Hospitality workshop

When attending a formal dinner or banquet with pre-set place setting, can one make an intelligent guess on the menu for the occasion? 

“It’s possible to gain clues about what may be served by ‘reading’ the place setting. 

“For example, if to the right of the serving plate has a seafood fork, the meal includes seafood,” said Victor Soosay, DISTED College culinary lecturer with vast industry experience. 

DISTED culinary lecturer Victor Soosay (standing) explaining the career prospects in the hospitality industry to SMK Jalan Damai students.

"In fine dining, every single dinnerware placed on the table plays a certain role. 

“To become more familiar with the place setting, remember the rule of ‘liquids on your right’ and ‘solids on your left’. 

“Glassware, cup and saucer, knives and spoons are placed to your right while bread and butter plate, salad plate and napkin to your left,” he said. 

Victor was speaking on dining etiquette when conducting a hospitality workshop for SMK Jalan Damai Form 5 students on 11 July 2012 at their school. 

SMK Jalan Damai students learning more about dining etiquette from DISTED culinary lecturer Victor Soosay (right).

When touching on dinnerware, he highlighted 2 methods of using fork and knife. 

“Knife is held with the right hand and fork in the left hand holding food.  

“But in the American style, after cutting the food, the knife is placed on the plate edge with blades facing in, and you eat the food by switching fork to the right hand (unless you are left handed).  

“Whereas in the European style, you don’t switch hands - you eat with your fork still in the left hand,” he explained. 

DISTED culinary lecturer Victor Soosay (right) conducting a session on napkin folding during the hospitality workshop held at SMK Jalan Damai.

Victor too gave the students a hands-on session on napkin folding besides explaining to them the career prospects in the hospitality industry. 

“Employment prospects for hospitality graduates are bright with plentiful job opportunities locally and abroad.  

”There’re bountiful opportunities for hospitality careers in hotels, resorts, theme parks, casinos, event management, entrepreneurship, airports, airlines, travel agencies, franchised restaurants, cruise liners and other tourism and hospitality establishments,” he said. 

SMK Jalan Damai students attending the hospitality workshop conducted by DISTED at their school include (front row, from left) Khor Pei Jing, Goh Tyng Wei, Hor Jia Jun, (back row, from left) Michelle Ang and Sally Chua.

School counsellor Yap Choon Wan commented: “The workshop gave our students better insights into the world of hospitality industry and enhanced their vocational interest in that field.” 

“The presentation on dining etiquette and napkin folding was educational, practicable and fun,” she added. 

Student Michelle Ang agreed: “The workshop was interesting as I gained new knowledge and skills.” 

“The lesson on dining manners is useful for practising social grace,” she noted.

SMK Jalan Damai students (from left) Kang Kah How, Ang Yee Sheuan and Choo Xiao Wei taking delight in their napkin folding handiwork.