Q&A for How to Serve a Full Course Meal

Return to Full Article

Search
Add New Question
  • Question
    How long does each course take to serve?
    Community Answer
    The course is finished when the last guest has finished eating it. Therefore, it can vary based on how long your guests take to eat. Usually, each course lasts about ten minutes.
  • Question
    How do you prepare a two course meal for a family that includes a person on weight reducing diet?
    Community Answer
    Serve a healthy salad first. For the main course, serve a low calorie, protein-rich dish such as grilled chicken and seasonal vegetables.
  • Question
    What is a good theme for a seven course meal?
    HumanBeing
    Top Answerer
    You could take your diners on a culinary world tour with a dish inspired by each of the seven continents of the planet, or stick to the cuisine of one area or region. You could choose a movie theme. Serve dishes from one time period, the 80s, the 40s - whatever, or, journey through time as your meal progresses. You can have a silly, tacky theme, or be classy and sophisticated. Ensure your theme can provide a good main course and work the rest of the courses and other theme elements around that; apples could be a good theme, pork with apple sauce could be your main dish, but chocolate, while a great theme, is harder in a main course. Remember to consider your guests' dietary requirements.
  • Question
    About how long does it take to prepare for a full course meal?
    Community Answer
    It depends on how many courses you serve and what you plan to cook. If you only serve three courses with three easy to prepare dishes, you won't spend much time in the kitchen. However, if you serve seven extravagant courses, you will spend a lot of time cooking.
  • Question
    In Africa, I our order is usually salad, soup, seafood, main dish, dessert, beverage. Is this the correct order for serving the courses?
    Community Answer
    It is good except the drinks should be served before anything. And maybe soup and salad can be served together depending on your plan.
  • Question
    What is the dish served as the last course of a meal?
    Community Answer
    It depends on how many courses you serve. Dessert is usually last if there are less than four courses, but cheese and mignardises can follow dessert if there are five or more courses.
  • Question
    How big should portions be for a meal with 6 courses?
    Community Answer
    In general, your portions are going to be small, but your portions will vary with the course and may depend in part on the flatware you possess and your guests' appetites. The amuse-bouche is only a couple bites by definition. The soup course should be 6-8 ounces. Think about grabbing your appetizer with one hand; it should be doable but not easy. The salad should be similar to the appetizer if it is fluffy (lettuce-based) and slightly less if it is more solid. The entree should be served with a side or a starch and a side, and this should take up half or so of an 8" dinner plate. The dessert can be small if it is rich, maybe a 1.5" slice of a cake that starts at an 8" diameter.
  • Question
    Is dessert ever served as first course?
    Community Answer
    Not usually. Sugar can dampen a person's appetite, and they won't enjoy the following courses as much as they might.
  • Question
    When do I serve petite fours?
    Community Answer
    These should be served in the final course of your seven-course meal. If you are serving fewer courses, they can take the place of your dessert course.
  • Question
    Can I serve ice cream for a dessert?
    Community Answer
    Of course! Just make sure your guests don't have dietary restrictions.
  • Question
    When do I serve sherbets as an intermezzo course?
    Community Answer
    Before your main course, it's used to clean your pallet (tongue) so you can better taste the main course.
  • Question
    When would I serve fruit?
    Community Answer
    You could serve fruits in a salad at the beginning of the meal or as a dessert at the end. If you're really creative, you might be able to come up with some fruit-based appetizers.
  • Question
    What should be first, wine or the main course?
    Community Answer
    An appropriately-paired wine should be offered with each course, and served immediately before the food.
  • Question
    Should I preset all five glasses out for changing wine with each course?
    Community Answer
    No. You should take out a new glass for each type of wine as it comes. Otherwise, the table will get cluttered.
  • Question
    What should I serve to drink?
    Community Answer
    It's varies depending on your menu, honestly. I would suggest having some wine and water at least, but the specific type of wine will depend on the food you're serving.
  • Question
    How is soup presented during a full course meal?
    Ravenwolf123
    Community Answer
    Soup sometimes will be served as a substitute for an appetizer or salad. It would be served when the salad would normally be served.
  • Question
    What is the correct way to refill cold and hot beverages for a five course meal?
    Ravenwolf123
    Community Answer
    You should refill cold beverages when you serve the food and when you take plates away when the person eating is finished. Hot beverages should only be offered after the dessert course unless they are specifically requested by the consumer.
  • Question
    Can I mix the second course of seafood and fish if the main course will consist of meat when serving a full course meal?
    Community Answer
    Yes, it is okay to make the second course (which is a soup when 6-7 courses) of seafood. If the second course is an appetiser, it is also fine.
  • Question
    How many courses of a meal is a full course meal?
    Community Answer
    "Full course" simply means that the meal consists of multiple dishes. There can be anywhere from three courses at its simplest (first course, main course and dessert, for example) to an elaborate twelve course (or even more!) endeavor.
  • Question
    What's the difference between a 5-course and 3-course meal?
    Community Answer
    A three-course would probably be appetizer, main and dessert. A five-course would be soup, appetizer, salad, main and dessert.
  • Question
    When serving a soup, an appetizer and a salad, which one comes first? Which one second? And which one third?
    Community Answer
    A soup usually comes first, then an appetizer, then a salad. Sometimes you can combine the soup and salad course, or do one or the other. In some cultures, salad is given after the main meal as a way of refreshing the palate.
  • Question
    How many courses should be served in a meal at a 5 star hotel?
    Community Answer
    The meal at 5 star hotel can be a full course meal, which means anything from a minimum of 3 up to 20 courses, according to the employee of the hotel and the time of preparation.
  • Question
    How many grams should be contained in a five course menu?
    Community Answer
    It will probably be around 200 grams for each person, though it depends on the food you make and your portion sizes.
  • Question
    Should the guests wear formal clothing?
    Community Answer
    It depends on the meal. However, wearing formal clothing shows respect if it's a formal event. If there are children involved, then let them wear what they want, as you want them to be comfortable and this encourages them to eat. Remember too that meals vary from culture to culture.
Ask a Question

      Return to Full Article