If you have to go to dinner with your boss or a new guy or girl you are dating, make sure you learn these few things as it would leave a lasting impression on the person you go to dinner with.

Table manners is something a lot of us need to learn since it says a lot about our image. In my post today, I will be giving some tip needed to create a good first impression on your dinner date.

• When you are at the dining table, sit up straight at the table with your feet flat on the floor. If you have to cross your legs, cross it at your ankle.
• Your meal usually begins when the host unfolds his napkin and places on his/her lap. This is a sign for the guest to unfold their napkin as well and place on their lap.
• If you have food at the side of your mouth, gently dab your mouth to clean the food.
• Do not start eating until everyone at your table gets their food.
• Don’t cut your meat or chicken into tiny pieces at once. Cut them bit by bit as you go on throughout the meal.
• It is bad table manners to place your elbow on the table while eating. Elbows on the table are only acceptable at the end of the meal when there is no longer food on the table.

Dab your mouth instead

• If you must leave the table during a meal, please do so with as very little interruption to others as possible and place your napkin on your seat not your table.
• When you start eating, your fork and knife should not touch the table again. They should be kept on the side of your plate.
• When you have finished eating, your utensils must be placed together on the plate with the fork facing upwards and the knife should be turned inward in the lower part of the plate on the right. It should be placed between the clock positions of four and six. When you place your fork and knife in this position, it signals to the waiter that they can remove your plate and utensils. The position of the knife tells the server whether you are still eating or you are done.

 

P.S: One o’clock signifies that you are still eating and four to six o’clock says you are done eating.

Hope these tips were helpful. If you have to go to dinner with your boss or a new guy or girl you are dating, make sure you learn these few things as it would leave a lasting impression on the person you go to dinner with.

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Atim Ukoh is the CEO of Afrolems. She is a part-time social media trainer and a full time Nigerian Chef. Afrolems is all about the presentation of food and education on Nigerian Recipes. The hope is to educate and internationalize Nigerian Food. She blogs at www.afrolems.com and tweets from @afrolems

 

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