You may already hold the fork and knife the American way. Many people, in the U.S. and especially in Europe, use the Continental style instead. Both are correct, and you may meet both at the same table.
Key idea
American style: cut with the fork in the left hand and the knife in the right, set the knife down on the plate, switch the fork to the right hand, and eat with the tines up. Continental style: keep the fork in the left hand, tines down, and the knife in the right throughout.
Why it works
Both styles solve the same problem: getting a cut bite to your mouth neatly. American style grew from the habit of eating with the dominant hand; Continental style saves the switch. Neither is ruder. What matters is using one smoothly, because a clumsy mix of the two, waving the knife or stabbing with the fork upright, distracts the people near you.
| American | Continental | |
|---|---|---|
| Fork while cutting | Left hand, tines down | Left hand, tines down |
| After cutting | Knife down; fork moves to the right hand | Knife stays in the right hand |
| Fork tines while eating | Up | Down |
| Resting position | Knife across the upper right of the plate | Fork and knife crossed near the tips |
Worked example: Which style?
Nora cuts a piece of chicken, keeps the fork in her left hand with the tines down, and lifts the bite with the knife still in her right hand. Which style is this?
- She did not set the knife down or switch hands.
- The fork stayed in the left hand, tines down.
Answer: Continental style.
Worked example: Cutting ahead
Leo cuts his whole steak into pieces before eating any. What would most writers suggest?
- In both styles you cut one or two bites at a time.
- Cutting everything at once is how food is cut for small children, and the food cools faster.
Answer: Cut one bite at a time, then eat it.
Common mistake
Thinking one style is correct and the other rude. Both are correct in the U.S. The key is to use one style smoothly, not to mix them clumsily. Quick check: is your knife resting on the plate when you are not using it, never pointing at anyone or gesturing in the air?
Customs differ: Continental style is the usual way in much of Europe; American style is common in the U.S. and Canada. Many people switch styles to match the company, and that is fine too.