Silver Service

What is a Silver Service Waiter?

Referred to by the French as "English Service" or service anglais, silver service technique has all but died out in private homes (except perhaps for those of great wealth).
Silver service actually describes the process of serving diners from a "silver" service dish to the diners plate, rather than the more common practise of serving the plate to the diner.
Thus the silver service waiter or waitress must bring the food to the guests via a platter and must be well acquainted with the appropriate etiquette and technique (see below).

Origins

Silver service waiting has it's origins in the manors, country seats and fine houses of the British middle and upper classes of previous centuries.
It has a sister term of "butler service" which emanates from the age old practise of giving the waiting staff Sunday evenings off - the butler, who presumably was not given the evening off - would serve the diners from a silver platter which he carried from person to person. One can easily imagine that the food on the platter would be the re-presented meats etc. from a large Sunday lunch - perhaps the guests were still rather full?

Silver Service Etiquette

Meals are served to the diners from platters carried to them, not by laying down plates of food on the table.
The guest to the host's (hostesses) right is served first.
Service is conducted in a clockwise direction.
Food is always served from the left and cleared from the right.
Glasses are served and cleared from the right
Glasses are laid out to the right in a diagonal fashion with the water glass in front of the diner - ordered in sequence for the wines by course.

Is silver service still popular?

It is a convivial practise although not always particularly practical. This being said - many people really enjoy the sense of history and even grandeur that comes with this rare type of dining and in the right setting it can really add style to an event or function.

Where would I be able to find a Silver Service Waiter?

Generally any quality hospitality staffing group or caterer should be able to offer you Silver Service for a dinner - and occasionally some restaurants too. Certain venues that you may choose for a special event, especially those with large private dining rooms should be able to provide you with appropriately trained staff.

Sam Moore
For all event, function and hospitality staffing requirements in Sydney, Australia go to http://www.whoswaiting.com.au

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