Laying the Table
The work of the waiters begins by dusting the furniture, hovering the carpets and polishing all the tableware. Then they must ensure that the tables and chairs are in their correct position. They must also check if the table tops are clean and the tables don’t wobble. If they do, a piece of cork will correct it.
After that the waiters can start laying the tables. The first thing to put on the tables are felt pads. They protect the table tops from hot dishes and cutlery. Then
table-cloths should be clean, well-starched and well-ironed. They should be of the same colour in one room.
Then the waiters start preparing the covers. A cover consists of all the necessary tableware and linen used to lay a certain type of place for one guest and for specific meal.
Two main types of covers- an a la carte cover and a table d´hôte cover.
An a la carte cover- is a place with a knife and fork, a glass and a napkin
– other items of tableware are brought later according to the
ordered dishes
A table d´hôte cover- is a place setting prepared according to the table d´hôte
menu.
– there is all the tableware the guest will need during the meal
– such cover is used at banquets and formal dinners
Tableware – china- plates, dishes, cups, saucers, bowls, tureens, sauce boats
- glassware– all glasses and things made from glass
- flatware- all spoons and forks (tablespoons, teaspoons, dessert forks)
- cutlery- all knifes and cutting implements
- hollow-ware- dishes of silver and metal
Next tableware- cruet-stands, salt-cellars, pepper-pots, mustard pots, mustard spoons, ashtrays, vases, menu holders and roll baskets
Napkins- they are folded in various forms. The simpler forms are used in everyday service, more difficult forms are used on special occasions, at formal dinners or banquets.
The tableware has its fixed position on the table. We put plates in front of the guests, to centre of the cover. Fork are laid to the left of the plate, knifes to the right of the plate. We lay them from the inside to the outside of the plate. So we lay a fork and dessert fork to the left on the plate, a joint knife, tablespoon and dessert knife to the right of the plate. The glasses stand over the joint knife. The serviette fold is put to the plate or to the place of the plate.