What is a Decorative Charger Plate?
A decorative charger plate is an elegant and underused element of a place setting. Also known as a chop plate, service plate or underplate, a charger plate gets its ‘decorative’ label because it never directly touches any food; instead it functions as an aesthetic resting place onto which food-bearing dishes and bowls are placed. A charger plate is usually larger than a dinner plate but smaller than a food-serving platter. As it need not hold food, it can be made out of a wider range of materials than regular dishes. In addition to standard china, metal, wood, mother of pearl and even leather varieties can be found. Charger plate etiquette varies slightly depending on the preferences of the host or hostess, but some general rules apply. The plate should be set when guests arrive, placed one inch (2.54 cm) from the edge of the table and between the silverware setting. Some hosts remove it before any food is served, but more commonly, soup and first courses are placed on the charger whic
A decorative charger plate is an elegant and underused element of a place setting. Also known as a chop plate, service plate or underplate, a charger plate gets its ‘decorative?label because it never directly touches any food; instead it functions as an aesthetic resting place onto which food-bearing dishes and bowls are placed. A charger plate is usually larger than a dinner plate but smaller than a food-serving platter. As it need not hold food, it can be made out of a wider range of materials than regular dishes. In addition to standard china, metal, wood, mother of pearl and even leather varieties can be found. Charger plate etiquette varies slightly depending on the preferences of the host or hostess, but some general rules apply. The plate should be set when guests arrive, placed one inch (2.54 cm) from the edge of the table and between the silverware setting. Some hosts remove it before any food is served, but more commonly, soup and first courses are placed on the charger which
