What is the proper way to cut and eat meat or vegetables at a business banquet?
The proper way to cut and eat meat or vegetables at a business banquet is to pick up your fork, turn the tines over, hold the piece of meat or vegetable, pick up your knife, and put your finger on the top. The bottom of the fork goes in the palm of your hand and you cut. You can cut two pieces if you like. Then you put your knife at the top of the plate like we did with our butter knife, at 10 o'clock and 2 o'clock, and then the tricky part comes. Turn the fork over with your left hand and put it in your right and then you take one bite of food. Don't stack your food with and potatoes and peas and other things, you just want a piece of meat or some potato or some carrots or whatever is on your plate. When you are resting during your meal, you rest your fork down and lay the edge of the fork on the edge of the plate. It tells the waiter and signifies to the waiter that you are resting. Then when you want to eat again, you pick up your knife and have a few more bites. When it is time to cut another piece of meat, you change hands, turn the tines down, then palm in your hand, your fingers here, you pick up your knife, cut the meat or the vegetable again, cut two pieces if you would like, put your knife back at the top, turn your hand over and change hands. Now, that seems like a lot of work, for proper dining at a business banquet. In fact, European dining is easier but it is customary in this country to cut your meat this way.
