Mastering manners with Stockdale Fellows
Mikaela Avery - Contributing Writer
Guest speaker and certified etiquette consultant Tracy Engstrom guided students through a five-course meal while discussing table etiquette during the Stockdale Fellows’ Etiquette Dinner.
Engstrom started the night by discussing table place settings and the importance of good posture.
Before each course, she taught how to properly use each utensil with additional etiquette tips for future events. With soup spoons in hand and napkins folded in their laps, the fellows began the first course of the meal, broccoli cheddar soup and bread.
She instructed on conversation topics to avoid at the table, and common etiquette mistakes to avoid. Once done with the soup, the second course, a salad, was brought out. Under Engstrom’s instruction, students learned the proper way to pass salad dressing; the person on the left passed to the person on their right.
As the Fellows ate their main course, chicken, green beans, and potatoes, Engstrom answered any questions the students had and reminded them to be mindful of their posture. “How’s your posture? Does your back hurt? That means you’re doing it right.” said Engstrom.
Engstrom also gave the Fellows advice on meal orders at future events. She explained how to take cues from the host when it comes to budget. Throughout the meal, she supplied the Fellows with tips to avoid offending chefs, for example, tasting their food before seasoning it.
After the entree, participants engaged in conversation with their tablemates and enjoyed a quick break in the form of the palette cleanser of the night, a serving of sherbet. Engstrom talked on handshakes and the importance of the proper etiquette during job interviews. “Always shake a woman’s hand the same [way] you would shake a man's,” Engstrom said.
The last dish, chocolate mousse, was served in a tall glass dish. With the dessert, participants learned what to do with utensils for an out-of-the-ordinary dish.