Table Service and Setting

Table Service and
Setting
There are three methods of serving food, namely: sit-
down, tray and buffet. The tray service includes the
arrangement of all courses for a meal – be it breakfast,
lunch, supper or snacks on a lined tray. One tray is
normally for one cover or an individual person. The
guest eats his meal on the tray. This is common in
hospitals and schools. On the other hand, buffet service
includes the arrangement of all courses from soup to
dessert on the buffet table for a meal. The guest,
moving around the table, helps himself on the food by
putting these on his indvidual plate. For the sit down
method, the arrangment of table appointments is on a
deisgnated table and guests are served by waiters or
they may partake from a common pot while sitting down.
Sit down service are Russian, American, Family and
Blue or Apartment Style.
1. Russian Service
dignified, formal elaborate, uses
well-trained waiters, and has
expensive table appointments
Nature of the Menu
a. Consists of 5-7 courses with accompanying wine for each
course.
b. Courses are simple yet dignified and elaborately
prepared.
c. Traditional courses include:
Soup and appetizer: Soup, Shrimps of Seafood
Entrée:Fish or Seafood
Salad: Vegetables with dressing
Main Dish: Beef or Chicken Roast
Dessert: Simple but elaborate
Coffee: Brewed
Wines: White for fish, seafood and poultry. Red wine for
beef or porl
Style of Setting
a. Tables are covered with thebest linen, damask or
lace. Silence cloth is placed underneath.
b. Beautiful place plates are placed at the center of
each cover.
c. Silverwares are arranged on both sides of place
plates, according in the order of use.It includes
dinner fork, spoon and dessert spoon.
d. Goblets and wine glasses are placed above the tip
of knives which are arranged in diagnoal or
ractangular fashion.
e. Large napkins are folded and placed on the left side
of place plate or on soup plate.
f. Dinnerwares include soup plate and underliner,
dinner plate, salad plate, dessert plate and cup and
saucer.
g. Table decors include elegant fresh flowers and
simple elegant candles.
Manner of Serving
a. Service of food is from the side rather from the table.
b. Each waiter waits on six guests.
c. Service table (on the side) should contain waiter, table
appointments, wines, serving dishes etc.
d. Water is poured before guest sit down.
e. Soup is served first. Wine is poured after soup and
both are served at the right side.
f. Remove soup place at the left side with the left hand.
g. Set entrée plate at the righ with the right hand..
h. Serve entrée on serving platter at left side starting with
the guest of honor. Serve wine before entrée.
i. Remove entrée plate. Set main dish plate.
j. Serve main dish and salads and other
accompaniments on the right side. Serve wine before
main dish.
k. Remove main dish plate and set dessert plate. Serve
coffe with dessert.
2. English Service
informal, family used for daily
meals, and can also be used
for formal occasions with few
guests. No water needed.
Nature of the Menu
a. Number of courses similar to the daily meal
patter: Soup/appetizer
Main dish
Salads / vegetables
Rice/bread
Dessert
Coffee
b. Main dish such as Baked Poultry or Roast eef
may be slided on the table.
c. Vegetable salad may be mixed at the table.
d. Wines may be served if there is an available
waiter.
Style of Setting
a. Dining table must be spacious for carving and
mixing.
b. Each cover contains table appointments
except dinner plate and the like.
c. Dinner plates are arranged at the left side of
server or on side table near her or the hostess.
d. Platters of food are arranged at the side table.
e. Centerpiece (flower, etc.) is at the center of the
table
Manner of Serving
a. Each course is served on the plates by server
(mother, father or hostess).
b. Plate of food is passed from one person to
next until it reaches the farthest.
c. Courses served are as follows: soup, salad,
main dish, and dessert.
d. After each course, empty plates are passed
back to server and placed on the side table.
e. Cleaning of table is done after the diners have
left and the hostess does this.
3. Family or Compromise
informal similar to English
Style, practical for small group,
food is served on the table by
the diners, and consists about
4-5 diners.
Nature of the Menu
a. Menus includes main dish and accompaniments

and desserts.
Main dish: Beef, Poultry, Pork

Accompaniments: Vegetable Salads with dressing
Dessert: Simple or elaborate
Style of Setting
a. Dining table is informal, may use placemats or
table runners.
b. All table appointments for each cover are
already laid outl.
c. Platters of food are arranged at the center with
the accompanying serving sppons or forks.
d. Centerpiece is optiona.
Manner of Serving
a. One diner takes charge of distributing
food.
b. Other diners pass on their plates to the
server of the food then passed back.
c. After the main course, all dishes are
cleared taken to the kitchen.
d. Desserts is brought from the kitchen then
served in a similar manner as the main
course.
4. American or Country Style
practical for everyday meals
and characterized by serving
food from one common pot in
which diners help themselves.
Nature of the Menu
a. Menus consists of the usual meal patters such as:
Soup
Main Dish
Main Dish
Vegetable Salads
Bread / Rice / Cereal
Dessert
Coffee
b. Number of courses may depend on the family
budget
Style of Setting
a. Spacious dining table accomodates diners and
food to be served.
b. Placemats may be used instead of tablecloths.
c. Each cover has a complete table appointments
properly laid out.
d. Platters of food are arranged at the center of
the table.
e. Centerpiece or decorations is optional.
Manner of Serving
a. Serving is done at intervals of different diners.
b. The diner nearest to the food helps himself
then passes it on to others.
c. After everyone is through, platter is set back
on the table.
d. No sequence of courses is followed.
e. If second servings are desired, diner can reach
for the platter or ask someone to pass it to him.
f. Desserts may come from the kitchen in
individual plates or from a platter.
g. In cleaning, one or two members bring the
plates to the kitchen. Platters is done first then
individual plates, glaases, and flatware.
5. Apartment or Blue Plate
food is served in individual plates, used
for informal or formal occasions, for
family, or for guests. This is appropriate
for big parties like children parties
where children cannot serve
themselves or in big occasions where it
takes time for guests to serve
themselves individually and on
occasions where food is not sufficient
for a large number of people.
Nature of the Menu
a. Menu depends on the occasion.
b. Number of courses is limited since the food is
arranged on individual platters.
c. Course combination should be in such a way that
food does not run into each other in the plate.
Courses should preferably be solid, dried, slightly

with sauce, distinct with one another for a well
arranged attractive placement on the plate.
Style of Setting
a. For parties, a counter or dining table may be
used for arranging plates with food. Guests
pick thin plates and move to other places for
dining.
b. For sit down meals, the dining table is
arranged. All table appointments except dinner
plates are arranged in individual covers.
c. Food arranged in dinner plates are taken from
the kitchen and served.
d. No platters are served, exept when second
helping are asked. Some plates of food may
be set at the center of dining table.
Manner of Serving
a. Food is served on the side and placed on
individual plates.
b. Plates are served immediately after or
before the diners and are set on the
table.
c. When the meal is through, each diner
takes his or her plate to the kitchen.
6. Buffet Service
food is offered at the table. Diners helped
themselves to the food and look for a
place to eat. Practical for large parties. No
need for waiters. No individual covers for
guests. It has three types:
1. Plate buffet – diners eat while holding the
plate.
2. Tray buffet – diner uses tray to hold plates
and appointments
3. Sit down buffet – diners are provided with
tables to eat their food.
Style of Setting
a. Side table should be provided for used
plates.
b. For sit-down table, appointments like
flatwares are set on the dining table.
c. For tray and plate buffet, they are set on
the buffet table.
Manner of Serving
a. Table is cleared when everyone is
finished eating. Platters with food
are removed first followed by empty
platteres then the individual plates
and glasses on the side table.
7. Tray Service
used for informal and semi-formal
occasions. Dishes and table
appointments are arranged on
trays. This is practical for hospitals,
room service in hotels, and school
canteens.
Nature of Menu
a. Choices of menu is limited due to limited
space.
b. Size of serving is limited due to size of
dinner plate.
c. Number of courses may include:
Soup
Main Dish
Vegetable Salads
Rice / Breads
Dessers
Style of Setting
a. Arrangement of table appointments for
individual cover is similar to the standard
way.
b. Size of tray is about 18” by 12”
c. A placemat may be placed on the tray to
make it look neat and attractice.
d. All courses except soup and dessert
maybe arranged on the dinner plate.
Manner of Serving
a. Tray is brought to the diner from the
kitchen.
b. Food is neatly and attractively set on
the respective dinnerware.
c. Keep hot foods hot and cold foods
cold when serving.
d. A dainty flower arrangement on a
small vase at one corner of the tray
can enliven the arrangement.

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Table Service and

a. Menus includes main dish and accompaniments

Main dish: Beef, Poultry, Pork

Courses should preferably be solid, dried, slightly

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