Table-setting traditions can be traced back thousands of years and continue to evolve in different ways around the world

ILLUSTRATIONS: KATHRIN LANG

Some people set the table before sitting down for a meal, others reserve the best cutlery for when they’re joined by guests. Some keep the same settings year-in, year-out, others adorn the table with specially selected decorations and candles for each celebratory feast. With many people spending more time at home over the past couple of years, setting the table has become a comforting daily ritual, and it seems to be a growing trend.

Research from 2020 shows a large increase in the number of homeowners stocking up on everything from napkins and placemats to glassware and cutlery as the dinner table was reclaimed as a place to linger a little longer. But when it comes to the details of place-setting and how to arrange the knives and forks, does everyone do it the same way? The answer is a definite no, as thousands of years of history and myriad cultural traditions reveal. So, pull up a chair and take your place as we tuck into what it means to set the table.

Food with meaning

In its simplest sense, food is fuel. Humans need a balance of vitamins, minerals, carbohydrates, proteins, fats and water to survive. Why, then, have mealtimes become such a central part of life for some? Suzanne von Drachenfels, author of The Art of the Table: A Complete Guide to Table Setting, Table Manners, and Tableware, suggests that it’s because ‘food is more to us than the fuel of life. It is the building block of community, a symbol of hospitality, friendship and love. Archaeologists believe even early cave dwellers offered food to strangers, hoping to demonstrate the will to peace.’