Home › How To Give A Dinner › Instructions to Waiters (Demi-Russe dinner here given)
Instructions to Waiters (Demi-Russe dinner here given)
1. In the "demi-Russe" dinner here given, the joints or dishes are to be carved before placing before the person serving them. 2. The person serving fills plates according to the preference of each guest. The waiter then hands the plate, and if vegetables or sauce accompanies the dish, will also hand these to the guest at the same time he does the plate, unless a second waiter does this. 3. If waiter is asked for tea, coffee, or chocolate, he will furnish these from sideboard. If asked for water, he will take it from pitcher on table. 4. The waiter will see that the proper number of plates are placed before server for each separate dish of the course. 5. No plates are placed on the table for this style of dinner. Only a napkin with a roll or square of bread in it is placed where the plate would be. Also two knifes, one large, one small, and two forks and a spoon, also glass for water. (See diagram.) 6. Furnish both ends of the table alike, and, in addition to the service placed for each guest, furnish a carving knife and fork, a fish slice and prong table Also furnish a gravy spoon with each fresh dish placed at the ends of the table . 7. If two kinds of soup or in case where any two dishes are to be served, place one at each end of the table. If there are three or four entrees, place the two leading ones at ends of the table, and hand around the others. 8. Always hand the sauce for each particular dish to the guest partaking of that dish. 9. If asked for the pepper or anything else from the cruet or castor, hand the cruet or castor entire to the guests. 10. If asked for any condiment such as French mustard, olive, chow-chow, etc..etc., hand bottle, if in a bottle, or glass, if in a glass, to the guest, with the prong or fork, and let the guest serve himself, then place back where it was on the table. 11. Be on the alert, and in case of accident, hand your napkin to the guest, and if neccessary remove his plate, remedy the trouble as soon as possible, lay down a mat on the soiled cloth, and replenish with knives and forks, napkin, etc., and procure the guest a fresh supply of what he was eating. 12. When you place dessert on the table, place a dessert plate, dessert knife and fork also spoon, to each plate. Remember also the finger bowl. 13. If ice cream is served, serve it independent of the head of the table, as his work is through with the first courses. The usual form of ice cream now is bricks. 14. When dessert is half through, hand the menu, or bill of fare to each guest, calling his attention to the ice cream. Take his order and fill it. 15. If any guest has already ordered ice cream, do not offer the bill of fare to him. 16. If it is decided to have boquets, called a "boutonniere," for the guests, then place one in aglsss or silver holder by the plate of each lady and gentleman, unless, as is sometimes the case, those for the gentlemen are placed on the napkins without a holder. 17. If salad accompanies any dish-a salad is always in order-hand it around to each guest to each guest 18. The host sits at the head of the table; the hostess opposite him at the the other end of the table. other end of the table. 19. The soup is always placed before the hostess, and if the salad is placed on the table, that is also placed before her, and any portion of the dessert she the table , that is also placed before her, and any portion of the dessert she may desire to serve, and is handed from her to the guests. 20. The waiter will remove each person's plate as soon as he has finished. 21. Be quick, yet do not appear in a hurry. Waiters should not speak to each other unless it is positively necessary. unless it is positively necessary. 22. The proper dress for a waiter is a dark dress coat and trowsers, white vest and neck-tie. A waitress should wear a dark dress with white apron and cap. neck-tie. A waitress should wear a dark dress with white apron and cap.
Both should wear light slippers or boots, and make as little noise as possible. 23. If menus or bills of fare are used, place one at each plate. 24. If you have to lay a table for dinner a la Russe, the dessert is always placed on the table first, and should be placed tastefully around the center of on the table first, and should be placed tastefully around the center of flowers. Note diagram for demi-Russe dinner; the dessert is placed round the table, that is if the hostess desires to have it thus placed. In a dinner a la Russe, the joints or dishes are brought in one at a time and carved by the host, and as he carves each plate, the waiter hands it on a silver tray. In the demi-Russe, the joints are carved before being placed before the server. (See diagrams.) In some dinners the joints or dishes are carved and handed to the guests for them to help themselves. In this case each guest must be furnished with a plate which of course must be placed-with napkin and roll on it- when the cloth is laid. The waiters should confer with the cook and the cook with the housekeeper or hostess, and have all these points settled beforehand. If there is a butler, it devolves on him to see all these points settled and to instruct his assistants. Sometimes the host or hostess will direct each guest to his seat, sometimes the butler will do it, and sometimes the waiters. SUMMER BREAKFAST FOR TEN. (TWO RESERVED PLATES.) FIRST COURSE, MELON-When table is laid (see diagram) guests enter and take seats. Waiters place tea and coffee urns and bring melon. The gentleman serving asks each guest if he will be helped to melon. If the answer be yes, waiter receives plate from server and hands to guest, exchanging plates and returning empty plate to server, who places melon on it for another guest and so on. As soon as all are served, or have refused a second helping, the waiter removes the remains of the melon, and replaces it with dish for second course. The lady at the head of the table asks each guest to partake of tea, coffee, or chocolate. If any accept , waiter receives it and hands to guest. Asking guests to take tea etc., in first course, is a mere matter of form, as it is seldom taken until second course. Still the question must be asked, and waiter ready to serve it.
SECOND COURSE-In the place of melon, a dish of fish-fried perch, smelts, trout, or whatever is selected. Sauce Tartare is a proper accompaniment. , or whatever is selected. Sauce Tartare is a proper accompaniment. Decorate dish of fish with shrimps or olives cut in half, or with little bunches of parsley with shrimp placed on it. Waiters also remove first set of dessert plates used for melon, and replace with a size larger, medium breakfast plates. The waiter then receives a supply of fish from the person who serves it, hand to the guests, receiving empty plates, and helping guests to what accompaniments they desire. Another waiter asks if guest will take coffee or tea, and supplies it from party serving it. Potatoes are handed round (with either meat or fish.) If two kinds, present one in each hand for guest to help himself.
THIRD COURSE-Young chicken sauced with cream gravy, surrounded with potatoes a la neige. Waiter removes fish of second course, and replaces with a la neige. Waiter removes fish of second course, and replaces with young chicken , then attends to wants of guests as in second course, remembering to ask each if he will take tea or coffee; also asking each if he will take his tea or coffee warmer. Clean plates same size as for second course, must be supplied to each guest.
FOURTH COURSE-Poached eggs on toast, or anchovy toast. Waiter removes chicken and replaces it with dish of poached eggs, and furnishes clean plates. Party serving asks each guest if he can help him, and waiters serve as in the other cases. Lady dispensing tea or coffee asks guests if they will be helped to warmer tea or coffee. If any one accepts, waiter hands clean cup andsaucer. cup and saucer.
If milk is from the sideboard to lady serving and then hands: it to the guest. If milk is the guest. asked for he procures from sideboard and hands to the guest. Waiter also to the guest.
Waiter also watches the guests and supplies them with hot cakes, receiving a dish of hot ones for that purpose every five minutes, handing dish of cakes to guest who helps himself.
FIFTH COURSE-Littl e fillets of porter house steak with tomatoes a la mayonnaise. Waiter puts on steak in place of plate of poached eggs, and caters to wants of guests as before. While guests are eating this course, the waiters or an extra waiter, as quietly as possible relieve the table of the castor, pickles, sauces, dressing and butter. But not till the last moment must this be done, The dessert or rather at the same time asking the guests if they require more. fruit, sixth course, is then brought in and placed where steak was; arrange as quickly as possible, the service remaining on the table in neat order, remove each guest's plate, and again furnish dessert plates, At a signal from lady at head of table, waiter hands around fruit to guests, each guest supplying himself, unless the person before serving the other dishes serves this, in which case waiter supplies each as before. Waiter also supplies each guest with tea or coffee, and hands around cake, biscuit, etc. At this course a finger glass should be supplied to each guest.
SIXTH COURSE-Peaches quartered, sweetened or half frozen or any fruit decided upon. Carry out the instructions given in the fifth course. In some breakfasts order is reversed, and fruit is served in first course only. In this case various fruits are placed on table, and allowed to remain till end of break- In first class breakfasts fruit fast so that guests may partake at any time. In first class breakfasts fruit forms the first and last course, but waiters should be instructed beforehand, which plan is to be followed.