 Unexpectedly, we had a tie for the Best in Show Winner for the Amateur Community in our 1st Annual Etiquipedia Place Setting Competition. Our second of the tie-winning tables is that of Elena Gorelik of Russia. Elena is shown above with her historical themed, dinner place setting. After reading her bio, we realized Elena would have been a better fit in the “Professional” category, as opposed to Amateur, but we don’t know how well everything translates in other languages. And “Professional” means different things to different people. Next year, with her new business venture though, she will definitely be placed in (and fit in beautifully!) to the “Professional” or “Etiquette Community” categories. 🍽🍽🍽🍽 Elena Gorelik lives in Moscow, Russia. In the 1990s-2000s she made a career as a Personal Assistant to CEOs and Boards of Directors for airline companies. She was in charge of protocol procedures and office hospitality at the top levels of management. In the 2010s Elena worked in the Marriott Moscow Royal Aurora Hotel (5*) as a Department Head of the Food and Beverage Service. Now, Elena is developing a business as a tabletop stylist for table settings and home events, in order to help women feel confident and provide the best version of hospitality to their families and guests. You can find her @serviruem on Instagram. |
This envisioned dinner and place setting for the menu was for Peter Durnovo. Durnovo was, over his lifetime, an Imperial Russian lawyer, politician, ambassador and statesman. He was also a member of the Russian nobility, belonging to House of Durnovo and, in 1915, he was the last Russian Imperial Minister of Interior to die from natural causes. Six successors were all killed during the Revolution and Red Terror, from 1918-1922.
The setting has almost a masculine look to it; it’s not fussy in the least, even with the antique flatware. The dark colors and equally dark patina on the flatware mixes very well together. One can just imagine 19th century diplomats and politicians, discussing weighty matters over a late meal at this setting, and several others exactly like it at the table.
A few etiquette notes on Elena’s setting:Elena’s choice of old flatware added to the overall beautiful look. There was one element of the place setting that was correct, while also incorrect at the same time… The soup spoon placed where it was, was correct. The size and type of soup spoon was incorrect as it does not correspond with the soup bowl. It is a creamy soup, and that is and oval dessert or cream soup spoon, however the bowl is the incorrect size. That being said, in 1857, it would be hard to find a household with a large variety of soup spoons.
A small, round-bowled, bouillon spoon or a larger, round-bowled cream soup spoon would have been more appropriate for eating soup from this soup bowl, however most households this early into the Victorian era didn’t usually have more than one or two sizes of soup spoons, and did not have the 5 or 6 different varieties commonly seen later in the 1800’s and early 1900’s.
Looking at the spoon, tends to only make the size stand out more, dwarfing the smaller knife and fork, acting as a “bird set”, for the Pozharsky Cutlet, which is on the menu after the soup. But again, this may not have been an era in which the soup spoon would have been available for this type of bowl in Russia. I have to defer to her knowledge of Russian flatware until I can investigate soup spoon history there.
The size of the large Damask napkin is the appropriate size for a formal dinner, and often missed by many people. It is folded narrowly, but I can tell by the amount of folds, about how large it is when opened up.
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| The stemware and other glass appears period and the design on the stemware is very subtle, adding to the overall antique look for this inviting place setting. |
1. Have you always enjoyed a properly set table? Or, if not, was table setting something you learned to enjoy through your social life and/or business, later on in life?
I started from the table setting for my dolls when I was a very little girl. I had a toy table and chairs, some toy food and a lovely doll china set. Since I was 5 or 6 years old, my grandmother delegated me setting a table for all home parties and for family’s Sunday dinners as well (a table for 5).
Like many families in the Soviet Union, ours had some holidays-only dishes and others for everyday meals. I really enjoyed floral porcelain plates and teacups. I loved to be on duty for setting a table, yet I did not know any of the strict etiquette rules then.
First time I learned how to set a table properly was at school. Those days, girls had a course on housekeeping. I was so excited to study how to place forks and knives, what types of plates exist and other basic rules of dining etiquette. It made me a family expert on table setting.
The most useful course I took at the Secretary School. – It was a Diplomatic Protocol delivered by an officer from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Meanwhile, I read a lot – in the early 90s we got foreign books on etiquette available here in Russia.
Then my working experience gave me many chances for practice.
2. How did you choose the various elements you used in your setting and why?
I decided on a historical setting from the very beginning because I like to learn details of everyday life in the past. So, I was looking for a good source of such information, and I was super lucky to find it.
I used old family china, glass and silver, the most “historical” of what I had at home. Of course, I had to add some modern items, for example I took the crystal service plate and vase because I thought they would look appropriate to the chosen legend, I mean the time and social status of the heroes.
3. How, if at all, did Covid related social restrictions affect your choice of setting? Were you ready to celebrate? Feeling in the mood to do something different? Etc…
Not much actually. As I said, I needed a reliable source of data, so I chose and pre-ordered several books at the Russian State Library’s site.
Big libraries in Moscow were already open and worked almost normally, we just had to follow some procedures like temperature measurement at the entrance, keeping the social distance and wearing masks and gloves the whole time of visit.
Of course, it was not as comfortable as usually, so I tried to do everything quickly. That is why I missed the information about drinks first and had to make a library trip once more.
As for my mood, the contest cheered me up. I felt very inspired and involved. However, I did understand the low spirits of people from the countries where longer lockdowns were still in force.
4. Same for the menu chosen as question number three… Did Covid related social restrictions affect your menu choices at all?
The menu was my biggest concern and then my biggest luck. The book contained original dinner menus; I just copied those sounded more or less clear to me (because some of them were rather weird) and then made my choice.
As for the drinks, they were not on the menu, so that issue required more investigation, analysis, and some kind of deductive method, I would say.
5. If yours was a historical setting, why did you choose that particular period in time?
My favorite epoch in Russian history is the 19thcentury, and Saint Petersburg is a city I am in love with. When I found such a detailed description of family dinners from that very city in that very time (1850s), I could not wish for more.
6. Do you plan on entering again next year?
Oh, yes, I would love to participate again because I feel it inside as a challenge, an adventure, and enjoyment – all in one. Let me thank you Maura and your co-sponsor Elizabeth for hosting the contest and for choosing my place setting as the best in the show.
You are most welcome, Elena. Elizabeth and I both wish you great success in your new business venture! – Maura Graber
Etiquette Enthusiast, Maura J. Graber, is the Site Editor for the Etiquipedia© Etiquette Encyclopedia
