French Classical Menu — All 17 Courses: French Names, English Names, Covers & Accompaniments
F&B Service · Part 5 · Module 7
French Classical Menu — All 17 Courses: French Names, English Names, Covers & Accompaniments
17 courses in the French Classical Menu, rarely served today. Modern dinner = 4–5 courses. Banquet = 5–6 courses. Sorbet is course 8 — “the rest course.” Beverages (Course 17) are NOT counted as a course. Here is the complete guide.
📋 17-Course vs 11-Course French Classical Menu
Full Classical Menu: 17 courses. Rarely served today except special banquet dinners. Modern dinner: 4–5 courses. Banquet: 5–6 courses. 11-course version removes: Eggs (3), Rice/Pasta (4), Vegetables (10), Salad (11), Cold Buffet (12), Cheese (15).
📜 All 17 Courses — Complete Guide
1
Hors d’Oeuvre — Appetizer
Pronounced: “or-dov”
Tangy, salty, spicy dishes to stimulate appetite. Served in small quantities. Classic: Oysters, Goose liver paste, Caviar (roe of sturgeon — 30g per portion on blinis/buckwheat pancake), Smoked salmon, Snails (escargots), Shrimps. Varies: Canapés, Russian salad, Globe artichoke, Asparagus.
Cover: Cold half plate + side knife (right side). Oyster: oyster fork + finger bowl + serviette
2
Potage — Soup
2nd course
Thick soups: Cream, Purée, Velouté, Bisque, Chowder. Thin soups: Consommé (named after garnish — julienne, brunoise, celestine, dubarry, royale). Exception: Petit Marmite = beef + chicken consommé in earthen pot. Bread always before soup in bread basket.
Thick: Soup bowl + quarter plate underline + soup spoon. Thin: Double-handled consommé cup + doily. Petit Marmite: earthen pot + soup spoon
3
Oeufs — Eggs
3rd course — AVOIDED in dinner menus
All egg preparations. Most popular = omelette. Also: boiled, poached, en cocotte, scrambled. Examples: Oeuf Poché Florentine, Omelette Espagnole (thick omelette with onion/capsicum/tomato), Omelette aux Tomates, Omelette aux Champignons (mushroom), Egg Mornay (boiled egg + béchamel).
Small fork + small knife + half plate
4
Farineaux — Rice & Pasta
Italian contribution to the French menu
250+ types of pasta. Examples: Spaghetti Napolitaine (little strings in tomato sauce), Spaghetti Bolognaise (minced lean meat + brown sauce), Ravioli (square/round stuffed pasta), Cannelloni (rolls of pasta with stuffing), Lasagne Bolognaise, Macaroni Arrabiatta.
All-purpose fork + all-purpose spoon + deep plate / half plate
5
Poisson — Fish
Pronounced: “po-son”
Shellfish and any fish dishes. Prepares appetite for heavier meat. Ideal fish: Sole, Salmon, Halibut, Escallops. Plaice not on evening menu. Two types: Poached (with hollandaise sauce + boiled potatoes) · Grilled/Fried (with tartare or tomato sauce). Examples: Sole Meunière (shallow fried in butter), Sole Colbert (deep fried with breadcrumbs).
Fish knife + fish fork + half plate
6
Entrée — 1st Meat Course
Pronounced: “aun-trey” = “entrance”
6th course. First meat course. Small, well-garnished. Complete dish in itself. Rich sauce/gravy included. NO vegetables/potatoes if Relevé follows. Examples: Poulet Sauté Chasseur (sautéed chicken + brown sauce + mushroom + tomato), Chateaubriand (double fillet grilled steak), Tournedos Rossini (fillet roundels + foie gras + crouton + Madeira sauce), Vol-au-vent (puff pastry hollow ring).
All-purpose knife + all-purpose fork + half plate
7
Relevé — Meat Joints
Pronounced: “ri-lafe” | 7th = main meat course
Bigger than entrées — butcher’s joints needing carving. Roast gravy/sauce + vegetables + potatoes. Potato at 12 o’clock · Vegetables at 1 o’clock. Examples: Braised ham, Roast leg of pork with apple sauce, Gigot d’Agneau Rôti (roast leg of lamb with mint sauce), Carre d’Agneau Rôti (roast best end of lamb).
Joint knife + joint fork + hot joint plate
8
Sorbet — Rest Course
Pronounced: “saur-bay” | “The Rest Course” — mid-meal pause
8th course. REST/RECESS between courses. Guest relaxes. Classically: very chilled water + few drops of champagne. Cigarettes/cigars served. Purpose: rinse/refresh taste buds. Modern: rum, brandy, slush, fruit juice. Sorbet = iced water and/or meringue flavoured with sparkling wine or liqueur.
Champagne saucer/pony tumbler + quarter plate underline + teaspoon
9
Rôti — Roasts
HEAVIEST course of the French Classical Menu
Roasted poultry or game. Served with own sauce/gravy + green salad on half-moon plate. Red currant jelly/Cumberland sauce = roast game ANIMALS. Bread sauce/cranberry sauce = roast game BIRDS. Examples: Dinde Rôti (roast turkey + cranberry sauce), Caneton Rôti (roast duck + orange sauce), Poulet Rôti (roast chicken + bread sauce), Lièvre Rôti (roast hare + redcurrant jelly).
Joint knife + joint fork + joint plate
10
Légumes — Vegetables
Transitioning from heavy back to light
Fine/special vegetables (asparagus, artichoke) as separate course. Served hot in half plate. Artichoke and asparagus can be eaten with fingers — finger bowls provided. Examples: Grillé Tomate, Champignon Grillée, Petits Pois au Beurre, Pommes Lyonnaise, Purée de Pommes de Terre.
Small knife + small fork + half plate + finger bowl
11
Salades — Salad
Palate cleanser and digestion aid
Simple green salad with vinaigrette. Cleanses palate, aids digestion. Types: Simple (one main ingredient — potato/beetroot/lettuce) · Compound (2+ ingredients — Coleslaw, Waldorf, Carmen). Side: smaller portion on half plate. Main course: larger portion on large plate with accompaniments.
Half plate
12
Buffet Froid — Cold Buffet
Small chilled meat preparations
Examples: Canetoni Rôti, Poulet Rôti, Chicken Salad, Smoked Venison.
Cold plate + service utensils
13
Entremet — Sweets
Hot and cold sweet preparations
Hot: Puddings (Caramel Custard, Bread and Butter Pudding), Fruit Fritters, Crepe Suzette, Soufflé. Cold: Bavarois, Ice creams, Mousses. Cover depends on preparation.
Varies by dish
14
Savoureaux — Savoury
14th course — closes meal for those who don’t like sweets
Spicy/savory tidbits on hot canapé of toast or fried bread. Examples: Anchovies on toast, Sardines on toast, Angels on horseback, Devils on horseback, Canapé Diane, Croûte Derby.
Small fork + small knife + half plate
15
Fromage — Cheese
Substitute to savoury course
Served before or after Entremet. Cheese board must have: semi-hard, hard, soft/cream, fresh and BLUE cheese. Accompaniments: crackers, olives, celery sticks, grapes.
Quarter plate/cheese plate + side knife or cheese knife
16
Desserts (Desservir) — Fresh Fruits & Nuts
Desservir = “to clear the table” (French)
Fruit basket on table. Any fresh fruit and nuts served with castor sugar.
Interlocked fruit knife + fruit fork on fruit plate. Finger bowls (cold + lukewarm water). Nut crackers + Grappe scissors on side plate.
17
Café — Beverage
⚠️ BEVERAGES ARE NOT COUNTED AS A COURSE
Tea: Indian, Ceylon, Earl Grey, Darjeeling, Orange Pekoe. Coffee: Cafetière, Iced, Filter, Speciality, Decaffeinated.
Coffee cup/tea cup with saucer
🎯 UGC NET Key Points — Part 5 Module 7
◆ French Classical Menu = 17 courses (modern = 11 courses)
◆ Modern dinner: 4-5 courses · Banquet: 5-6 courses
◆ Course 8 = Sorbet = “The Rest Course” — mid-meal pause to refresh taste buds
◆ Course 9 = Rôti = HEAVIEST course of French Classical Menu
◆ Caviar = roe of sturgeon fish · served on blinis (buckwheat flour pancake) · 30g per portion
◆ Farineux (Course 4) = Italian contribution to French menu
◆ Entrée (Course 6) = first meat course · NO vegetables if Relevé follows
◆ Chateaubriand = double fillet grilled steak · Tournedos Rossini = with foie gras + Madeira sauce
◆ Red currant jelly/Cumberland sauce = roast game ANIMALS
◆ Bread sauce/cranberry sauce = roast game BIRDS
◆ Desservir = “to clear the table” (French) = course 16 name origin
◆ Beverages (Course 17) = NOT counted as a course when compiling menus
◆ Petit Marmite = exception (thin) soup served in earthen pot in which it was cooked
◆ Modern dinner: 4-5 courses · Banquet: 5-6 courses
◆ Course 8 = Sorbet = “The Rest Course” — mid-meal pause to refresh taste buds
◆ Course 9 = Rôti = HEAVIEST course of French Classical Menu
◆ Caviar = roe of sturgeon fish · served on blinis (buckwheat flour pancake) · 30g per portion
◆ Farineux (Course 4) = Italian contribution to French menu
◆ Entrée (Course 6) = first meat course · NO vegetables if Relevé follows
◆ Chateaubriand = double fillet grilled steak · Tournedos Rossini = with foie gras + Madeira sauce
◆ Red currant jelly/Cumberland sauce = roast game ANIMALS
◆ Bread sauce/cranberry sauce = roast game BIRDS
◆ Desservir = “to clear the table” (French) = course 16 name origin
◆ Beverages (Course 17) = NOT counted as a course when compiling menus
◆ Petit Marmite = exception (thin) soup served in earthen pot in which it was cooked