CADET MESS DINNER GUIDELINES
1. T h i s c a d e t m e s s d i n n e r g u i d e l i n e i s i s s u e d t o c o m m u n i c a t e a p p r o p r i a t e m e s s d i n n e r
etiquette. S q u a d r o n officers, N C O ' s and cadets s h o u l d take the t i m e to understand this
guideline.
2. M e s s d i n n e r s o r i g i n a t e d a b o u t 2 0 0 y e a r s ago, t h e p u r p o s e b e i n g t h e s a m e as i t is n o w : t o
afford the opportunity for senior and j u n i o r personnel to meet o n a friendly but formal occasion;
and, t o enabl e the o f f i c e r i n c o m m a n d t o speak t o h i s subordinates as a g r o u p . T h e t r a d i t i o n a l
f o r m a l i t y o f t h e d i n n e r fosters a f e l l o w s h i p w h i c h w o u l d be l a c k i n g at less f o r m a l f u n c t i o n s .
Before Dinner
3. D i n n e r i n v i t a t i o n s a r e w o r d e d 1 7 0 0 f o r 1 7 3 0 h r s . T h i s p e r i o d a l l o w s t i m e f o r a p r e - d i n n e r
social, to peruse the seating plan and to a l l o w hosting personnel to introduce themselves to their
guests. T h e seating p l a n f o r a mess d i n n e r is f o r m a l l y arranged, a n d a p l a n is d r a w n u p a n d is
u s u a l l y d i s p l a y e d . I n d i v i d u a l p l a c e s at t h e t a b l e a r e m a r k e d w i t h a n a m e c a r d . S h i f t i n g o f p l a c e s
is n o t p e r m i t t e d . G u e s t s g e n e r a l l y s i t t o t h e r i g h t o f t h e i r h o s t s .
Mess Dinner Etiquette
4. S i n c e a m e s s d i n n e r is a f o r m a l o c c a s i o n , p r o t o c o l dictates t h a t p e r s o n n e l c o n d u c t
t h e m s e l v e s i n a m a n n e r b e f i t t i n g the occasion. T o ensure that a l l m e m b e r s are a f f o r d e d the same
o p p o r t u n i t y t o e n j o y the e v e n i n g i n the g o o d c o m p a n y o f t h e i r peers; m e m b e r s are r e m i n d e d that
it is considere d p o o r taste t o :
a. e n g a g e i n h e a t e d d i s c u s s i o n o f c o n t r o v e r s i a l s u b j e c t s , d i s c u s s t o p i c s i n a p p r o p r i a t e
to t h e o c c a s i o n , use l a n g u a g e o f f e n s i v e t o others , o r m a k e c o m m e n t s w h i c h m i g h t
be e m b a r r a s s i n g t o mess guests;
b. act i n a b o i s t e r o u s m a n n e r ;
c. p r o p o s e s p o n t a n e o u s t o a s t s ; a n d
d. t a l k after t h e P M C calls f o r a t t e n t i o n o r raps f o r order.
Dinner
5. T h e d i n n e r i s a n n o u n c e d b y t h e v i c e P M C a t 5 a n d 1 0 m i n u t e i n c r e m e n t s p r i o r t o t h e s e a t i n g
t i m e . U s e t h i s t i m e w i s e l y , s i n c e o n c e y o u s i t d o w n t o eat, y o u d o n o t u s u a l l y l e a v e t h e t a b l e
u n t i l the end. W h e n dinner is announced, the head table guests proceed into the d i n i n g r o o m ,
f o l l o w e d b y the r e m a i n d e r o f the m e m b e r s . I f a b a n d is i n attendance, t h e y m a y , d u r i n g dinner,
p l a y s o n g s f o r t h e e n j o y m e n t o f t h e d i n e r s . I t i s c u s t o m a r y t o a p p l a u d at t h e e n d o f e a c h p i e c e o f
music.
6. O n e n t e r i n g t h e d i n i n g r o o m , o f f i c e r s a n d g u e s t s a r e t o t a k e u p t h e i r r e s p e c t i v e p o s i t i o n s
and r e m a i n standing b e h i n d their chairs. T h e P M C w i l l rap for silence and request the C h a p l a i n
or a n o t h e r m e s s m e m b e r t o say grace. A s s o o n as grace has been c o n c l u d e d , a l l m e m b e r s w i l l be
seated. N o m e m b e r s h o u l d leav e t h e d i n i n g r o o m w i t h o u t p r i o r p e r m i s s i o n o f t h e P M C . A f t e r
b e i n g seated y o u w i l l n o t i c e several things . First, y o u r l i n e n n a p k i n w i l l b e o n the left side o f
y o u r place-mat or dinner service i f a table c l o t h is used. T h e n a p k i n is u n f o l d e d i n y o u r lap and
l a i d across y o u r knees. Y o u w i l l f i n d a r o l l a n d b u t t e r as w e l l .
Eating a Meal
7. A m e s s d i n n e r i s a f o r m a l , m u l t i - c o u r s e m e a l . Y o u w i l l b e c o n f r o n t e d b y a f o r m a l p l a c e
setting w i t h y o u r c u t l e r y and several glasses, one o f w h i c h w i l l be f u l l o f a beverage, a n d another
o f water. B e f o r e proceeding w i t h the actual dinner a couple o f points need to be emphasized.
K e e p y o u r e l b o w s o f f the table! A mess d i n n e r is n o t a race; r e l a x and e n j o y i t ; d o n o t s h o v e l the
f o o d i n t o y o u r m o u t h ; d o n o t g u l p y o u r beverages. T o decide w h i c h k n i f e o r f o r k t o use - start
f r o m the outside and w o r k i n . After each course is finished, waiters o r waitresses w i l l r e m o v e
the dishes a n d u t e n s i l s that h a v e been used f r o m y o u r r i g h t side, a n d serve t h e n e x t course f r o m
y o u r left side.
A: N a p k i n
B: S e r v i c e P l a t e
C :Soup bowl o n plate
D: B r e a d a n d b u t t e r p l a t e w / b u t t e r k n i f e
E. W a t e r g l a s s
G : R e d w i n e H : Fish f o r k
J : S a l a d f o r k K: S e r v i c e k n i f e
L: F i s h k n i f e
I: D i n n e r F o r k
M :Soup spoon
F: W h i t e w i n e
N : Dessert s p o o n a n dc a k e fork
(Please note that there will be NO alcoholic beverages at any cadet mess dinner)
a. S a l a d : Y o u e a t t h i s c o u r s e w i t h t h e f o r k o n t h e e x t r e m e l e f t . N o k n i f e i s u s e d w i t h
the salad; I f y o u can't p i c k s o m e t h i n g u p w i t h y o u r f o r k - leave i t ! D o n ' t p u s h
food onto your fork w i t h your thumb;
b. S o u p : T h e n e x t course i s the soup. U s e the large r o u n d s p o o n o n the e x t r e m e
right;
c. F i s h : M a y b e t h e n e x t c o u r s e . U s e t h e n e x t k n i f e a n d f o r k t h a t a r e o n t h e
outside o f y o u r place-setting;
d. M a i n C o u r s e : Y o u w i l l n o w u s e t h e l a s t k n i f e a n d f o r k b e s i d e y o u r p l a c e s e t t i n g .
D e p e n d i n g o n the t y p e o f f o o d , y o u m u s t be satisfied w i t h w h a t y o u can r e m o v e
or cut o f f w i t h y o u r k n i f e a n d f o r k . D u r i n g t h i s course, y o u r beverage glass w i l l
be refilled. D o n o t feel c o m p e l l e d to e m p t y i t e v e r y t i m e ;
e. D e s s e r t : F o r t h i s c o u r s e , u s e t h e c u t l e r y t h a t i s set i n f r o n t o f y o u . U n l e s s y o u
a r e b e i n g s e r v e d a p a r f a i t , a s p o o n a n d a f o r k w i l l b e set b e f o r e y o u . I t i s n o t
m a n d a t o r y t o use b o t h . T h i s is the e n d o f the m e a l but n o t the dinner.
Loyal Toast
8. A t t h e c o n c l u s i o n o f t h e m e a l , a l l g l a s s e s , c h i n a , etc w i l l b e r e m o v e d f r o m t h e t a b l e . O n l y
the p o r t glasses, candelabra and table decorations w i l l n o t be r e m o v e d . P o r t decanters w i l l b e
b r o u g h t i n a n d set a t e a c h t a b l e . T h e P M C w i l l f i l l h i s g l a s s , a n d p a s s t h e d e c a n t e r t o h i s l e f t .
T h i s is the s i g n a l f o r the other diners t o f i l l t h e i r glasses, passing the decanter a l o n g the table.
A i r F o r c e t r a d i t i o n dictates that the decanter w i l l n o t t o u c h the table u n t i l it is e m p t y or a l l
glasses h a v e been filled.
9. A f t e r a l l g l a s s e s h a v e b e e n f i l l e d , t h e P M C r a p s f o r s i l e n c e , r i s e s a l o n e , a n d s a y s ( i n
either official language), " M r / M a d a m V i c e , the Q u e e n o f Canada". A l l diners w i l l rise, and the
V i c e P M C s a y s i n t h e o t h e r o f f i c i a l l a n g u a g e , " M a d a m s et M e s s i e u r s , l a r e i n e d u C a n a d a " . W h e n
the V P M C finishes the toast, a l l diners w i l l raise t h e i r glasses, a n d repeat the toast, " T h e Q u e e n " .
Other Toasts
10. O t h e r t o a s t s f o l l o w t h e l o y a l t o a s t , b a s e d o n t h e i r u n i t ' s p r e c e d e n c e i n t h e C F . O n
c o m p l e t i o n o f these toasts, the bandmaster, piper and c h e f m a y be i n v i t e d b y the P M C t o j o i n the
G u e s t o f H o n o u r at t h e h e a d t a b l e f o r a t o a s t . F o l l o w i n g a l l t o a s t s , c o f f e e a n d t e a m a y b e s e r v e d ,
a l o n g w i t h a f t e r d i n n e r m i n t s . S p e e c h e s u s u a l l y o c c u r at t h i s p o i n t i n t h e d i n n e r , a l t h o u g h t h e y
may take place outside o f the dining r o o m .