5 Rules for French Dining Etiquette.


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France is a romantic country and a great food country. French cuisine has always been highly praised, and French food etiquette is also very common.Western food is very strange to us. When we eat, how can we be elegant and not "disrespectful"?


1. Reservation
The general restaurant should be predetermined on the official website or telephone, indicating the number of hours, ideal location, indoor and outdoor, smoking. This link is still more important, in advance let oneself and dining-room have a preparation, also avoid the wind and dust footman go to the restaurant, find no position of awkwardness. 

2. Process of French food
a)Aperitif

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Aperitif, which is derived from the Latin "aperare", which means to open the appetite before eating, so it is also called Aperitif. Pre-dinner wine is a part of daily life abroad, and it will be the best time to socialize or connect with your partner.


b) Before the dishes

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Most of the starters are salads, soups, and meat sauces. But in haute cuisine, the former is actually a big game, with endless imagination and creativity, and different restaurants rarely repeat themselves. Common variety of seafood, also will appear small pasta, general component is less.


c) Soup

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 In France, soups appear at the beginning of a meal to stimulate your appetite. Depending on the season, the type of soup is different. Summer is mostly a vegetable soup with a clear mouth, and in winter it will be a rich broth of broth, noodle soup or potato soup.

If the soup is too hot to drink, you can't blow it with your mouth.  


d) The “plat principal” main dish – fish

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The main course is usually meat or fish, or both with sauces or other food (vegetables, mashed potatoes, etc.) with white wine. Any fish could be the main course.


e) The “plat principal” main dish – meat

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This is the largest dish in a meal - meat. Meat can be red meat or white meat, it can be animal meat, but this dish is not affected by the season. There are starchy foods (potatoes, rice or pasta) along with vegetables. White meat with white wine, red meat with red wine.


f) Cheese

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Without French cheese, how can you call it a French feast? Usually after a salad (and sometimes with a salad), there is a large variety of cheeses.


g) Desserts

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The French are used to eating dessert before drinking coffee, instead of eating and drinking coffee. Some people are more likely to order a "pousse-cafe".


3. Tableware
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In any restaurant, there are "rules" for setting up the tableware. 
  • According to the dish center, the left fork right knife, from the extrovert according to the order of order. Liquid on the right, solid on the left. 
  • The water glass from right to left is the water glass, the white wine cup, the red wine glass (the wine in the entrance needs to be matched with the dishes, so the cup is also arranged according to the order of serving.) 
It is important to note that other people make mistakes in eating, not to remind them that they are wrong and that they do not have to apologize publicly. This is the greatest French etiquette: never expose.


4. How do you hold a fork?

The continental diet prevails in all diets, both formal and informal, because it is a natural, non-destructive way of eating.

Photo by Etiquette ScholarEtiquette Scholar
  • ·         Hold your fork in your left hand, tines downward.
  • ·         Hold your knife in your right hand, an inch or two above the plate.
  • ·         Extend your index finger along the top of the blade.
  • ·         Use your fork to spear and lift food to your mouth.
How do you put a knife and fork on a plate when you are resting or eating?
When you stop for a drink or talk to someone, place your cutlery in one styles:
  • European style: place the knife and fork on the plate near the center, slightly tilt into a V shape, and point to each other with a knife and fork.

After completion: place the knife and fork in parallel with the handle on the right edge of the plate at four o 'clock.

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5. The napkin

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After ordering the dish, open the napkin at this time before the dish is delivered, fold in one-third of it, and spread the two thirds on the leg, covering the legs above the knee. 
You'd better not put your napkin in your collar. 
If you want to go to the bathroom during the meal, place your napkin on a stool or fold it on the table.


If you are satisfied with the whole meal service, you can leave a tip on the bill's wallet or plate. In Europe, when guests leave, the guest and the clerk will each other thank you goodbye, this is a very important one, not only in the level of universal equality but also means respect each other, mutual appreciation.😊😊😊

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