Arranging cutlery correctly

When setting your table with cutlery, follow this order: arrange the cutlery from the outside to the inside. When arranging the knives, forks and spoons, you can use the order of the menus you want to serve your guests as a guide. The cutlery intended for the starter is therefore on the outside. Place the fork and knife for the second course on the inside. The cutlery for desserts, i.e. cake forks or teaspoons, should be placed above the plate. The handle of the fork should always point to the left and the handle of the spoon to the right.

We all use forks and knives regularly. We stick to a special fork and knife arrangement. The fork is always to the left of the plate, as we hold it in our left hand. There is an exception for dishes that do not require a knife. In this case, the fork is in the right hand and is therefore placed to the right of the plate. The table knife is to the right of the plate and is held in the right hand. Left-handers can swap the position of the fork and knife when eating. Important to know: Always place your cutlery on the plate, but never on the table.

Firstly, the classic knife and fork arrangement always applies: knife on the right with the cutting edge facing inwards, fork on the left. If you are serving your guests a multi-course meal, there are other rules to follow when setting the table. Arrange the cutlery from the outside inwards, starting at the side of the plate. The purpose of this arrangement is to ensure the sequence of courses. Cutlery needed for the first course should be placed on the outside. In this way, guests can work their way up to the plate one course at a time. The following exception applies: If you are serving spaghetti, place the fork on the right and the spoon on the left.