Cutlery in F&B Service: Types and Uses

Quick answer: In food and beverage service, cutlery traditionally means knives, while flatware means forks and spoons. In everyday hotel use, "cutlery" covers all three. The main items are knives (joint, fish, side, steak, cheese and butter knives), forks (joint, fish, dessert and pastry forks) and spoons (soup, dessert, tea, coffee and service spoons), plus specialist equipment such as lobster picks, snail tongs, grapefruit spoons and cake slices.

Knowing each item, its correct place on the cover and how to care for it is one of the first skills a restaurant trainee learns. This guide covers all of it, with tables you can use for revision.

Cutlery, flatware and hollowware

• Cutlery: strictly, all cutting implements, such as knives.
• Flatware: forks, spoons and flat serving items such as platters and flats.
• Hollowware: items with depth, such as teapots, sauce boats, soup tureens and sugar bowls.

Most restaurant staff simply say "cutlery" for knives, forks and spoons, and that is how the term is used through the rest of this guide.

Materials used for cutlery

Material	Features	Where you see it
Stainless steel	Durable, rust-resistant, low maintenance	Most hotels, restaurants and banquets
Silver-plated (EPNS)	Silver coating over a base metal; elegant but needs polishing	Fine dining and heritage hotels
Sterling silver	Solid silver alloy; expensive and needs careful care	Very formal or luxury service
Wood, bamboo or disposable	Lightweight, single-use or eco-friendly	Takeaway, outdoor and casual service

Stainless steel is often graded by its chromium and nickel content, shown as figures such as 18/10. Higher nickel content generally gives better shine and corrosion resistance.

Knives

Knife	Description	Used for
Joint (large) knife	The main table knife	Main course
Fish knife	Broad, blunt blade with a notch	Lifting and separating fish without cutting
Side (small) knife	Smaller knife	Bread and butter, starters, cheese
Steak knife	Serrated or sharp blade	Steaks and grilled meats
Butter knife / spreader	Short, blunt blade	Spreading butter, placed on the side plate
Cheese knife	Often has a forked tip	Cutting and picking up cheese
Fruit knife	Small, sometimes with a decorative handle	Peeling and cutting fresh fruit

Forks

Fork	Description	Used for
Joint (large) fork	The main table fork	Main course; also with a large spoon for service
Fish fork	Slightly shorter and broader	Fish course, with the fish knife
Dessert fork	Medium-sized fork	Desserts and starters
Pastry fork	Small, with one broad edge for cutting	Cakes and pastries
Oyster / cocktail fork	Small, narrow fork	Oysters, prawn cocktail
Snail fork	Small, two-pronged fork	Removing snails from shells

Spoons

Spoon	Description	Used for
Soup spoon	Round, deep bowl	Thick soups in a soup plate
Consommé spoon	Smaller round spoon	Clear soups in a consommé cup
Dessert spoon	Oval, medium-sized	Desserts, cereals
Tablespoon / service spoon	Large spoon	Serving food from dishes (silver service)
Teaspoon	Small spoon	Tea, fruit cocktails, some desserts
Coffee spoon (demitasse)	Very small spoon	Espresso and after-dinner coffee
Ice cream / sundae spoon	Long handle	Sundaes and tall desserts

Specialist equipment

Some dishes need special tools. Restaurants that serve them keep these items in the sideboard and set them only when required.

• Lobster pick and lobster crackers: for removing meat from shells and claws.
• Snail tongs and fork: for escargots.
• Grapefruit spoon: a serrated spoon for halved grapefruit.
• Corn-on-the-cob holders: small skewers inserted at each end of the cob.
• Caviar knife or spoon: often made of bone or mother-of-pearl, because metal can affect the flavour.
• Cake slice, gâteau slice and pastry tongs: for serving desserts.
• Sugar tongs, ice tongs and nutcrackers: for service at table or the bar.

Cutlery in the cover

A cover is the space and equipment laid for one guest. The basic rules are:

1. Knives and spoons go on the right; forks go on the left.
2. Knife blades face inwards, towards the plate.
3. Cutlery is laid in the order of use, from the outside in.
4. Dessert cutlery may be laid above the cover, with the spoon handle pointing right and the fork handle pointing left.
5. The bottom ends of cutlery sit in a straight line, roughly a thumb's width from the edge of the table.

À la carte and table d'hôte covers

An à la carte cover is laid with only basic items, and the correct cutlery is placed for each course after the guest orders. A table d'hôte cover is laid in full in advance, because the menu is fixed. Banquets usually follow the table d'hôte approach. The service style also affects how cutlery is used; see our guide to the types of food service.

Handling and care

• Hold cutlery by the handle or the neck, never by the blade, prongs or bowl.
• Carry cutlery on a service plate lined with a napkin, never loose in the hand.
• Soak used cutlery soon after clearing to stop food drying on it.
• Wash in hot water with the right detergent, then dry and polish with a clean cloth while still warm.
• Polish silver-plated items regularly using the approved method, because silver tarnishes in air.
• Sort and store by type in lined drawers or cutlery boxes so service staff can find items quickly.
• Count cutlery during stock takes; losses and damage add up quickly in busy outlets.

Cutlery and glassware together

Cutlery, glassware and crockery work as a set on the table. Glasses sit above the knives, side plates on the left, and the main plate in the centre of the cover. For the other two groups, read our guides to glassware and crockery.

Which cutlery goes with which dish

Trainees are often tested on matching cutlery to dishes. The table below shows common pairings in Western-style service. Always follow your restaurant's own standard where it differs.

Dish	Cutlery laid
Thick soup	Soup spoon
Clear soup (consommé)	Consommé spoon or dessert spoon
Fish main course	Fish knife and fish fork
Steak	Steak knife and joint fork
Spaghetti	Joint fork, with a dessert spoon if the guest wants one
Melon or fruit starter	Dessert knife and fork, or a teaspoon for some cuts
Prawn cocktail	Teaspoon or cocktail fork
Cheese course	Side knife, with a cheese knife on the board
Gâteau or pastry	Pastry fork, or dessert spoon and fork
Ice cream in a coupe	Teaspoon or ice cream spoon

When a guest changes the order, adjust the cover before the course arrives. Cutlery that is wrong or missing when the plate is set down is one of the most noticeable service errors.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between cutlery and flatware?

Strictly, cutlery means knives and other cutting tools, while flatware means forks and spoons. In practice, most hotels use "cutlery" for all of them.

Why does a fish knife have a broad blade?

Fish is soft and flakes easily. The broad, blunt blade lifts and separates the flesh and helps remove bones, rather than cutting.

Which side does the knife go on?

On the right of the cover, with the blade facing inwards towards the plate. Forks go on the left.

What is a cover in restaurant service?

A cover is the space on the table, and the equipment laid there, for one guest.

Why are caviar spoons not made of metal?

Metal can give caviar a metallic taste, so spoons made of bone, horn or mother-of-pearl are traditionally used.

What does 18/10 stainless steel mean?

It refers to the approximate percentage of chromium and nickel in the steel. These elements give shine and resistance to rust and staining.