The Bread Etiquette Rule You Should Know When Fine Dining

There are some times when you have a chance to really engage in fine dining. Be that moment at a fancy Michelin-starred restaurant or even an elevated household dinner party, you want to make sure your table manners match the setting. Maybe you know not to put your elbows on the table or chew with your mouth open, but there are some little-known eitquette rules that are a little more confusing. Dining at this level often involves subtle rules that can easily trip up even seasoned diners. One of the tough questions is how does one politely eat food that requires you to use your hands — think bread or finger foods — in a fine dining setting?

Nikesha Tannehill Tyson, an author and the etiquette expert at The Swann School of Protocol in Shreveport, has the answers. In her book "Going Public," she writes, "Foods that naturally require the use of hands, such as bread or certain finger foods, should be handled with discretion and elegance. When it comes to bread, it is best to break off a small piece. Take one piece at a time and avoid tearing large chunks. Ensure your hands are clean and dry before indulging."

Finger food can also be very tough in fine-dining settings. Cute little hors d'oeuvres served on fancy plates can become a sudden manners nightmare for the unprepared. Tannehill Tyson suggests you approach these foods gingerly: "Use your fingers to pick up the food delicately, taking care not to handle it too much. Use a napkin to wipe your fingers gently as needed," she writes. 

Additionally, no matter the food or question, Tannehill Tyson notes, "Always be mindful of the atmosphere, maintain grace and poise throughout. When in doubt, remember to observe and follow the lead of your host or fellow diners." Observing your fellow diners is always a great tip because, though today's table manners date back hundreds of years, at the end of the day, each restaurant, community, and household has its own set of mores. But when in doubt, being overly polite never hurt anyone!

Though these rules can seem complicated at first, there are some food and dining etiquette rules we should hold on to –- like waiting to eat until everyone is served, not constantly checking your phone, or eating politely with your hands — to both respect our fellow diners and actually enjoy the meal.