Q&A for How to Use a Fork and Knife

It depends on your knife. If it's a non-serrated knife, you'll find you get a better/faster cut pulling rather than pushing. If it's serrated, back-and-forth is the typical application.

A slightly informal dessert course will have the pastry fork/spoon/ice cream fork above the plate, handle pointing right.

If you are pausing, place the knife's blade not on the edge, but more so the handle rests along the edge of the plate.

When a knife is laid to rest on a plate, the blade should be turned in, toward the plate. In the early days of eating utensils, resting a knife with the blade turned outward, toward the rest of the dinner party, was seen as threatening. Basically, only turn your blade toward what you intend to cut.

The VCAA Food and Technology Study Design clearly indicates that when a plate is used for presentation, you do not need to use it for your guests.

French toast is usually eaten with a fork, and a knife too if you need to cut it into bite size pieces. If it is very soft, sometimes you can cut it with the edge of your fork instead. Most people eat pizza with their hands, but an exception is if the pizza is too messy or floppy to pick up without the toppings falling off. In that case, use a knife and fork to cut the pizza into bite size pieces, at least until you get closer to the crust and can more easily pick it up.

You should eat yogurt with a spoon, eating it with a fork wont work that well, and fruit should be eaten with a fork.

It's fine, although do turn the fork tines around so they're curved up (opposite of "European style").

It depends on what kind of seafood it is, if it is shrimp you should use your fork to pick it up, and if it is fish you can cut it with the edge of your fork and eat it like that.

You should use your dominant hand to use a spoon or a fork.

Yes, if there is meat still on the knife.

This is not recommended, but if the turkey or other meat is particularly tough, always provide your guests the tools/utensils they will need to do the job most elegantly.

You push them on to the back of the fork with the knife. They will stick there as you lift the fork to your mouth.

It depends on the restaurant. Many Asians and Europeans cut with the fork but Americans tend to only use the knife for cutting.

No, your knife is for cutting only. Do not use your knife to scrape or shovel food. It is not meant to be a convenient substitute for a spoon or fork.

You can scoop up the peas and beans with the fork, or you can eat them one by one but you probably shouldn't.

Most Americans and Europeans use forks, but some Asians like using spoons.

Absolutely! Just because you're left-handed doesn't mean you have to make yourself uncomfortable by using your non-dominant hand for your knife.

It is almost impossible to eat chapati with a fork and spoon as most Indian foods are made to be eaten with your hands. Use your right thumb and two fingers to grab a small portion of chapati from the corner. Make a clockwise twist to break it off and scoop the curry or dry stuff on it with the spoon, holding it like a triangle (which you can then push in your mouth and chew).

Yes. This is sometimes the easiest and most preferred method by people in certain cultures. If you are right-handed, using a fork in your right hand would be easier to eat with.

No. Either use the knife and fork in the European style. Otherwise use either a fork on its own (savoury dishes) or a spoon on its own (sweet dishes). Aspoon and knife being used together is certainly not correct.

It depends on which hand you are comfortable with. If you are right-handed, then use the fork in your right hand. If you are left-handed, the fork should go in your left hand.

No, there isn't a need to hold the knife all the time. For example, you can set it aside while you're chewing or while waiting to help yourself to a second serving of the meal. If you are a "fork-only" eater, then you won't need a knife at all. The knife will also be placed down when you no longer need to use it.

It is not ideal trying to eat rice with a fork and knife. Since you're scooping up multiple grains, using a spoon would be easier. However, a fork can work like a spoon if you scoop up a decent amount of rice and hold it the same way you would a spoon. The knife can be used to push more rice onto the fork or spoon.

It’s up to you but most of the people prefer bringing enough part of the fork inside your mouth such that you will be sure the food doesn’t fall out. Using the tip of your fork might allow the food to slip away while putting the whole fork in the mouth doesn’t create quite a good impression.

Ice cream should be eaten with a spoon. You can get specific ice cream spoons, or you can use a normal teaspoon.