Students sharpen dining skills at Etiquette Dinner

Career Services provided SFU students with the opportunity to brush up on their dining skills on Tuesday, Oct. 23, sponsoring the annual Etiquette Dinner. Pat Cataldo, etiquette expert and presenter, taught students the ins and outs of proper dining.

Cataldo, SFU class of ’66, has traveled around the world on business, requiring him to adapt to many different cultures and learn etiquette rules in other nations. He walked students through the proper dining of soup, salad, an entrée and dessert.

“Cataldo brought from his professional life decades of wisdom to share with an eager group of freshmen, sophomores, juniors, seniors and graduate students,” said graduate student Randall Frye.

Frye has attended the last three Etiquette Dinners at SFU. Despite his frequent attendance, Frye said he still has trouble with the rules.

“We learned the art of holding a knife and fork properly,” Frye said. “Alas, the third time was not the charm for me!”

Career Services offers this event every year to enlighten participants on the importance of polite dinner habits.

“Our society is so relaxed anymore,” said Kate Labriola, Assistant Director of Career Services. “Everything we do is so off the cuff and chill. In the work world, there are elements of class and tact.”

Labriola stressed that no matter a person’s major, he or she still has to attend business luncheons, interviews over lunch or dinner award ceremonies.

Cataldo shared dining lessons through demonstration, from passing the bread to making small talk at a table of random people. Cataldo’s teaching style invoked a lot of laughter from participants.

“It really instills some valuable skills that translate to any major,” Labriola said. “Everybody should experience it once.”