# Left Handed etiquette



## jimmy2shoes (Apr 25, 2008)

I have a left handed server, what is the proper etiquette, does he serve from the right and back hand the plates in to the guest, or does he serve from the left, or does he retrain himself to carry with his left hand and serve with his right?


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## disasterbater (Apr 14, 2008)

I'm not sure 100% sure on which is most acceptable but, during my front of the house class in culinary school the instructor told us left handed people it was acceptable to serve from the left with our left hands.


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## tessa (Sep 9, 2007)

im left handed and i dont see a problem with it , i thought all that left handed discrimination had gone long ago , i dont think its fair that you should make your server do something that is not natural to how he works if hes more comfortable using his left than his right then thats what he should do. Thats as bad as tying his left hand up around his back and making him write with his right hand


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## jimmy2shoes (Apr 25, 2008)

the problem with it tessa ,is that fine dining service etiquette calls for service from the right facing the guest, clear from the left facing the guest, if you are left handed and serving from the right, you are not facing the the guest when you put the plate down.you are crossing the guest with your arm and actually facing away from them, which is considered rude in fine dining etiquette


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## greg (Dec 8, 1999)

I'm left-handed. I was taught to serve from the right with my right hand, so I did. There shouldn't be a problem; most left-handed people are a little better at using their other hand than right-handed people.


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## the_seraphim (Dec 25, 2006)

i dont get it... a bit of practice, not much i imagine, and you have it down... i can serve with either hand, i can carve meat with either hand... not as well with my left ill admit, but i can still do it... if i practiced i imagine id be good at it...


personally, if you ever end up serving me.... just give me the plate with whichever hand you feel is LESS likely to DROP the HOT food on my CROTCH


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## tessa (Sep 9, 2007)

if they are doing silver service its perfectly acceptable to serve from the left apparantly , 
ya could always introduce silver service in to the mix if you dont do it already :crazy::crazy:


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## jimmy2shoes (Apr 25, 2008)

Elements of silver service
Silver service is always served from the left.
*Meals are served to the customer, not plated in the kitchen*.
The guest to the host's left is served first.
Plates are cleared from the right.
Glasses are stacked in a diagonal to the right and away, with wine (by course) in order, and then lastly, water glass.
"Silver Service" as defined by Wikipedia.

So to accomodate 1 left haned server, I would change from plating in the kitchen to dishing out meat & veggies at the table? Seems like a little much no?


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## chef.esg.73 (Dec 10, 2007)

All in all I would just let Lefty go, it seems less confusing than trying to figure that all out......Just kidding, sort of :roll:


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## boar_d_laze (Feb 13, 2008)

I agree with Greg. We lefties tend to be more ambidextrous naturally. We are also more practiced at learning right-handed actions than the rest of the world is at learning left-handed moves. The second is a matter of survival in a right handed world. 

I doubt your server will have much trouble learning to put a plate down with his right hand. It is, after all, a pretty easy move. 

Seraphim -- the off-hand cut is made with the eyes and the fork. Set the fork parallel to the cut, look where you want the knife to go, and with very little practice it will start going there. As long as you try and steer the blade with your hand, wrist and elbow you won't be successful. You're distracted by the unnatural feel of the knife in the hand -- don't be, your hand will take care of itself. Just watch the cut. 

BDL


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## tessa (Sep 9, 2007)

i was being a bit tongue in cheek


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## bostonbbq (Jul 25, 2008)

I am right handed, yet the bread still goes on the left. Serving food with my left hand is no effort for me, so why do you make it sound like it is difficult to serve with your right. 

There should be no allowance in etiquette for your being left handed. Service is focused on the GUEST, not you.


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