Dining Etiquette Class for children a huge success

On Sunday, March 8th, the Lumberyard Restaurant in Laguna Beach hosted the fourth annual Elbows off the Table event, a dining etiquette class for children. There were two sessions, the first was for second to fifth graders and the second was for sixth to eighth graders. Each session accommodated 34 diners and both seatings were sold out.

Elbows off the Table was created by Suzanne Redfearn, owner of Oysters Restaurant and Lumberyard Restaurant, and Alan Ludloff, a public relations manager, as a way to teach kids practical etiquette skills that would empower them with social confidence.

The attendees began the evening by introducing themselves to a hostess and requesting their reservation. Once sat, they were instructed to place their napkin on their lap and introduce themselves to their dining companions. Many of the kids knew each other, but some didn’t and that is part of the experience.

“Elbows off the Table is as much about social skills as it is about forks and knives,” says Suzanne, “We try and make the evening as close to a real dining experience as possible, and part of our goal is to challenge the diners to interact and discover how easy it is to make conversation and meet new people.”

Each table was set with a glass vase and in the vase was a neon crazy straw, and throughout the meal, the kids earned points (crazy straws) by demonstrating good manners, answering questions, and finding out facts about the others at their table.

“The event is intended to be fun, no rapping knuckles, or forcing kids to sit up ramrod straight,” Suzanne explains, “Etiquette and social graces are about common sense and treating those around you with respect. We want the kids to enjoy it, so they are open to learning and so they’ll use what they learn when they leave.”

“This was our fourth event and I was pleased to see so many familiar faces. Half the kids at this event had been to an Elbows off the Table dinner in the past. I’m proud that they wanted to come back,” Suzanne says. “At the beginning of every Elbows off the Table, we always have a couple of kids, usually boys, whose parents, usually moms, forced them to sign up against their will, but always by the end of the evening they’re having a great time and wondering when the next one is going to be.”

This year the menu included a choice of four appetizers, the kids decided together on two for the table, watermelon slices so the attendees could practice their fork and knife handling skills, a selection of entrees that included ribs, fish, steak and spaghetti, and molten chocolate cake for dessert.

Learning about food is also part of the jam packed event. Fried calamari was a huge hit, though most of the kids had never tried it before, so was the artichoke, which Alan and Suzanne challenged the diners to try. If they did, they earned a straw.