Service question

[kuan]

How would you set a table for a multi (6+) course meal if there's no tablecloth?

Kuan

[Jim]

Since it is 6 courses, I am guessing it is formal. However, since there is no tablecloth would there really be a difference from when a cloth is present? I would assume it would be the same place setting, no?

[kuan]

Uh, formal in an informal setting? Does that sound right? Is it OK to put silverware directly on a table? That was the real question.

Kuan

[phoebe]

Would/could there be cloth placemats of some type? Or are we talking bare wood table?

[kuan]

It's bare wood, quite nice wood, but still bare wood. I guess they can get a piece of silverware with every course then? Heh.. things you never think about.

Kuan

[phoebe]

I'm no Martha S., but giving guests the appropriate silverware with each course sounds right to me. If you laid out cutlery for 6 courses all at once on a bare (though nice) table, they might tend to slither all over the place with every glass, plate and arm movement. I've never thought about it before, but cloth probably serves to hold everything more or less in place.

[cape chef]

Kaun,

I have in the past made individual flowering herb bouquets,laid the silver ontop of them and tied them with rafia (sp)in an easy to open bow.

It protect the table,looks elegant and smells nice as well.

I never lay out more then three courses of silver at a time as it can be a bit pretentious and confusing.

[foodnfoto]

Setting without a tablecloth is awkward in formal situations, as this sounds. I agree with Cape Chef, setting more than three courses is pretentious.
That said, if your client must have it all set at once, the general rule is to set cutlery from the outside in. In other words place the silverware for the first course on the outside, the second course one step in, and so forth. Butter knives are set either across the bread and butter plate or horizontally below it. Dessert cutlery is often set directly above and perpendicular to the charge plate. Make sure all the vertical cutlery is lined up evenly with the bottom of the charge plate. The napkin should be placed in the middle of the charger and folded artistically or held by a napkin ring-never shoved into a wine glass!
The water glass should be placed directly above the dinner knife and approriate wine glasses placed to the right of it in opposite order corresponding to the course service (ie, again working from outside toward the inside according to the courses served).
I know that this is archaeic information, but my Mom is a real anglophile and loves formal dinner service.
The thing is, if you don't have a lot of waiters to clear each course, you've got a mess of dirty cutlery sliding all over the table. If you do have a bevy of waiters, why not just have them place appropriate cutlery when each course is served?

[Suzanne]

I'm in the "re-set for each course" camp. Silver, wineglasses. Clear the used stuff with the dirty plates, put down the new silver and glass, bring out the new course.

[chef1x]

I hate to say it, but I agree with Cape Chef and Suzanne on this one.

Personally I don't have a nice bare wood table, I do all my formal dinners on a steamer trunk and only change flatware between main courses and dessert. I would not, at any cost, lay down place settings for more than two courses.

What's a nice wood table like anyway.

Good Luck!

Superbowl Party?

[kuan]

SO!!!! The suggestions make sense. It's pretentious huh? Hrm... a little bit I guess. I never thought of it that way.

So you make herb bouquets CC, what about the next few courses? Looks like they silverware is well on it's way to the table with the plate

Nope, not a superbowl party. Email if you want to know who it's for. It may or may not be a big deal depending on who you are of course

Kuan

PS: This bloody dining room table costs as much as a new car man. It's like this 4 piece bookmatched cherry table with handlaid marquetry. No, the minimal heat from the plates won't hurt it.

[momoreg]

I like the herb bouquets for silverware. That would be an elegant touch.

[Jim]

Sorry...

[Leethequeen]

I have a question for foodnfoto - did you really mean to say the butter knife goes horizontally below the bread and butter plate? I've always placed it horizontally above the plate.

[Suzanne]

So, Kuan, what's the menu?