself with them. It is necessary to learn the order of arranging cutlery and serving dishes, and also take into account the recommendations of specialists in choosing decorations and decorative elements to realize the ideal serving.

Peculiarities

Today, few people pay due attention to studying traditions and customs, so not every housewife can talk about table setting or explain what it is. But it is worth familiarizing yourself not only with the concept itself, but also with the history of the development of serving.

By serving we need to understand the correct arrangement of plates, cutlery, napkins and other elements for the meal. Great value The choice of decor plays a role.

Serving can be presented in several varieties:

Preliminary- is the simplest. With such serving, it is enough to partially arrange the dishes and cutlery that will initially be required for the dishes presented first on the menu. When a new dish is served, the dishes will be replaced at the same time.

During pre-serving, it is necessary to use a table knife, a fork, a teaspoon, a pie plate, a wine glass, a wine glass, decorations for placing in the center, a pepper shaker and salt shaker, as well as a cloth napkin without a print.

Banquet room– consists of simultaneous arrangement of decor, plates and cutlery. To create this type of serving you will need snack utensils, namely:
- forks and knives;
- soup spoon;
- fish utensils;
- baking plate;
- plate for bakery products;
- butter knife;
- dessert spoon;
- pepper shaker;
- soup plate;
- small saucer.

Silk napkins are the ideal decoration for this type of table setting. They can be in the form of rectangles or squares.

"Bistro"- the usual arrangement of dishes for a casual breakfast or lunch in an informal setting. It can be used in areas where self-service is used. This type of serving is used in establishments where personal staff are served. The choice of cutlery and their location depends on the menu, the cost of the dish and even the style of the establishment. The table should be decorated with a tablecloth, as well as additional napkins.

Rules

For proper decoration of a table at home, in a chic restaurant or cafe it is necessary to follow generally accepted serving rules. If you set the table correctly, then the holiday will be brighter and more spectacular. A mistake when choosing dishes can ruin the whole holiday. The type of meal affects the choice of plates, glasses, even napkins, as well as other elements.

Used frequently serving for two. This option is ideal for embodying a romantic atmosphere. To decorate the table, you can use a variety of elements (candles, alcohol in the form of champagne or wine, a fruit basket). It is worth giving preference to a tablecloth of snow-white or bright red color.

To set a table for two, you need to maintain synchronicity. The dishes should be placed opposite each other, and the distance between the interlocutors should be small so that they can touch at arm's length.

When creating a romantic atmosphere, you should not focus on proper serving; on the contrary, it is better to use a minimum of utensils and cutlery.

When planning home banquet You should take care of the comfortable location of each guest, and for this you should maintain a certain distance. If you need to accommodate 4 people at a table, then you can use both the square and oval options. But remember that for a convenient location for one person you need 76 cm, and for an overweight guest - 90 cm. Furniture with standard sizes Ideal for comfortably accommodating 4 people.

If 6 people are to be seated at a table, then more information needs to be taken into account. You can choose a rectangular or round table.

To one side rectangular table to seat two people, its width should be 240 cm, since 46 cm should remain free at each edge.

When choosing round table for 6 people, it is worth considering that the radius of the tabletop must be at least 80 cm, then 76 cm can be used for serving for one person.

To conduct a joint family holiday required big table. Standard dishes and cutlery are designed for a maximum of 12 people.

You should decorate the table with a tablecloth.
Arrange the plates, taking into account the number of people at the table.
Arrange cutlery.
The location of glasses, glasses, wine glasses largely depends on what kind of alcoholic drinks will be consumed.
Arrange and decorate the table with original napkins.
Decorating on a specific theme.

Subtleties of serving

To beautifully organize a meal at the table according to etiquette, you need to take into account many nuances and details. To organize a meal at home, you first need to purchase a beautiful set of dishes. All family members should be provided with the same plates and cutlery.

Before serving you need to think about the menu first, since each dish requires a certain set of serving. When arranging appliances, it is worth remembering that at least 80 centimeters of free space must be allocated for one person. This distance is enough for a comfortable position at the table.

All equipment must be clean. It is better to wipe each fork, knife and spoon with a dry towel before placing them on the table to prevent the possibility of stains from residual water.

How to arrange the devices?

At home, you can beautifully decorate the table for a shared meal if you set it up correctly. First you need to cover the table with a tablecloth and purchase a beautiful set of dishes and cutlery. You can’t use all the dishes to set the table at home. It should be selected depending on personal preferences and food needs.

The tablecloth plays a major role in table decoration, as it sets the tone for the entire event. For a holiday, you should choose an exclusively white tablecloth; for everyday use, you can use the product in yellow color or cream shade. The main thing is that the tablecloth is washed and ironed.

For informal meetings, you can use colored tablecloths in light colors; for themed meetings, models with prints; for example, for celebrating a child’s birthday, a tablecloth with a children’s theme is suitable. A table covered with two tablecloths looks original, and they are positioned in such a way that the corners of the lower tablecloth are visible from under the upper one.

Options with a minimal amount of decor look beautiful, although you can use models with perforation, lace or complemented with silk ribbons.

When choosing the size of the tablecloth, remember that you need to start from the dimensions of the table on which it will be located. According to etiquette, the edges of the product should hang over the edge by about 30 centimeters. But there are also exceptions. For example, in Italian and French restaurants it is considered normal for the edges of the tablecloth to touch the floor. When choosing a product material, it is better to give preference to cotton or silk.

There are 35 types of plates for table setting, but usually only 5 or 6 types are used. According to the rules of etiquette, all plates should ideally be from the same set or at least be made in a single style direction. The choice of plate type depends on the dishes that will be served, and their quantity depends on the number of people who will be present at the dinner.

The main types of plates that are very often used for serving: soup, flat plate (large and small), dessert (shallow and deep), pie plate, herring bowl, mustard plate or bowl, meat dish.

Need to choose the right cutlery and arrange them correctly. To begin with, on the right side of the dish you need to place a soup spoon, place a fork and a snack knife near it, then a coffee or tea spoon. If all this needs to be placed directly next to the main plate, then the dessert spoon is usually placed behind the plate. The butter knife is usually located on the pie plate.

Before serving, the cutlery must be thoroughly polished to a shine. Often in cafes, cutlery is placed directly on a special napkin.

A classic choice among glasses is the option for champagne and wine. There are other types of glassware for alcohol, but they should be placed on the table depending on what drink will be presented on the table. These can be glasses for liquor, whiskey, shot glasses.

When arranging glasses, you should adhere to the following sequence: for red wine, white wine, champagne and a container for stronger alcohol in the order in which they will be served on the table. Don't forget that there should be a glass for water or juice on the left side of the table.

Serving napkins are an indispensable element for decorating a formal feast. They can be either paper or fabric. Most people prefer napkins made from various types fabrics. Linen models are often used square shape And big size. They can be placed on the knees to protect clothes from possible stains or used as decoration.

Paper napkins are intended to be used during meals, so they should be placed in the center of the table so that everyone can easily reach the napkins. To do this, you can use a napkin holder or special figures with clips. For special occasions, you should use plain paper models, without a bright and catchy print.

IN modern interior In a dining room, the main element is often the round table. Many housewives are faced with the fact that round table top provides less space than rectangular. When setting the table round shape You should only use the necessary items: a flat and deep plate, a fork for the main dish, a knife and a wine glass. If the guest wishes, other items of tableware can be served. Decorate the center of the table with a bouquet of flowers, a bright and unusual dessert or a bottle of wine, complemented by a red or black napkin.

If a birthday is celebrated in the home circle, then the table should become a bright accent when organizing the holiday. To achieve this goal, it is worth using unusual desserts, choosing decorations, and also using beautiful table setting dishes.

If you are deciding what to set the table with, then you should start from the personality of the birthday person. To decorate the table in honor children's party It’s worth decorating the table beautifully with soft toys or images on cardboard of famous cartoon characters. For children, you can organize a simple sweet table.

To decorate a table in honor of a young girl’s birthday, then you should pay attention to fresh flowers at the table, fashionable dishes made of multi-colored glass, vases with fruit, and attractive desserts.

For men, the table should look more concise. It should be covered with various foods: meat, tomato and cucumber salads and side dishes.

When setting a festive sweet table, it is worth considering that only desserts are presented on the table. You should not use decor, as it will look unnecessary against the backdrop of bright desserts. It is worth using plates in several tiers, stands for muffins or cake pops, and pyramids. It is worth using dishes in a single color scheme.

To decorate a table, even for one person, according to etiquette, you should use a tablecloth and place napkins made of paper or fabric on it. Kitchen utensils you will need:

the plate is flat, deep;
table spoon, dessert spoon, tea spoon;
fork;
glass for water;
wine glass

To decorate dinner, you need to follow a certain procedure:

Cover the table with a tablecloth.
Place a large plate flat type, put a deep one on it.
On both sides of the plate you should place cutlery intended for the main course, and then for the appetizer.
The teaspoon should be placed in front of the plate.
At the top on the right side of the plate there is usually a pair of tea or a wine glass.
Additionally, the table can be decorated not only with fabric napkins, but also with exquisite candles or fresh flowers.

Setting a table for organizing lunch is quite simple, since it has virtually no differences compared to setting a table for dinner. The only difference is that dinner table can be decorated only with napkins or flowers. And you also don’t need to use a snow-white tablecloth for the dining table.

It is worth taking a more practical approach to this issue and using silicone or plastic substrates. They are characterized by ease of cleaning.

If you are going to organize a dinner for guests, then the serving remains the same, but the number of cutlery and plates only increases. An alternative to tablecloths are special stands designed to protect from hot dishes. You should not use additional decor.

Dinner for guests requires a snow-white tablecloth. To begin with, you should serve light snacks with liqueur or wine.

It is very difficult to organize the correct arrangement of cutlery at a party when many guests will be sitting at the table on your own. Therefore, you should not pay special attention arrangement of cutlery and plates, the main thing is to lay a white tablecloth and decorate the table with napkins. The main task is to create the maximum comfortable conditions for relaxing at the festive table.

Using napkins

Napkins are an integral attribute of serving. To decorate the table for tea drinking, you can use rectangular or round napkins. Linen options are ideal for decorating a table in honor of a celebration.

It is customary to place a napkin made of paper or fabric at the bottom of the plate or to the left of it. Paper napkins can be placed in a special napkin holder.

There are many ways to fold a cloth napkin in interesting ways. It can be presented in the form of an envelope, a cone or a sail. Unusual animals or delicate flowers. Each option looks elegant and cute, so you can come up with your own version of decorating the napkin.

For a festive feast

At a holiday, the table always plays a huge role, because it acts as a stylish accent. To decorate a festive feast, you can use small vases with flowers, special rings for decorating napkins, porcelain angel figurines, as well as silk or satin ribbons. Formal tablecloths, balloons and serpentine will look beautiful.

The choice of table decorations depends on the holiday itself and its purpose. It could be a romantic dinner, an anniversary or a wedding. An important element is fabric napkins and an elegant tablecloth.

For a regular dinner or lunch, napkins decorated with rings and fresh flowers are used. This decor is suitable for a regular tea party. It is worth understanding that dishes, cutlery, tablecloths and napkins must be very clean. To set the table beautifully, you can use bright napkins. They will help give the feast originality and effectiveness.

A lot of effort must be put into decorating a banquet. To decorate the table in honor of Christmas Eve or Easter, you should use the appropriate decorative elements. To organize a large banquet, it is worth using decorative elements made in the same color and style. Napkins can be bright colors, but must be sterile. Flowers can be used both fresh and artificial. The choice is completely individual.

When organizing a wedding feast, the emphasis should be on the places for the newlyweds. They should be decorated with symbols on the theme of love. These can be figurines of swans, roses, hearts or posters with wishes. For the newlyweds, separate glasses, originally decorated, should be presented. Snow-white dishes with a silver or gold border and, of course, a white tablecloth look beautiful on the wedding table.

remember, that festive table setting table consists of large quantity nuances. In order not to forget anything, you first need to make a preliminary serving - make an arrangement important elements. Just before the feast, it will be enough to add additional cutlery and plates to create a complete table setting.

To serve a Russian holiday table, it is worth understanding that traditionally a lot of different foods should be presented on such a table. To decorate a table in a traditional style, just select several dishes from the national cuisine.

When serving a traditional Russian feast, you should adhere to the following scheme:

Snacks - there should be a lot of them, because the traditional drink is vodka, and it requires a good snack. Pickled cucumbers and pickled tomatoes must be present on the table. Many people really like mushrooms with onions or sauerkraut with beets. Among cold appetizers, meat options and sliced salted lard are in demand. Among the salads, you should give preference to “herring under a fur coat” or “Olivier”.

Main courses are served hot. Often a pig or poultry is prepared for the table in the oven. They are usually filled with porridge and decorated with apples. Often on festive table They serve cabbage rolls and home-style roast or fish dishes.
Dessert - traditional are cheesecakes, pies, gingerbreads, as well as filled pies, baked apples with sugar syrup and aromatic cinnamon.
Drinks - traditionally, strong vodka is placed on the table, which is often infused with tangerine peels, pine nuts or various herbs. Among non-alcoholic drinks, kvass and fruit drinks made from berry jam are in demand.

Delicious food should have a beautiful, attractive appearance so that you immediately want to eat it. When choosing dishes from a certain world cuisine, you should understand that table decorations are different countries produced in different ways, using a variety of decorative elements.

Table setting in France is a unique art. It differs in many ways from traditional serving in Russia. The French are famous gourmets who have an excellent understanding of delicious food and also pay a lot of attention to table decoration. They highly value high-quality and stylish dishes, tablecloths, and decor.

The peculiarity of serving in France is that they always use stand plates, which not only add elegance and beauty to the serving, but also stand out. reliable protection tablecloths from various stains.

Serving in Japan is very different from the European presentation, so for us it is quite complex and multi-component. To perfectly master the peculiarities of Japanese serving, you need to have a good understanding of plates, cups, trays, bowls and chopsticks. The Japanese value convenience and comfort. When serving, they tend to be asymmetrical, creating free compositions and taking into account the available space. All decorative elements on the table should be positioned freely.

An interesting fact is that the arrangement of cutlery varies from country to country. For example, when positioning the fork in England it should lie with the cloves up, and in France - with the cloves down.

Beautiful examples and options

Spring. It is worth focusing on natural colors and textures. The tablecloth on the table is not mandatory element. The table can be decorated with a wicker stand. A branch of a living tree will allow you to decorate the table setting. Place a white napkin on a green plate, a cream plate and a transparent dish on top. There should be a fork and a teaspoon on the right side of the plates, and a wine glass at the top right.

For a romantic dinner Fresh flowers and candles are often used as decoration. A red tablecloth will set you up for a romantic wave. Snow-white dishes are suitable for table setting. To begin with, you can place a square plate, and on top - a round-shaped plate. An ideal addition would be a soft pink fabric napkin folded into an envelope. On the left side there is a knife, on the right there is a knife and a soup spoon. Above the plates there is a glass for water and champagne.