Even Beast Dining, Can Turn Into Belle Dinning.

Daniela Lopera
Nov 4, 2014
3 min read

Elegant, poised and mannered, that is how a professional should be when it comes to not only in the office, the boardroom, the events, but also in their dining. I had never experienced professional dining before; I had never had the Hollywood dinner scene where I encountered a million utensils, glasses, meal courses and rules.

Dine Like A Diplomat Place Setting, Photo from Google.

Of course I have been taught at home how one should dine:

“Never have butterfly wings at the table,” my grandma would say when we rested our arms on the table, “you should always rest your wrists but never your arms.”

“Don’t put your elbows on the table,” “eat with your mouth close and never talk with food in your mouth;” and “always eat quietly” are the obvious and most important lessons that parents teach their kids.

On Monday, October 27, the Seneca’s Event Marketing Class of 2015 had the opportunity of learning what true professional dining is all about. “Dining Like a Diplomat” took place in the University of Toronto at the Faculty Club.

Our teacher and guide for the afternoon was the Etiquette and Protocol Consultant for Diplomat Dining, Leanne Pepper; who welcomed us and spent her time teaching us valuable dinning lessons.

Faculty Club Entrance.

Upon entrance, I felt really nervous, not only because I was late (something that should never happen, ALWAYS BE EARLY… ) but because dining was not what I was used to. There were a million utensils at the table, a glass cup, a wine glass, and two plates. There were rules for the use of them and even more rules for eating. We were put into test, and challenged to observe, as well as think about every movement we made.

I felt like the Beast dinning with Belle. I felt lost, and cavewoman in my knowledge of such rules and etiquette. As well, I felt like everyone was watching what I did and how I ate. We all felt conscious and observed, but we all loved the fact that we were actually learning valuable things for the future. We learnt about the different utensils and what each one is used for, how to hold the fork and knife properly, how to place them on the plate when we were pausing or when we had finished the meal; and we learnt about posture, and manners on the table.

Beauty and the Beast Dinning, Photo Credits: Google.

I felt happy and honoured to be learning such things, from someone so passionate and patient. Leanne took her time to explain things, she showed us herself how to do everything and to make things light, and she told stories throughout lunch. We not only learnt the rules, but we also learnt why they were important and how they could help us in our everyday life. It was interesting to see how dinning etiquette can help you build or destroy your career, as well as make lasting impressions on those around you. You never really stop to think how your eating habits can affect you, but oh trust me, they do.

As time went by during lunch, and the lesson, the more comfortable I started feeling. The more I felt like a professional and the more poised I felt. I felt like I was turning from the Beast into a Princess, someone with manners, with dining standards and knowledge… A true professional.

Belle Dining Like A Diplomat, Photo Credits: Google.

After lunch was over, we were able to mingle for a little bit. This part was fun, all friends reunited. I saw my friends from my other classes, and we did what we liked to do best: “SELFIES,” even Leanne joined in on the fun!

The Girls and Leanne’s Selfie, Photo Credits: Yasmin Salehi.

It was so amazing to share this experience with them, to learn to dine, to converse with them and most of all to enjoy ourselves.

Yasmin, Robin and I at Dine Like A Diploma. Photo Credits: Carla Rojas.

Friends Reunited Outside of The Faculty Club at The University of Toronto. Photo Credits: Carla Rojas

I recommend to every individual out there, it doesn’t matter if you are a professional or not, to take an etiquette class with Leanne Pepper, or just an etiquette class in general. Etiquette is not only about how to use the utensils and how to eat, it is about the way you present yourself to others, the way you carry yourself, and the way in which you can positively impact people through the mere fact of behaving with poise, and elegance. Trust me, even a beast can become a prince or a princess.