Flowers are a minefield, and to be avoided unless you know their preferred florist; wine risks coming across as a passive-aggressive competition over who has better taste; and candles are too personal.
But Smith thinks dining etiquette is where people reveal the most about themselves. “The British are the most judgmental when it comes to people,” Smith reminds us. “You never have a second chance to make a first impression.”
Rest assured, reader, I do know how to hold my knife and fork properly, unlike one of my fellow classmates, who gripped his fork in his right hand and wielded it like a shovel. No wonder he can’t get a job.
Unfortunately, however, it wasn’t long before my own shortcomings came to light.
Your phone, Smith tells us, does not “eat first” – Gen Z slang for the increasingly common habit of taking pictures of a meal before eating it – and should remain out of sight at the dinner table. He tells me my usual habit of putting mine beside my plate gives the impression that something more interesting than the person opposite me might pop up.
When it comes to conversation, Julius worries that my generation has become too comfortable discussing politics, money and the latest online controversy over dinner. “The royal mantra of ‘never complain, never explain’ is something the younger generation should take on board,” he says. This feels almost alien in the confessional age of social media, where oversharing has become the norm.
Instead, he encourages “light-hearted conversation”, such as talking about the weather or the World Cup, which all sounds rather boring to me.
“We live in an increasingly individualistic culture where everyone wants to one-up each other,” he says. “The younger generation don’t know how to listen to each other, and always jump in in the middle of conversations.”
Ranting, apparently, should also be banished from the table (guilty…).
“Strong views shouldn’t be expressed,” says Smith. “Never have a conversation with an idiot. There is no mileage in being vocal. Let them ramble, and then, once they have finished, say: ‘I’m sorry you feel that way.’ That should silence them.”
“Even if it’s about Sir Keir Starmer?” I ask. He smirks.
‘ The preceding article may include information circulated by third parties ’
‘ Some details of this article were extracted from the following source www.telegraph.co.uk ’
