While Indians are known to relish their food with their hands, many of them are known to adopt the western style of dining whilst in public. Call it dining etiquette, here are two basic dining styles, the American or the Continental (European) style you could follow.
While the Continental style is more widely used and accepted, it doesn’t in any way mean that is more correct than the other. Use whichever style you are comfortable with or you could learn both and switch your style as per the occasion.
American Style
In this dining style, the fork is held in the left hand, and the knife in the right. Several bites of food are cut at a time, then the knife is laid at the edge of the plate, and the fork transferred to the right hand. It is then used, tines turned down, to transfer the food to the mouth.
Once you have finished, place your fork and knife close together, fork with tines turned up, and the handles slightly to the right.
Continental Style
If you are adopting this style of dining then make sure you keep your fork in the left hand and knife in the right hand. Cut one bite at a time. Use your fork, tines turned down to transfer food to your mouth. Remember the fork is not transferred to the right hand.
After you have finished your meal keep the forks tines are turned down and the handles a 6 o' clock position.
