Dining for Success

More and more business is conducted over the dining table in executive dining rooms, homes, clubs, and restaurants. This is todayís success strategyóentertaining. It is essential that you as a business professional feel confident in all dining situations. Knowing the ins and outs of dining etiquette will help put you and others at ease.

We normally are perplexed about many things when we enter a star hotel, and we ask ourselves the following questions.

- How to conduct ourselves with ease without showing any discomfort on our face?

- Which fork is what?

- What do I do with my napkin when briefly leaving the dining table?

- Which way should my knife blade face when resting on my plate?

- Which salad plate, bread and butter plate and drinks are mine?

- How should I place my utensils when I am done with my meal?

- How do I hold the different wine glasses?

- During a business meal, when should I begin to discuss business?

- Do I always pass the salt with the pepper even if someone asks for salt only?

- Where do I place my name badge?

- What does RSVP mean?

Do you need a quick course in formal dining? Not just in basic eating, but you also have to know what to do with that place setting from Titanic? If you don't know amuse-bouche from other five to seven courses, let alone how to locate your bread plate, RELAX!

You can easily brush up on your dining skills so you at least know how to handle yourself with grace at any social engagement or business meal. Remember, meals are supposed to be relaxing and entertainingóeven business meals.