Gleaming glasses and polished silverware.  Napkins folded just so.  Plates exactly spaced and set.  The table setting is something we all expect to see when we make our way into a fine dining establishment.  But do you know the history behind why tables are set that way?

Before the 11^th century, there were, of course, no table settings at all.  You simply brought your own knife to the meal, and that’s what you used.  It’s believed that forks came into the picture sometime in Italy in the mid-to-late 1000s, and then made their way to France in a de Medici’s baggage.

Up through the mid-1700s, food was typically served “a la francaise,” or in the French style, which meant food brought out in large bowls and trenchers that served several guests, and everyone ate at the same time.  But around the 1750s, dining rooms all across Europe began serving their guests in the style of Russia, “a la russe.”  The Russian style, which consisted of specific courses being brought out one at a time by service staff, and served with utensils and dishes specific to that course, is similar to what we expect to see in our dining establishments today.

Here at Alto, we believe that setting a beautiful table provides more than just aesthetics.  It’s a service to our members, an honor, if you will.  We delight in offering you the perfection of a well-set table, because we know it tells you of a delicious, well-served meal to come.

If you want to check out a very well-presented explanation of the perfectly laid formal dining table, visit
The Art of Table Settings - thehouseandhomemagazine.com.