Formal Dinner

The Victorian Cotillion Formal Dinner was presented and served in the Russian Service style. The following is part of the training and understanding

of the evening prior to the dinner. Again, each course of the five course dinner was served in synchronization.

To learn more about Formal Russian Service, click on link.

 

 

Guidelines and Overview:

Do not pick up napkin or touch anything on table until grace is said.

The Formal Dinner chairman stand and welcomes guests and asks Victorian Cotillion Club member chosen to ask grace.

Designated table hostesses then pick up napkin and soup is served.

The diner works from the outside in toward the plate in choosing their implements.

Knives are placed so that the cutting edge faces in (to place the blade outward toward others shows hostility)

First course is a soup course served in a flat soup plate with rim, which is placed on top of the service plate. The soupspoon is used with this course.  After the guest has finished her soup, the soupspoon is left in the soup plate.  If small bowl is used put spoon on plate under bowl.

The second course is fish course (shrimp).  Use the fish fork and fish knife.

Sorbet – (not a course) – The additional spoon to eat the sorbet is put in place at the time the sorbet is served.

Third course is a meat course (chicken) served on a dinner plate. The dinner fork and knife are used.  When finished, place the knife and fork across the plate, fork on bottom, rising from right to left from about the four o’clock position to the ten o’clock position.

Fourth course – This is a salad course served on a salad plate.  The salad fork and salad knife are used with this course.  Placement of silver as noted above signals that you are finished with the course.

Fifth course – Dessert course (an ice cream parfait) served in a parfait glass on a plate.  The dessert spoon is used with this course.  The dessert fork and spoon arrive on the plate, and the diner rearranges the dessert service on the table in this manner:  fork on the left and spoon on the right of dessert plate awaiting the service of the dessert. (Before the toast begins).

Before dessert is to be served, several toasts will be made.  After all toasts are given, the dessert is served.

Once dessert is finished, the diner places the silver on the plate as they were when the plate was presented; fork on the left and spoon on the right for removal, but only if both utensils were used.  Unused utensil should be left on the table to be removed by the waiter.   The spoon is not to be left in the glass.

Toasts:

A Victorian Cotillion Club member will give a toast to the Gothic Guild.  Everyone raises glass except the Gothic Guild President.

Gothic Guild President will give a response.

Another Victorian Cotillion Club member will give next toast to the members of the Gothic Guild.  Everyone raises glasses except the Goth Guild members.

Formal Dinner chairman will give a response.

The waiters now serve dessert.

 

Formal Dinner Chairman will now call on a Gothic Guild member to tell the Legend of the Fan.  After dessert, the Formal Dinner Chairman will thank everyone for coming.