The Science of Formal Table Setting

The Thanksgiving meal is one of the only meals during the year we pull out all the stops, this of course includes formal place settings; since etiquette isn’t taught in school in today’s culture many don’t know how to set a formal table, or that there is even such a thing as an oyster fork!

This is a simple and straightforward guide with a little background on each of the pieces that make up a place setting, that hardest part is having all the hardware!

The Formal Place Setting

A. Service Plate: This large plate, also called a charger, serves as an underplate for the plate holding the first course, which will be brought to the table. When the first course is cleared, the service plate remains until the plate holding the entrée is served, at which point the two plates are exchanged. The charger may serve as the underplate for several courses which precede the entrée.

B. Butter plate: The small butter plate is placed above the forks at the left of the place setting.

c. Dinner fork: The largest of the forks, also called the place fork, it is placed on the left of the plate. Other smaller forks for other courses are arranged to the left or right of the dinner fork, according to when they will be used.

D. Salad fork: If salad is served after the entrée, the small salad fork is placed to the right of the dinner fork, next to the plate. If the salad is to be served first, and entrée second, then the forks would be arranged (left to right): salad fork, dinner fork.

E. Dinner knife: The large dinner knife is placed to the right of the dinner plate.

F. Soup spoon or fruit spoon: If soup or fruit is served as a first course, then the accompanying spoon goes to the right of the knives.

G. Oyster fork: If shellfish are to be served, the oyster fork is set to the right of the spoons. Note: It is the only fork ever placed on the right of the plate.

H. Butter knife: This small spreader is paced diagonally on top of the butter plate, handle on the right and blade down.

I. Water Glass: The water goblet is placed directly above the knives.

J. Red wine: Placed beside the water goblet

K. White wine: In general you want to arrange glasses from large in back to small in front.

L. Napkin: The napkin is placed on top of the charger (if one is used) or in the space for the plate.

M. Dessert Spoon/fork (brought out on dessert plate)

N. Coffee Cup/Saucer/Spoon (brought with dessert course)

In general:

Knife blades are always placed with the cutting edge toward the plate.

No more than three of any implement is ever placed on the table, except when an oyster fork is used in addition to three other forks. If more than three courses are served before dessert, then the utensil for the fourth course is brought in with the food; likewise the salad fork and knife may be brought in when the salad course is served.