(refer to the photo album here for more highlights)

Date: 2 Mar 2023
Time: 5:00pm-8:00pm
Venue: Auditorium, The Hang Seng University of Hong Kong
Speaker: Mr. Desmond So, Founder and Chief Consultant at the East-West Institute of Applied Etiquette

Wine (be it merely figuratively) and dine, with a belly full of not only a decent fine-dining meal, but more importantly, confidence and finesse – this should perfectly sum up the Honours Academy (HA) Seminar#4, a three-hour Western dining etiquette workshop held on 2 Mar 2023 (Thur).

With the theme “Table Reserved… Now What?”, a total of 18 HA students were privileged to partake in a comprehensive dining etiquette workshop delivered by Mr. Desmond So, founder and chief consultant at the East-West Institute of Applied Etiquette (who was also with us for the HA Seminar#1: Business Etiquette Workshop on 6 October, 2022). The workshop was specifically crafted to equip our future leaders with the necessary skills and knowledge to navigate formal dining occasions with poise and professionalism, and subsequently, to project a professional image and presence as our HA student and a global citizen, in life beyond university.

The workshop began with an engaging introduction to the importance and relevance of dining etiquette, especially in the business context. Mr. So then delved into the mechanics of proper table setting, enlightening us on some easy ways to remember the correct placement of utensils and glassware. Our HA students were also educated on the proper posture and table manners, such as sitting up straight and keeping elbows off the table. Mr. So also provided guidance on how to navigate potentially awkward or sensitive topics, and how to avoid common conversational pitfalls that could lead to discomfort or offence.

The workshop was also highlighted with a segment where our HA students put their new found knowledge into practice, over a three-course meal. From a creamy soup, to a meaty main course, and then to a smooth dessert, the meal was carefully designed to ensure that our HA students have a chance to practise and showcase what Mr. So was enlightening us. Throughout the meal, our HA students, seated at different tables, were encouraged to engage in polite and appropriate conversation, putting into practice the communication skills they had learned earlier in the workshop.

Overall, this Dining Etiquette Workshop provided our HA students with a thorough grounding in the principles of dining etiquette, as well as the opportunity to apply their knowledge in a real-world setting. By mastering the art of dining etiquette, our HA students emerged from the workshop with the confidence and skills necessary to navigate any social or professional dining scenario with ease.

吃出優雅，暢飲自信-這正正概括了香港恒生大學榮譽學院於2023年3月2日（星期四）舉行的榮譽學院第四次研討會的主題: 「座位預定好了，接下來該怎麼辦？」。這個三小時的西餐禮儀工作坊由East-West Institute of Applied Etiquette創辦人及首席顧問蘇頌輝先生主講, 蘇先生亦曾在2022年10月6日榮譽學院本學年第一次工作坊中與榮譽學院學員同行, 教授商務禮儀。

十八位榮譽學院學員在這晚亦隆而重之, 位位衣冠楚楚﹑ 神采奕奕, 希望透過工作坊學習如何能夠優雅地應對正式餐會，並在大學之外的生活中展現榮譽學院學員及全球公民的專業形象和風采。

蘇先生工作坊一開始先強調餐桌禮儀在商業環境中的重要性, 之後再與學員深入探討正確餐桌佈置，介紹了簡單易記的餐具和玻璃杯放置方法。榮譽學院學員還學習到保持身體挺直、不將手肘放在桌上等等正確坐姿和餐桌禮儀。蘇先生還提供了如何應對尷尬或敏感話題，以及如何避免冒犯他人的說話陷阱。

工作坊一大亮點就是讓學員在三道菜的西餐中實踐所學知識。從湯品到主菜再到甜點，餐單設計經過精心考量, 確保榮譽學院學員有機會實踐和展示他們的培訓成果。在用餐過程中，列席不同餐桌的學員亦積極參與到禮貌和恰當的交談中，實踐他們在早期工作坊中學到的溝通技巧。

這次西餐禮儀工作坊為榮譽學院學員提供了深入的餐桌禮儀原則培訓，以及在現實世界中應用知識的機會。通過掌握餐桌禮儀的技巧，學員在工作坊中獲得自信和技能，能夠輕鬆應對任何社交或專業的餐桌場合。

From salad, main course to dessert, students get to know how every utensil serves a different purpose in the dining table.
導師向學員介紹餐桌上每種餐具的名稱、位置、次序及其用法。

Mr. So demonstrated how to clink a wine glass elegantly – from its proper positioning to the delightful sound to be produced.
蘇先生示範如何優雅地與別人碰杯，並講解酒杯適當的碰撞位置、應發出的聲音等。

Students learned the proper etiquette of passing the bread basket around the table.
學員們親身學習如何禮貌地向同桌人士傳遞麵包籃。