France: Prosperous Entertaining

From ExecutivePlanet.com

Prosperous Entertaining

Entertaining for business success

Business lunches are preferred to dinners. Actual business, however, is not supposed to be conducted during lunch or dinner. Sharing a meal is intended to help establish a personal acquaintance.

A business lunch will start at 12:30 or 1:00 p.m. and may last until 3:00 p.m. or later if required.

A business lunch is a formal event starting with an appetizer, followed by a main course, cheese, dessert and coffee. It is OK to drink a glass of wine or even two (but not more).

Dinner invitations are usually at 8:30 p.m. and you are expected to stay until 11:00 p.m. at the earliest. The polite way to take your leave is to wait until the other guests are finished with their coffee.

The business drink should not be held in a café, since these establishments are far too noisy. You can usually have a conversation without distractions in a hotel bar.

The person that extended the invitation for the meal or drink is expected to pay.

Reservations are necessary in most restaurants, except in brasseries and hotels.

If you’re making the dining arrangements, a French restaurant is a safe choice.

Wine is customary with meals. Do not refuse wine; just sip it slowly.

Serving mixed drinks before dinner is not a common practice; champagne or kir, however, may be served as pre-dinner drinks. Kir is a blend of currant liqueur and white wine; kir royale combines currant liqueur and champagne.

In France, the wine is carefully selected to complement the food, and, consequently, will sometimes change with each course. Generally, white wines will be served with fish, while reds will be served with meats. A sweeter dessert wine may accompany dessert.

Brandies and liqueurs as after dinner drinks are becoming less frequent. Orange juice, served after coffee, is the host’s discreet signal that it is time for you to take your leave.

Dinner in a French home can be quite elaborate, beginning with a soup or an appetizer. Then, there will be one or two main courses, concluding with dessert.

The most honored position is at the head of the table, with individuals of the greatest importance seated first to the left and then to the right of the head of the table. If a couple is hosting, one will be at one end of the table, the other at the opposite end.

At dinner parties, couples will be seated next to people they do not know. The intention of this arrangement is to introduce new acquaintances and promote conversation.

The French do not switch knives and forks, as Americans do. When both are to be used, the knife remains in the right hand, and the fork remains in the left.

There are often many additional pieces of cutlery. If you are unsure of which utensil to use, the safe policy is to start from the outside and work your way in, course by course.

Pass dishes to your left.

Be careful about adding salt, pepper or ketchup to food, since this may imply to your hosts that the dish is bland or otherwise inadequate.

When the meal is finished, the knife and fork are laid parallel to each other across the right side of the plate. If you put both utensils down on the plate for an extended period of time, it is a sign to the servers that you are finished, and your plate may be taken away from you.

When not eating, keep your wrists resting on the table.

Portions are generally smaller than in the United States, but with a larger number of courses.

You are expected to eat everything on your plate.

You may ask for more water, but not wine. You are supposed to wait for your host to serve you. If you are hosting, you must make sure the glasses of your guests are filled. In a reputable restaurant, the wine waiter will serve all the guests.

Eating well is a priority throughout the country, and French food has many regional differences. Some of the world's finest seafood can be found along the Normandy and Brittany coast; if you have the opportunity, try the oysters, which are unique. Similarly, fresh seafood and fish, grilled outdoors, are representative of cuisine along the Cote d'Azur. Lyons is known for its substantial, family-style food, such as sausages, meats, and cooked vegetables. In the country, the meats and pates reflect the north German influences of the Alsace. As you move further down the countryside, typical fare includes fine cheeses, meats, breads, vegetables, and herbed dishes such as bouillabaisse and ratatouille.