Table setting

Table setting or tablescaping is the art of arranging tableware on a dining table. The arrangement varies across cultures and occasions. Table settings can be minimal with only necessary utensils, or elaborate for decorative purposes.

Overview

A table setting includes cutlery, glassware, serving dishes, and other useful items for practical as well as decorative purposes. The arrangement of these items is dictated by the meal being served. The quality and nature of tableware vary depending on the occasion, the meal, the time of day, as well as cultural norms.

Elements of a Table Setting

Cutlery

Cutlery refers to any hand implement used in preparing, serving, and especially eating food. The major items of cutlery in the Western world are the knife, fork, and spoon.

Glassware

Glassware refers to glass items used as tableware, such as glasses, dishes, pots, and bowls.

Serving Dishes

Serving dishes are often larger than the dishes used by individual diners. They are designed to hold a particular type of food (e.g., salad bowls, gravy boats).

Types of Table Settings

There are three main types of table settings: formal, casual, and buffet.

Formal Table Setting

A formal table setting is used for a meal of more than three courses. The setting includes a service plate, and multiple glasses for different beverages.

Casual Table Setting

A casual table setting is used for most home dinners, or a meal of up to three courses.

Buffet Table Setting

A buffet table setting is a self-serve style of dining where the table is set with large serving dishes from which guests serve themselves.

Cultural Variations

Table settings vary greatly around the world, largely depending on culture. For example, in the West, forks are placed on the left of a dinner plate, knives to the right. In many Asian cultures, chopsticks are used, and the setting is different.

See Also

• Dinner
• Meal etiquette
• Tableware