Service à la Française

Service à la Française is the practice of serving all the dishes of a meal at the same moment.

This style prevailed in the courts of French royalty, for it made the greatest impression for all the delicacies of the kitchen to emerge simultaneously. However, unless the kitchen and staff are enormous in relation to the persons being served, it is impossible for all dishes to be perfectly hot and ready to consume. Furthermore, it is impossible for the diners to consume each dish when it is at its peak. Thus all modern restaurants provide the dishes so they may be enjoyed individually, a style called Service à la russe.