G O U R M E T K N OW L E D G E
WHY TABLE MANNERS MATTER Catherine Baron, founder of etiquette school Le Savoir-Vivre tells us why fine dining etiquette is much more than just good table manners. BY NIDA SEAH
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t was fine dining etiquette 101. As we took our seats during a French table setting workshop, Catherine Baron rebuked us. The founder and CEO of Hong Kong-based etiquette school Le Savoir-Vivre: Academy of Etiquette and Modern Manners reminded us that we should only sit when the host sits. Otherwise, we should remain standing. A little harsh perhaps, but necessary to remind us of proper manners and behaviors at the table. “There is no better or possibly worse place to make an impression which lasts forever. Mastering table manners reveals an important part of one’s competence,” says Baron. The workshop was conducted during À Table!, an event organised by Alliance Française de Singapour to spotlight the
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French art of fine dining. Baron’s workshop was more than a crash course on how a French table should be set – it was an insight into French culture. “My aim is to share my passion and knowledge about the French art de vivre, embracing gastronomy, wine, ancestral know-hows, terroir, heritage, and je ne sais quoi that makes France so unique,” she says. Her passion was rewarded in 2014 when she won the Prize for Talented French Nationals Abroad, presented by the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs for her contribution to the promotion of French culture. She shares why fine dining etiquette and French art of table setting are still important in this day and age, as well as her top tips on good manners.
