Truly fine dining is an art. Those who are in the fine dining service industry at the top of their profession are skilled craftsmen. One of the most important aspects of being a server in a fine dining establishment is the importance of setting the perfect table. After the general atmosphere of the restaurant and the greeting by the host/hostess, the table setting is the third impression made upon the customer before being greeting by a waitperson. Therefore, the appearance and organization of the table setting are extremely important for helping put the client in a relaxed and happy mood. However, knowing how to set a fine dining table properly encompasses a host of details and guidelines that have been established over the years by restaurant professionals. This manual will explain how to properly prepare a fine dining table setting, including table cloth, chairs, dinner plates, napkins, coffee cup, utensils, bread plate, wine and water glasses, salt and pepper shakers, creamer and sugar holder, centerpiece, and candles.
For the purposes of this manual, we will use one of the most popular table settings in the dining industry, the 4-Top (4-person seating) “Square” table setting (See Diagram A). The table cloth should be placed on the table with all four sides hanging down the sides of the table and equal distance to the floor. Ideally, the table cloth should be pressed so as to be wrinkle-free. If pressing is not an option, the cloth should be pulled tightly so that no wrinkles appear in the cloth. The four plates should be placed at the 12 o’clock, 3 o’clock, 6 o’clock, and 9 o’clock positions.
The centerpiece should be in the exact middle of the table. If it is a flower, it should be fresh and clean of any dead leaves or petals and the vase filled with clean water. The chairs should be directly behind each plate, evenly spaced between the sides of the table legs so the customer’s legs will not be o...