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5 Tips to Dine Like You Belong in a Posh Restaurant

5 Tips to Dine Like You Belong in a Posh Restaurant

by Mireille Kilgour : January 12th, 2014

Posh restaurants with famous chefs come with great food and glamour. Yet the staff and regular frequenters of such fine dining places also seem to be in on a particular code of behaviour that's beyond the common masses.

Etiquette expert Patricia Napier-Fitzpatrick revealed a few tips on the 'proper' behaviour when wining and dining at a fancy joint so you can look like you belong:

1. When dining at a posh restaurant there's a dress code to follow. Men should wear a dinner jacket if they aren't in a suit and tie. Women should go for a dress and heels. Not sticking to the dress code of a restaurant can mean they won't let you in.

2. Don't put your keys, wallet or phone on the table.

3. Don't pretend you're a wine connoisseur when you're not. Many restaurants have a sommelier whose job it is to pick out the best wines to match the menu. There's nothing wrong with asking for advice about what bottle to choose. However, what you should never do is return wine unless it is really awful.

4. If you stand up, place your napkin on your seat rather than on the table. When finished dining, it should be neatly placed on your left hand side.

5. When you've finished a dish, place your cutlery on your plate on an angle from 10 to 4 o'clock. Your knife and fork should be resting next to each other and not be crossed. Your fork should also be facing upwards. While this all may seem like some awfully specific positioning, it actually is a silent signal to the wait staff that you've finished. Any different arrangement will mean they won't come clear your dirty plate away.

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Mireille Kilgour

Mireille Kilgour has been an entrepreneur for 35 years in the hospitality sector. French born, she has been an accomplished business owner and operator for a number of Sydney venues. Leading the industry with high profile institutions such as Lamrock Café Bondi, she has endless passion for the industry, and now has the pleasure of supporting restaurants to fill their tables with the new Good Food Gift Card program.