Dear readers,
In my recent YouTube video, I dived deep into the differences between European (also called Continental) and American Dining Style. The video has triggered an avalanche of comments and messages where you all wondered: which dining style is better and which dining style is more elegant?
EUROPEAN DINING STYLE
If you travel across Europe, you will mostly encounter the Continental dining style where the knife is held in the dominant hand (mostly right hand) and the fork is held in the non-dominant hand (mostly left hand). As the knife cuts the dish, the fork then spears it with tines facing downwards. Seamlessly, the fork then conveys food into the mouth with tines still facing downwards. Unlike the American style, this method allows for a smooth transition between cutting, spearing and eating.
AMERICAN DINING STYLE
Conversely, the American dining style starts off just like the European one with a knife held in the dominant hand and fork in the other. However, once the dish is cut and speared, the dominant hand lays the knife across the plate’s edge and the fork switches from non-dominant hand to the dominant one. As the switch happens, the fork tines also flip and the fork is now facing upwards. 
A common misconception is to believe that if you travel to Europe, it is a breach of etiquette to choose the American dining style and vice versa. In fact, this is not the case. If you ever, by chance, happen to dine with a member of one of the European royal families, here I would suggest you to follow the European style as that will most likely be the style the monarch will go for. But apart from that, you are free to choose the style that you like the most.
But now for the verdict, my dear readers. I am by no means a referee and all I can tell is that both dining styles are created equal. It is very much up to you which style you prefer, however, once you make the decision, you should stick to it as the styles shouldn’t mix during the course of a meal.
I wish you a beautiful day ahead,
Yours sincerely,
Katarina
Discover the European vs. American Dining Style video HERE