It’s the day of your dinner party. The food is organised, the iPod is loaded with all your favourite chill-out tunes, and you’ve worked out who’s sitting where. The only thing left to do is set the table.
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Wait, which side do the wine glasses go again? Do they really need that many knives? There’s no room for the water glass!
Before you panic, the modern art of table setting needn’t be like a game of Tetris where every square centimetre is filled with cutlery, crockery and glasses. Here are our simple rules to help:
Featured menu item
Beef Lasagne Tray -Serves up to 10 from $97
Delivered in our rectangle foil Our delicious traditional beef lasagne Consider adding ciabatta rolls, salads or a fruit platter.
- Keep It SimpleThe first rule of table setting is easy: don’t over-complicate it. If you’re not sure how to use that piece of cutlery that looks like a medieval torture item, the chances are you don’t need it on the table. The most beautiful table settings are clean and elegant.
- Formal or Casual?There are two main styles to choose from: a casual dinner and a formal dinner.
A formal setting is ideal for celebration dinners and special occasions. Everything has a logical place on the table. The dinner knife should be placed to the right of the dinner plate, followed by a dinner spoon on the right and the dinner fork to the left of the plate. Etiquette says that cutlery should be evenly spaced, about a half inch apart. And we all know the rule from Pretty Woman – when it comes to placement of the cutlery, you should start from the outside and work your way in.
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Platter – Brioche mini burger bun with pulled beef brisket cola bbq sauce & spiced slaw from $132
A crowd-pleasing platter of soft brioche mini buns filled with tender pulled beef brisket, glazed in rich cola BBQ sauce and topped with zesty spiced
The water glass should go above the knife tips with wineglasses to the right – red above white. And according to etiquette experts, the knife’s blade should always point toward the plate and not towards other diners.
Another tip for formal settings is a “charger” – or a larger plate that the soup bowl and salad plate will sit on. This is essentially a placeholder and will be replaced by the dinner plate.
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Grazing Box 4 pax from $196
Enjoy our amazing selection of finger foods. Box Platter contains: Southern fried cornflake chicken strips Rare beef tartare salsa Verde, truffled may
A casual setting is perfect for more intimate, family dining, where conversation and free flowing wine take centre stage. You really only need the basics and definitely not a charger.
We Deliver Across Melbourne
From our Caulfield kitchen, we deliver catering to suburbs all across Melbourne — including Newport · East Warburton · Malvern · Roxburgh Park · Lyndhurst · Berwick and dozens more.
Once you’ve chosen your setting style, you can tailor it to suit your particular meal. Add a soup spoon here or a fish knife there. Your Private Chef can help with the hire of everything you need – from cutlery to crockery, tablecloths, napkins, and even chairs and tables.
- Add a touch of youIt’s your party, so give your table setting some personality! Personalise your table with the pieces you love, whether that’s flowers or other arrangements. If you opt for a centrepiece, remember to keep it low so people can talk to each other across the table.
And if the idea of styling you table makes you break into a sweat – don’t worry. Our event stylist can help you with cost effective packages to add colour and pizazz to your dinner party.
Don’t forget to ask us when booking your catering!
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Full menu, packages, and pricing — cooked fresh in our Caulfield kitchen and delivered ready to serve.
How Your Private Chef Helps You with Office Catering
If you’re planning Office Catering in Melbourne and want it handled properly, we make it straightforward. You tell us about your event — guest count, date, location, dietary needs — and we design a custom menu around your guests. Our chefs cook everything in our Caulfield commercial kitchen and we deliver it beautifully presented in eco-friendly platters, ready to serve.
You don’t need to source ingredients, hire a chef, or worry about cleanup. You take the lid off, use your own tongs, and serve. For larger events (typically 80+), we can also arrange chafing dishes, grazing styling, and service staff — quoted separately based on your event.
We’ve spent fourteen years catering Melbourne events — corporate functions, weddings, milestone celebrations, family dinners, and everything in between. Over two thousand events served, four hundred verified customer reviews, full public liability and food safety compliance. The food is the same restaurant-grade craft every time, because our chefs stay in the kitchen rather than getting shipped to events one at a time.
Get in Touch with Your Private Chef
Ready to discuss your event? Get a custom menu and quote in one business day — no obligation. We’ll ask about your guests, your venue, your dietary needs, and your preferences, and we’ll come back with a tailored plan.
Call or text: 0497 333 100
Email: info@yourprivatechef.com.au
Caulfield kitchen pickup or delivery across Melbourne.
