{"id":214,"date":"2023-10-03T16:02:47","date_gmt":"2023-10-03T20:02:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sites.usnh.edu\/frenchculture\/?page_id=214"},"modified":"2024-01-26T15:22:12","modified_gmt":"2024-01-26T20:22:12","slug":"comparing-american-and-french-table-manners","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/sites.usnh.edu\/frenchculture\/older-pages\/comparing-american-and-french-table-manners\/","title":{"rendered":"Comparing American and French Table Manners"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n\tAbstract<\/strong>\nFamous for founding the principles of etiquette, the French have a long, historical precedent to their current standard of manners which have greatly influenced the table cultures of other civilizations. By tracing the historical influence of France’s etiquette and placing it in conjecture with the historical influence of the United States’s etiquette, readers will gain a deeper understanding of how seemingly unrelated historical events can impact the creation and adaptation of table manners in these two cultures.\nIntroduction<\/strong>\nPerhaps the most striking difference between American and French dining experiences comes from the distinct forms of etiquette displayed by the two cultures. An American tourist surrounded by French natives at a dinner may be surprised by the formality and unwritten rules of table etiquette. Through typical norms and historical progression, table etiquette is developed uniquely in each culture, shaped by underlying experiences and order. The lax dinner atmosphere of America, focused on the gathering of guests and equality of participants, is a sharp contrast to the typically rigid and food-focused dinners of France. In tracing the rooted, cultural traditions of the French and Americans, the meaning behind the norms of table etiquette are found.\nAmerican Table Etiquette<\/strong>\nHistorical Influence<\/em>\nThe current code of etiquette and manners in the United States goes back to the emphasis of freedom and liberties in early America. Many of early America’s citizens fled the Old World, in search of freedom and equality that was not available to them in Europe. In reaction, there was an abandonment of the rituals and manners found in the courts of Europe, and more specifically, France because of the social stratification and inequality it cultivated amongst different class members. For example, in the New World, dress and speech didn’t differentiate class, all men could bare arms, all hunted in the same woods, all ate meat during every meal, and all would dine at the same table. These attitudes lead to the abandonment of the “one-sided deference rituals of the court” (Zuckerman 19). Moving forward, any ritualistic set of etiquette or manners coming out of Early America would be solely rooted in equality amongst its participants.\nCulinary Culture<\/em>\nThe shorter length of the American cultural experience, when compared to its French counterpart, causes its culinary habits to be rooted in more modern conventions. Recent years formed the prominence of fast food within America, with chains such as McDonalds and Burger King becoming popular. These chains, coupled with the presence of small restaurants dotted throughout the country, value foods with familiarity and convenience such as burgers, pizza, and simple dishes. Such dishes are often eaten with hands rather than utensils, signifying the casual demeanor of American dining. (“History of American…” 1). Often, foods are self-served, arriving in large containers. This allows the consumer to decide their portion. However, servers typically place food on a plate, pre-portioning the meal for the consumer (“US Table Manners” 1). American culinary culture is indicative of its focus on unpolished and accessible meals.\nService Style<\/em>\nAmerican service style is a more recent dining convention in the United States. It is “a relaxed yet professional approach that suits the national character better than the old, formal French-style service” (Grimes 1). Prior to the ushering in of this American service style, the French-style service served as a primary model of dining for higher-scale restaurants in the United States. The American service style places emphasis on efficiency and speed, which is fitting for the cultural needs of Americans. This manifests as attentive waitstaff and meals being fully prepared and assembled in the kitchen to save time and energy while diners eat. The atmosphere of the restaurant remains casual and welcoming. For example, the conversation and rapport between diners and waitstaff is less formal and the clothes that either might wear is casual as well. Going back to the earlier mention of equality found in American table manners, there is equality present in American service style, too. The serving staff will split their duties equally and diners will receive equal consideration from waitstaff; there is not preferential treatment of diners based on their social status. These are two aspects that are starkly contrasted with the French-style service.\nMeal Structure<\/em>\nThe typical American dinner begins with guests arriving slightly early, as lateness is direspectful of the host’s valuable time and effort. Guests bring a small gift of flowers or wine, which is incorporated into the setting or the dish (“US Table Manners” 1). The host, despite preparing meals themselves, often utilize pre-packaged or manufactured foods in their meal. For example, side dishes or desserts could come from box mixes that corporations manufacture.\nBefore consuming the meal, Americans begin with a prayer to God to recognize their humility in having plentiful food and guests. During the meal, light topics of conversation are discussed, focusing on personal events or milestones that contribute to a positive atmosphere. Manners during this time may be coarse when compared to the strictness of the French. Manners are dependent on the household environment, and are changeable depending on the guests present. Typically, eating begins with the host, and never occurs until everyone is served. Hands are placed in the lap, and never on the table. Food is eaten quickly, as the focus is on the jovial interactions with guests rather than the brilliance of consumption. Food may be served in courses or buffets, allowing for self-service for each guest to decide portions (Powers 1-3).\nAfter the meal concludes, tea or coffee may be offered. Guests can use such an offering as an excuse to leave respectfully, or to stay further and have conversation with others. Guests are allowed to bring home leftovers of dishes that they prefer. Clean-up is a family affair, including parents, children, and possibly guests, with no clear gender roles assigned (“US Table Manners” 1).\nFrench Table Etiquette<\/strong>\nHistorical Influence<\/em>\nIn the XVIth and XVIIth century the Italian culinary arts have made an early mark on the French eating habits, recipes and experiences. When Catherine de Medici married Henry II of France in 1547, she was not warmly received by the court partly because of her non-royal descent and partly because of her incapacity to conceive for almost ten years. The sovereign queen accepted all medical advice given to her by the court’s doctors, however some believe it may have been her diet that finally landed them a son, and then eight more (ECPI blog 1).\nThe aristocracy in medieval France (XVIIth century) was at the center of the Versailles court during the literal ‘rise’ of the Sun King, Louis the XIVth. The upper class born in privilege preserved the class division system and a lifestyle that was reflective of the social elite. The royal banquets were events at the court where, on a background of theatrical meals, powerful and lasting alliances and intrigues were being built and undermined. Space decorations, setting of the table, manners, music and other distractions were as important as dishes themselves (Platt 1 ). The art of feasting in the middle ages did not involve fork nor knife, so fingers were used to serve.\nOne century later, the French Revolution (1789-1799) disrupted the class system and made way for the former royal chefs to take over the cooking business in the public arena. It was the time of a new class, the bourgeoisie, to display the array of skill and art that was kept in the royal kitchens and of which they were masters. With the collapse of the ancient regime, they found themselves having the knowledge, the tools and the position to offer haute cuisine to the early IX-th century French society of bourgeoises who could afford it. During that time the colonial France continued to exert a culinary influence over its third party territories. According to the catalan SOSA Ingredients catalogue, France is credited with the innovation and the classification of over 300 bases (culinary fonds) and sauces to improve and enrich recipes.\nCulinary Culture<\/em>\nGastronomy made a name for itself in France’s ‘in pursuit of culinary excellence’ (Ferguson 1). Modern gastronomy of the XIXth century made a breakthrough advancement by promoting culinary writing, an authentic act of public higher education about standards of food, service, and place. The culinary product became a cultural one available to the whole nation. It is through gastronomy that French cuisine made it into the national identity patrimony. The name\u00a0gastronomy\u00a0was coined in 1801 (Joseph Berchoux), then followed by\u00a0gastronome, invariably male, meaning a consumer of elaborately prepared fine food. It linked together abundant, various foods, a cadre of experienced producers (chefs) in a culturally specific site (restaurant), both supported by knowledgeable, affluent consumers (diners), and a secular culinary tradition (idem 602-603).\nFrench cuisine accentuated its social function along with the development of the restaurant industry. Specialized observers of the gastronomical social phenomenon in those days feared the downfall of then-modern Paris as the ‘Mecca of dining’ (Child 1). Cookery art was conceding to cookery industry! Customers were said to carry part of the responsibility for having abandoned their once unique ‘critical dining’ and instead resorted to indiscriminately eating modest meals. Despite all, the restaurant industry exploded for the next 30 years from an order of hundreds to thousands of restaurants across the country.\nMichelin\u00a0is a product of gastronomical journalism to have started a tradition in the XXth century. It is a restaurant guide that attaches French culinary expertise to the efforts and aspirations of cooks around the world. It relies on anonymous, professionally trained experts who review restaurants and by doing so, elevate the level of gastronomical awareness and quality of all parties involved (Colapinto 1). In time, the names of some culinary writers became synonymous with standards of excellence, par exemple Georges Escoffier Auguste et Marine-Antoinette Car\u00eame.\nContemporaneously, from the sixties decade until the turn of the XXIst century, a handful of illustrious French chefs (Robuchon, Guerard, Bocuse) refine the legacy of the past while honouring local products in a trend that continues to blend edges of modernity with fiercely kept archaic models.\nService Style<\/em>\nThere are two types of French service in use, namely the Cart style and the Banquet style.\nThe French Cart\u00a0would only be used for formal dinners. In the\u00a0XIXth\u00a0century\u00a0the French service was\u00a0replaced by the Russian service, where\u00a0foods are cooked tableside, like in the French Cart service, except servers put the foods on platters and then pass them at tableside. Guests help themselves to the foods and assemble their own plates. Service is from the left.\u00a0To date,\u00a0le service a la russe\u00a0remains the prevalent service style.\u00a0It involves preparing foods tableside (gu\u00e9ridon), cooking on a hot plate (rechaud), serving individual finished plates to customers from the right (Cvent Blog 1).\u00a0The French Banquet\u00a0refers to platters of foods assembled in the kitchen. Servers bring platters to the table where guests are seated, then place food on the guests’ plates with two silver forks held in a specific grip. Each food item is served from platters to individual plates, from the left.\nMeal Structure<\/em>\nFor the French, mealtime and for that matter any dining occasion is special. The social conventions surrounding the community of people around a cooked meal are multiple, complex and acquire value for the user if followed in totality only. In practical terms, there is the expectation that the host communicates the menu in advance to the invitees, so that they in turn can talk about any dietary restriction they might have. The host cookes a dish that is sure to be a success and avoid awkward improvisation or main dish substitute. Dress code is classic, casual-elegant with a lean toward elegant. Guests arrive on purpose a few minutes late and bring a gift for the house (bottle of wine, chocolates). Appetizers served are small, few, and not too rich (above all, no cheese, which is reserved for desert). The cook\/host will diligently warm up the soup plates and signal to the party when eating is open. There are a few traps that one might want to avoid when dining in France: placing personal accessories on the table before food is brought, crossing legs under the table, smoking during the meal, getting up immediately after food ingestion, falling silent after having eaten, peeling cheese with hands.\nDuring meal, there is a moment of food appreciation that is solemnly defining of the reverence Frenchmen and women have for their cuisine. Light conversation continues about current affairs, and there are ways for anybody bound for an event to get up-to-date with the news before getting to the destination (i.e. the free\u00a0Metro\u00a0newspaper). The omnipresent bread can be of a variety of sorts, as long as it is offered to everyone and it has a bakery freshness quality. Meal must look good before it tastes good. Guests and customers should be able to “eat with their eyes first”, meaning be offered and appreciate a perfect combination of presentation, contrast, and context.\u00a0The meal structure features drinks first, apero next, hot dish, dish and dessert.There is a minimum of three courses with subsequent dishes in every French meal:\u00a0i) soups, hors d’oeuvres and starters, ii) roasts, cold cuts, vegetables and entremets, and iii) desserts, such as pastries, fruit, sorbets, ice cream and cake.\u00a0The guests need to know and express the utensils language for ‘still eating’, or ‘done eating’ by placing them crossed or parallel on the same side of the plate. Unlike others, the French would sip cereal out of a milk bowl and use knife and fork for everything. They are mindful of the waste and do not take on servings to exceed their appetite (Platt 173).\nFor closing time, French people must warm up the coffee cups and enjoy it in a 2.3 fl half-cup (demi-tasse). They seal-the-meal with something sweet and get critical in the ensuing conversations on any number of issues.\nCultural Analysis<\/strong>\nDinner Paintings<\/em>\nThe French painting by Matisse (Dinner Party, 1897, shown on left) shows several distinct characteristics. Firstly, the food is the foreground on the painting, with no visible guests present. One can assume that food, rather than the associated people, is the centerpiece of dinner. The scene is orderly and thoroughly planned by the woman present in the painting. Her meticulousness shows the care with which the French place on proper and perfect etiquette. Additionally, the painting has a somber tone, due to the earthy and dark colors used. This shows the gravity and seriousness with which the French place on dinner gatherings.\nThe American painting by Rockwell (Freedom From Want, 1943, shown on right), in contrast, has an opposite focus and structure. The guests focus the painting, providing the centerpiece and accompanying parallel lines. The guests present are the main focus; the viewer is even situated as a member of the dinner, signified by the bottom right-hand man glancing toward us. The scene seems semi-structured, with smiles and conversation abound. The lighter colors and happiness of the guests show the casual, light-hearted arrangement of the typical American dinner gathering.\nConclusion<\/strong>\nThough the differences in the etiquette and table manners of the United States and France are starkly contrasted, ranging from the foods each culture consumes to the anticipated arrival of dinner guests, the major similarity that remains between the two cultures is how strongly history has impacted their dining habits. The French style of etiquette and dining remains rooted in historical precedent set by Louis XIV, while in the United States etiquette and manners are shaped primarily from the attitudes of early Americans that “all men are created equal”. The investigation of the historical impacts on something as seemingly mundane as table manners can speak to broader impacts of historical events on American and French cultures and beyond.\n
\nWorks Cited<\/strong>\nBakshani, Nikkitha. “10 American Table Manners That Are Totally Rude Abroad”. The Daily Meal. 2015.\u00a0https:\/\/www.thedailymeal.com\/travel\/10-american-table-manners-are-totally-rude-abroad<\/a>\nColapinto, John. “Lunch with M. Undercover with a Michelin inspector”. The New Yorker. Nov. 23, 2009. https:\/\/www.newyorker.com\/magazine\/2009\/11\/23\/lunch-with-m<\/a>\nParkhurst Ferguson, Priscilla. “A Cultural Field in the Making: Gastronomy in 19th-Century France.”\u00a0The American Journal of Sociology,\u00a0Vol. 104, No. 3, (1998), pp. 597-641 Published by: The University of Chicago Press.
\nhttp:\/\/www.jstor.org\/stable\/2990883<\/a>\nPlatt, Polly. French or Foe? Getting the Most of of Visiting, Living and Working in France. Distribooks Inc.\u00a02003.\nPowers, Elizabeth. “Table Manners and Morals.”\u00a0Commentary, no. 5, 1998, p. 59.\u00a0EBSCOhost,
\nlibproxy.unh.edu\/login?url=https:\/\/search.ebscohost.com\/login.aspx?direct=true&db=edsglr&AN=edsgcl.20626737&site=eds-live<\/a>.\n“A History of American Eating Habits.”\u00a0HCA Healthcare.\u00a02018.
\nhttps:\/\/hcahealthcare.com\/hl\/?\/14001\/A-History-of-American-Eating-Habits<\/a>\n“Catherine de Medici.”\u00a0Academia Barilla. 1996.
\nhttp:\/\/www.academiabarilla.com\/the-italian-food-academy\/table-with\/catherine-medici.aspx<\/a>\n“A Brief History of French Cuisine”.\u00a0ECPI University Blog.\u00a02014.
\nhttps:\/\/www.ecpi.edu\/blog\/a-brief-history-of-french-cuisine<\/a>\n“French Gastronomy Throughout the Centuries”.\u00a0France.Fr. 2018.
\nhttps:\/\/us.france.fr\/en\/news\/article\/french-gastronomy-throughout-centuries<\/a>\n“Just What is French Service, Anyway?”\u00a0Cvent Connect.\u00a02010.
\nhttps:\/\/blog.cvent.com\/events\/venue-sourcing\/just-french-service-anyway\/<\/a>\n“A Culinary Journey Throughout Gastronomy Geography and History: French Cuisine”.\u00a0Sosa Ingredients.
\nhttps:\/\/www.sosa.cat\/productes.php?idfamilia=cocina-francesa&idgrup=cocina-francesa&idgama=culinary-journey<\/a>\n“United States Dining Etiquette.”\u00a0What’s Cooking America. 2018.
\nhttps:\/\/whatscookingamerica.net\/Menu\/DiningEtiquetteGuide.htm<\/a>\n“United States Table Manners.”\u00a0Etiquette Scholar. 2015.
\nhttps:\/\/www.etiquettescholar.com\/dining_etiquette\/table-etiquette\/na_table_manners\/american.html<\/a>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Abstract Famous for founding the principles of etiquette, the French have a long, historical precedent to their current standard of manners which have greatly influenced the table cultures of other civilizations. By tracing the historical influence of France’s etiquette and placing it in conjecture with the historical influence of the United States’s etiquette, readers will […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":241,"featured_media":0,"parent":136,"menu_order":25,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-214","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/sites.usnh.edu\/frenchculture\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/214","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/sites.usnh.edu\/frenchculture\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/sites.usnh.edu\/frenchculture\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sites.usnh.edu\/frenchculture\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/241"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sites.usnh.edu\/frenchculture\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=214"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/sites.usnh.edu\/frenchculture\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/214\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":232,"href":"https:\/\/sites.usnh.edu\/frenchculture\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/214\/revisions\/232"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sites.usnh.edu\/frenchculture\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/136"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/sites.usnh.edu\/frenchculture\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=214"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}