Randi Mays-Knapp - It's Not About the Food

Its not about the food - Randi Mays-Knapp

Companies want to trust that you know how to behave in business & social situations and will not exhibit behaviors that will embarrass yourself or the company

The  Consequences - Do you lack the self-control to be good at what you do professionally?

The Goal -To be memorable as a conversationalist and as someone who focuses on the person and not what fork to use.

"An aggie ring can open a lot of doors, but a firm handshake and good eye contact will leave it open.

Etiquette

• The forms, manners and ceremonies established by convetion as acceptable or required in social relations in a profession or in official life.
• Times change and this affects the guidelines of etiquette.
• Common sense will typically be your best guide.

Why learn dining etiquette?

• You never know who is watching you.
• Over half of business takes place or is finalized at dining a table.
• Gain knowledge so you can navigate business events involving food.
• Allows you to focus on building or enhancing relationships.

The Little Things

• silence cell phone - not in sight
• Approach chair from the right
• Sit appropriate  distance from table
• Feet flat on floor
• Napkin on lap
• Napkin to side of plate when finished
• Napkin on chair if you have to leave temporarily
• Posture erect
• Men - no caps]

What to do with stuff

• Jackets remain on & unbuttoned
• Sunglasses, Keys, cell phone, portfolio go underneath your chair or on seat next to you in booth
• Nothing goes on the table
• Keep area in front of you clean
• Do not rearrange Items
• Handbags in a safe place

What is yours:

• Napkin on left
• B and D. Solids on left, Liquids on right.
• Everything travels to the right
• Outer fork first - smaller - salad fork
• knife with cutting blade facing in
• Outer spoon - soup spoon
• Inner spoon - general utilitarian
• Glasses sit above knives

Basic Rules:

• Anything that is removed from the table does NOT go back on
• Work from the outside in with the utensils
• Personal grooming belongs in the rest room
• No lickking of utensis or your fingers
• Wisdom is knowing when to apply the rules

Iced Tea

• Sugar packet folded & placed under bread & buttter plate
• Cup your hand over lemon as you squeeze
• Lemon in glass or bread & butter plate
• Stir quietly & do not lick spoon
• Remove spoon from glass
• No straws/toothpicks

Eating Bread

• Tear off small bite-sized pieces

Two Styles of Eating

• American or zig zag method
• Hold your fork - (like normal handhold. sortof like chopsticks)
• Cutting - fork in left, knife in right
• Put knife at top of plate blade down,

Positions

• Knife across 12, Fork from 4 to 11 - Resting Position
• Knife and for parallel from 4 to 11 - Finished Position

Eating your Salad

• May either cut with side of fork or fork & knife
• Cherry tomatoes?
• "I don't like salad" - play with food, just pretend like your going to eat it.
• WHO CARES IF YOU DONT LIKE SALAD? NOBODY EXCEPT YOU BRANDI BECAUSE YOURE SHALLOW AND JUDGEMENTAL

Continental Style Dining

• Hold utensills in your hands and rest wrists on edge of the table.
• Knife is used as a pusher
• Tines down as food is raised to mouth
• Bend from waist
• Resting - knife from 4 to center and fork from 8 to center
• Finished - same as american

Dessert

• Cut with side of fork and slip tines under small piece
• Do not bring plate up to your mouth
• Hold serving dish if necessary

Partnering with wait staff

• Signal you are ready by closing menu
• Best way to say thank you - tip
• Be gracious as accidents will happen
• Use eye-contact to get server's attention

Understanding Other Cultures

• Eating noises okay in some
• Chopsticks or fingers as utensils
• Refusing food
• Eating everything on plate or leaving something to show respect
• Study befire traveling. Watch others. Ask Questions.