Professional Dining Savvy

Yesterday I went to an event called ‘Professional Dining Savvy’ in Collis Common Ground, a large event hall in the Collis Student Center. This was a dining etiquette lesson sponsored by the Student Activities Office and taught by a professional protocol consultant. For a $10 entrance fee, you could learn proper dining manners while eating a four-course meal catered by the Hanover Inn. Professional attire was required and the normally casual common ground was transferred into a sophisticated, white tableclothed dining room. There were fresh flowers set in the middle, nice silverware and china – the real deal. As soon as we sat down, our protocol consultant guided us through each step, starting with the napkins.

I felt uncomfortable and queasy at first – there seemed to be little rules for everything, and I seemed to have a lot of things wrong. How should I eat my dinner roll? (Break one bite off at a time) What do I do with the sugar packet trash? (Hide it under a plate). I had to watch myself and constantly adjust. However, the lecturer reminded us that the point is to make proper etiquette a habit so that when we do actually go on that crucial job interview or business dinner, we can focus on the conversation without having to worry about which fork to use.

As we got the basics laid down, I realized that proper manners have legitimate logic behind it and that a lot of it can be common sense. Most of the rules were made to make it easier for you, your company and the waitors. Once we got the knack of things, my friends and I started correcting each other’s posture or placement of silverware (never put used silverware back on the tablecloth!). Plus, the food was delicious. Cream soup, salad, chicken, and raspberry chocolate cake! Yum. Multiple course meals are almost non-existent in college life, and it was nice to sit down at a fancy table with friends and learn some valuable life skills. The dinner lasted for two hours, but time really flew!

A the end of the dinner, we received protocol booklets from the consultant - just in case we should forget any of the skills learned. Full and happy, my friends and I left the event as professional and savvy diners. We’ll ace those future job interviews - at least in terms of table manners!