What do I do with unwanted food?

Dear Ms Manners,

If I’m at a business lunch and my chicken is raw or I put something in my mouth I don’t want to eat, what do I do? Can I spit the food out?

Can you spit the food out? To where? Actually, I don’t need to know the answer to that because the answer is still no!

If something you have put in your mouth is an item that you don’t wish to eat you can place the fork back in your mouth (as if you are taking another bite) and put the food back on the fork with your tongue.

Hide it under garnish or other food on the plate – never in your hand. Don’t pretend you are coughing and put the food in your napkin – we know what you are doing.

This can seem a little bit random but trust me, it’s the right thing to do. Just don’t make a big deal about it and you can get away with not being seen doing it.

Saying that though, I don’t eat seafood but I have been known to just swallow quickly if I accidentally pick up a fish hors d’oeuvre. The things we do for clients, hey!

Enjoy your new confidence and the game of etiquette.

Kind Regards,

Ms. Manners

Ms Manners, aka Danielle Di-Masi, is an expert coach, columnist and speaker on business etiquette and personal brand.

Although Next Business Leaders specialises in Grad & Gen Y specific training, the business etiquette sessions engage staff at all levels of the organisation to ensure that their behaviour is aligned with the company’s brand.

For more information email info@nextbusinessleaders.com or visit www.nextbusinessleaders.com.

This article first appeared on StartupSmart, Australia’s premier site for people starting a company.