This is the order of service for the classical French menu; the courses are often garnished but not served with large side orders of potatoes and vegetables as is common in the UK and US.

1. Hors d'oeuvres - Starters
2. Potage - Soup
3. Poisson - Fish
4. Entrée - 1^st main course - small well garnished cuts of meat and poultry
5. Relevés - joints of meat which have been carved - braised - poéle or roast
6. Sorbet - flavoured water ice containing Italian meringue - to refresh the palate
7. Rôti - roast game or poultry
8. Legumes - vegetable course
9. Entremet - hot or cold sweets (dessert)
10. Savareux - savouries - to clear the palate
11. Fromage - cheese
12. Dessert - fresh fruit and nuts
13. Café - coffee

The traditional modern order of service tends to be as follows

1. Appetiser
2. Soups
3. Pasta & rice dish
4. Egg dish
5. Fish dish
6. Meat, game or poultry dish
7. Sweets/speciality ices
8. Savouries
9. Cheeses
10. Fresh fruit

• Sorbets - served between courses

• Vegetables - seved with main

• Salad - served as a separate course such as appetiser or as an accompaniment to main

Italian menus develop in sympathy with each preceding course and are loosely formed around the following dishes:

• Anti pasta - appetisers
• I Primi - first courses may be pasta, risotto or a broth soup
• I Secondi - Second Courses - meat, fish or poultry
• Le Verdure - Vegetables often accompany the second course or can be served on their own
• Le Insalate - Salads
• Il Formaggio - Cheese
• I Dolci e la Frutta - Desserts and fruit