Table manners

Good table manners are essential when you eat in public. However, different cultures have different ideas about what are good manners. For example, it's considered extremely bad in China or Japan to leave your chopsticks upright in a bowl of rice. Here are ten tips for making sure you don't look out of place when you eat in public in the UK

1. Never eat with your mouth open.
This is perhaps the biggest no-no. Obviously, this means you shouldn't try to speak and eat at the same time.

2. Use the right cutlery.
If there are several courses and several sets of cutlery, start from the outside and work your way in, towards the place mat. The smallest knife on the right hand side will be to butter your bread. Then you'll have a large knife for the main course, then possibly a spoon for dessert. On the left hand side you'll find a large fork on the outside for your main course, then possibly a smaller fork inside for dessert. Some people also lay the dessert spoon and knife above the place mat. If you have soup as a starter, the soup spoon will be on the right hand side, outside the knife.

3. Don't pile your plate too high with food.
It's considered polite to "go back for seconds".

4. Wait for other people to be served before you start eating.

5. In very formal settings, "grace" may be said before everyone starts eating.
If someone wants to "say grace" (= say a short prayer in thanks for the food), remember to bow your head and let them finish before you start eating.

6. Eat with a knife and fork, or fork alone.
Use a spoon for soup or for dessert. Never pick food up with your hands, unless it's a picnic or barbecue, and other people are doing the same thing.

7. Don't worry about leaving food on your plate if you can't finish it all, or if you don't like it.
If someone does comment, you can say something like:

"It's delicious, but I can't manage it all."
"Sorry, but I'm not particularly keen on ….."

8. Don't use bread to mop up sauces, unless you're in a very informal setting and others are doing the same thing.

9. Put bread on your side plate (the smaller plate to the left of your place mat) and not on the table.

10. When you finish eating, rest your knife and fork side by side on the plate (not on the tablecloth).