Full course dinner

A full course dinner is a dinner consisting of multiple dishes, or courses. In its simplest form, it can consist of three or four courses, such as appetizers, fish course, entrée, main course and dessert.

In formal dining, a full course dinner can consist of 5, 6, 8, 10, 12, or 16 courses, and, in its extreme form, has been known to have 21 courses. In these more formalized dining events, the courses are carefully planned to complement each other gastronomically. The courses are smaller and spread out over a long evening, up to three, four or five hours. They follow conventions of menu planning that have been established over many years. Most courses (excluding some light courses such as sorbets) in the most formal full course dinners are usually paired with a different wine, beer, liqueur, or other spirit.

In service à la russe, courses are brought to the table in sequence. Only empty plates are set in front of each guest. Courses are served on platters, and guests make selections from a variety of dishes and fill their own plate. Food presentation is skillfully focused on the platters. A filled plate is never placed in front of a guest because that would imply limited portions. Guests are expected to choose whatever they like and to eat as much as they want.

In service à la française, food is served "family-style", with all courses on the table at the same time. Guests serve themselves so that all dishes are not served at their optimum temperatures. Alternatively, buffet style is a variation of the French service where all food is available at the correct temperature in a serving space other than the dining table. Guests commute to the buffet to be served or sometimes serve themselves and then carry their plates back to the table.

In an American formal dining course, each course is served sequentially. Guests are served plates already filled with food in individual portions. Often, guests have an opportunity to choose between vegetarian or meat entrées. There is no opportunity to request something different or to ask for more than a single serving. However, portions are usually large. Since there are no platters, food presentation is focused on individual portions, skillfully decorated to look like art in which each plate is a masterpiece.

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Wikipedia