Silver service is the name given to a method of table service in the United Kingdom. This usually includes serving food at the table. It is a technique of transferring food from a service dish to the guest's plate from the right.
It is performed by a waiter using service forks and spoons from the diner's left. In France, this kind of service is known as service à l'anglaise ("English Service").[1]
Silver service is oriented for a right-handed waiter. Thus to serve the food, the waiter stands behind the guest and to the guest's left, holds or supports the platter with their left hand, and serves the food with their right hand. It is common for the waiter to hold the serving-fork above the serving-spoon both in the right hand, and use the fingers to manipulate the two as a pincer for picking up, holding and transferring the food. This technique requires much practice and (quite literally) dexterity.
A modification of silver service is known as butler service.[3] In butler service the diner helps himself from a serving plate held by the waiter (butler). Traditionally, this type of service was used on Sunday evenings when the waiting staff had the evening off and the butler helped out at dinner. In France, this kind of service is known as service à la francaise ("French service").[1]