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Figure 9-8.—Wardroom table setup for an informal meal.
FORMAL
plate. Although bread and butter plates were never used
The service required for formal meals is more
elaborate than for informal meals. However, the table
setting is basically the same as for informal meals.
Usually four or five courses are served, but as few as
three or as many as seven maybe served. All food from
each course is served to all diners in prompt succession.
For a formal dinner everything is served; nothing is set
on the table except the salt and pepper shakers.
Condiments and other seasonings are served at the
proper time. A table setting for a formal dinner is shown
in figure 9-9.
Service plates are normally used at formal dinners.
These are large plates that are placed on the table at the
time it is set for the meal. They are not removed until
replaced by the heated dinner plate for the first hot
course after the soup. They are used only because it is
considered bad form for the diners not to have plates
before them throughout the meal. No food is placed
directly on the service plate. Instead, dishes containing
the first courses of the meal are set upon the service
for formal dinners in the past, they are frequently used
today.
All foods are served from the left, and beverages are
served from the right. Dishes are removed from the
right. An exception to this rule is the replacing of
silverware. These pieces of silverware that are placed
to the right of the place plate are replaced from the right.
In this way it is not necessary to reach in front of the
diner.
When the meal being served uses the table setting
pictured in figure 9-9, the following order of service
would be observed.
As soon as the members and their guests are seated,
the first course, shrimp cocktail, is served.
When all have finished the course, the shrimp
cocktail glass is removed with the used silverware. The
soup course is served next.
When all have finished the soup course, the soup
plate, service plate, and soup spoon are removed. The
9-16
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