A Butler's Guide to Table Manners

by Nicholas Clayton

With the revival in good manners, etiquette, spelling, and grammar, this is a timely guide to table manners and dining etiquette to ensure grace at the table at all times. All aspects of eating etiquette are covered—from napkin folding, cutlery, glasses, bread rolls (never use a knife!), and silver service to how to eat soup, spaghetti, escargot, artichokes, and how to open a bottle of champagne. With diagrams for tricky table placements and eating actions and a range of tips and hints, this book is the last word on how to eat.

Genres: Nonfiction, Reference

144 pages, Hardcover

First published September 1, 2007

About the author

Nicholas Clayton is a highly experienced and very well respected Freelance Professional Butler and works with leading directors and personalities from industry, finance, television, film and sport in locations all over the world. During 2015 appeared in the Wall to Wall Television Production of ‘Time Crashers’ for Channel 4, playing the part of the Edwardian Butler.

Reviews

[Fredrick Danysh · Rating 3 out of 5]

Originally published in the United Kingdom in 2007, the book is a guide to good manners both in private and public settings. It also covers a dress code. A large section of this little book is devoted to table manners. The information is suitable for either gender and for youth.

[Isaac · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a refine and classy book full of do and dont for how to have a dinner; i love it.

Maybe I will put in practice some of it, thanks a lot Nicholas Clayton for helping me become a better gentelman at the table

[Leong Yu Ting · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great guide to cover the use of cutlery and eating. I expected it to have other topics like table conversations, small talks, greeting people etc as it's also mannerism. But I guess these are in his other book A Butlers Guide to Entertaining.

[B · Rating 4 out of 5]

interesting to learn about differences between silver service and butler service. read in an hour.

[Faisel Khan · Rating 4 out of 5]

A quick read in one setting. I thoroughly enjoyed it. It’s well written and witty. There were parts that did surprise me that I didn’t know but am glad I found out.

[John · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's not easy to write a short book like this on a topic like this and I feel it was not too deeply explored. Yes, Nicholas Clayton does all the basics and such, so a good read for me who casually picked up this book, but he also did such a thing as a short history of cutlery. That was one of the most interesting parts, but still, a decent guide to table manners, specifically English table manner as I think the differences across the world was not something that was shed too much light on. A book if you like to know how the table is supposed to be set up, how to correctly at fish and when not to put your elbows when eating.

[Henrik · Rating 4 out of 5]

What is there to dislike about an informative guide? Easy to follow, filled with short, amusing anecdotes to keep your attention span, it's a good, short introduction to the world of good manners without coming off as overly posh or pretentious.

[Julianna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Such an interesting read! I definitely learned some new things and I was so surprised that I've been doing a lot of things wrong.