We had a few friends round for dinner last night, and I set the table as I usually do; this prompted some discussion of where the pudding utensils should have been arranged...
According to wiki that's only okay for semi-formal occasions, or something. But unsurprisingly there seem to be arguments on the discussion page about that.
Place setting is one of those subjects on which opinions do differ. For instance, I've seen it said that a place-setting out to have no more than three pieces of silverware on any side, and if more is required it should be relaid half-way through the meal. But on the other hand, I've certainly been to many formal dinners where vast ranks of silverware have been laid on either side of the place-setting.
It does seem to be usual though, to lay at least some silverware at the top of the place-setting, either for the sweet or the savoury course (but never for dessert). I think it gives the place-setting a nicely rounded look. Sometimes the staff move the utensils in question to the sides before serving the relevent course.
Restaurants normally can't put out cutlery for dessert until people have chosen which they're having.
Just once, in Midsummer House, I've seen a complete set of service cutlery laid out with the service plate at the start of the meal, then cleared away before the cutlery appropriate to what each person was eating for each course was brought out.
Hrm. A lot of the time I go for tasting menus, so they could theoretically put all the cutlery out. If they had very big tables. Never seen it done though.
It would only make sense if it was a restaurant which only served one menu, so they could lay the tables in advance.
At the monarchist feast, the places were laid for ten or eleven courses. It did mean that the place-settings had to be quite far apart. (We also started with a bewildering forest of wine glasses each.)
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We normally put them at the top, and
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It does seem to be usual though, to lay at least some silverware at the top of the place-setting, either for the sweet or the savoury course (but never for dessert). I think it gives the place-setting a nicely rounded look. Sometimes the staff move the utensils in question to the sides before serving the relevent course.
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Just once, in Midsummer House, I've seen a complete set of service cutlery laid out with the service plate at the start of the meal, then cleared away before the cutlery appropriate to what each person was eating for each course was brought out.
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At the monarchist feast, the places were laid for ten or eleven courses. It did mean that the place-settings had to be quite far apart. (We also started with a bewildering forest of wine glasses each.)