Social Dining Etiquette: Seating to Toasting

Seating: await the host's direction; enter and exit the chair from the left. Place the napkin on your lap after the host; when finished, fold and set aside—never tuck into the collar unless formally specified.

Use cutlery from the outside in; do not speak or make noise while chewing. When toasting, stand, maintain eye contact, and hold the rim slightly lower than senior guests. JEREMIAH SUIT recommends dining dress half a step above daily business—a dark suit with a conservative tie.

The core of social dining is making others comfortable. JEREMIAH SUIT etiquette courses cover Eastern and Western table manners for any dinner setting.