Most people find fine dining events rather daunting because of the intimidating atmosphere and the number of rules needed to follow. Don’t fret though, because fine dining isn’t as difficult as it may seem. All you have to do is follow these tips and you’ll be fine.

These are some essentials to remember during fine dining:

  • During the duration of your meal, the napkin should always be in your lap. If you need to step away from the table, do not place your napkin on the table but on your chair.
  • Do not eat right away once you have received your food. Wait until everyone is served, and the host to signal to begin your meal.
  • In the instance, someone asks for pepper or salt, always pass both as it is a rule that both should be always together.
  • Always eat with your mouth closed.
  • Maintain proper posture and decorum during the meal. This includes having meal-friendly conversations that would not have anyone lose their appetite.
  • Thank your servers and compliment the food.

For utensils:

  • All forks go on the left while all the knives and spoons are on your right. As you begin your meal, start with the outside utensils and work your way inwards as each course progresses.
  • Do not point at another person using utensils.

These rules aren’t hard to remember. Don’t stress over the fineness of fine dining, but enjoy your meal and with great company. Happy fine dining!