Fodor's Travel Talk Forums - Restaurant Etiquette & Tips for Paris

I was interested and suprised to see that some posters thought it looked crude eating with the fork in the left hand. For those of us in parts of the world where this is correct etiquette turning the fork into a shovel looks very illbred and I've often wondered what you thought of our way of eating. I only have to close my eyes to hear my father and his dinner table directions. 1. A meal is a celebration and can only be enjoyed at the dining room table with a fresh linen tablecloth and napkin. 2. There will be no television or radio on in any part of the house during a meal. This is the time for conversation. 3. No one will leave the table to answer the telephone during a meal. 4. It's a fork not a shovel - the only prize for finishing first is obesity. 5. Never cut a bread roll with a knife - always break it into pieces with your hands and never butter a whole slice of bead or roll all at once but rather take a knob of butter to your plate and butter each piece just before you eat it. 7. Don't eat all of one thing while leaving another until last but rather eat a little of everything thereby finishing the meat and the vegetables at the same time. 8. Only ever hold your fork in your left hand with your index finger running down the shaft towards the tines. No part of the handle should be visible from underneath the palm. 9. Put your knife and fork down between each mouthful. The fork should be placed tines down on the plate to signify that you have not finished. 10. When eating soup tilt the plate and spoon the soup away from you. 11. Sit up straight - take the food to your mouth and not your mouth to the food. There are a lot more but I know that I am running on. I didn't realise just how ingrained Dad's words of wisdom were until I started writing. Catholics say - give me a child until the age of 7 and I have them for life. I guess the same goes for table manners because I just realised that I also follow all of Dad's rules even now. Thanks Dad.