Dinner party question

[Anonymous]

For those that love setting the table for the holidays. I’m always seeing tables with multiple plates stacked. But then how do you serve dinner (without waiters?). I am thinking a charger and a dinner plate with a soup bowl on top, and I put the soup bowls down right before people are seated. Then I clear the soup bowls, and serve the main and sides family style? Or can I have people pick up their plates for a buffet?

[Anonymous]

You can do whatever you like!

Personally I like buffet style because I can keep all the food warm and people can take more of what they like (and none of what they don’t want).

[Anonymous]

"Tablescapes" in magazines or on instagram are for show. For real life put out the initial plate you will be using, or a charger plus plate if you want a stacked look, or just a charger if you are doing a buffet. And only put out silverware required for the meal you are serving (you don't need 4 forks if you are only serving 2 courses that require forks). If you are serving plated (which is what we usually do) then the plates need to be in the kitchen.

Some restaurants will have a dinner plate on the table to start but then clear them away and bring a different plate with the first course. Kind of a waste but I guess it makes the table look more complete.

[Anonymous]

Well I think I would decide if I am doing buffet style or not and then consider how to set the table. But that said, if you are planning on charger, dinner plate and soup bowl (rim soup presumably?) I think you can use those either way if you like how they look.

For buffet style you might consider setting the table with charger and rim soup (might look OK might not so check), and then have the dinner plates set at the buffet; still clear soup course but leave chargers for coming buffet sinner plates. If soup/charger doesn’t look OK I also think it is OK to clear soup olates and then have guests bring their dinner plate (leaving charger behind) to buffet.

For seated family style you set charger/dinner plate/rim soup and clear the soup then being out family style serving dishes to pass.

If you wanted to do seated plated that it where it gets tough without staff/help.

[Anonymous]

Don’t forget chargers are supposed to be removed after the entree.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Don’t forget chargers are supposed to be removed after the entree.

No. Chargers are removed before the dinner plate. The service plate, or charger, is laid down at the beginning of the meal and typically stays for some or all of the courses before the main entree. Once the entree is served, the charger is taken off the table and replaced with the main dining plate. Dessert should never be served on a charger.

[Anonymous]

Another case of Pinterest/Instagram vs Reality.

[Anonymous]

I don’t do a full setting but my holiday place settings have a dinner plate and an appetizer/dessert plate that I like. I stack the appetizer/dessert plate on the dinner plate. (The larger plate is patterned on the rim, the smaller plate has a coordinating pattern all over the plate). If I’m not serving a first course or appetizer, I remove the dessert plates right after people sit down when my husband is serving the wine.

As far as I know, my way isn’t “proper” for the times when I’m not serving an appetizer, but it’s what I do for this set of dishes only because they look very festive stacked. Nobody has said anything bc (1) my friends are nice people and (2) nobody themselves knows what’s proper LOL.

[Anonymous]

I set a table with dinner plates and tell guests to choose their spot & take plate to buffet or kitchen. Unless serving "family style" with food on table.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Don’t forget chargers are supposed to be removed after the entree.

No. Chargers are removed before the dinner plate. The service plate, or charger, is laid down at the beginning of the meal and typically stays for some or all of the courses before the main entree. Once the entree is served, the charger is taken off the table and replaced with the main dining plate. Dessert should never be served on a charger.

This is correct.

[Anonymous]

I have found fancy, formal table settings and delicious food to be inversely proportional.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Don’t forget chargers are supposed to be removed after the entree.

No. Chargers are removed before the dinner plate. The service plate, or charger, is laid down at the beginning of the meal and typically stays for some or all of the courses before the main entree. Once the entree is served, the charger is taken off the table and replaced with the main dining plate. Dessert should never be served on a charger.

How old are you? Genuinely curious.