When a restaurant diner posted about her steak, she probably expected viewers to focus on that. However, most of them seemed to be distracted by one key thing—how she holds her silverware.
Whether it be silverware placement or holding your pinky up, table manners can be a minefield. And sadly, it looks like TikToker Kennedy Leo (@kennedy.leo_) learned that the hard way.
The viral clip, which has garnered 972,600 views, consists of Leo cutting into her steak, with her knife in her left hand and her fork in her right. The steak is a deep purplish red in the middle.
The video is set to a viral Wendy Williams sound, while on-screen text reads, “Taking myself out to a nice dinner and cutting into my ‘medium’ steak lol.”
BroBible reached out to Leo via email.
What Did Commenters Say?
In the comments, nobody seemed interested in the steak. Instead, users couldn’t get over the way Kennedy held her silverware.
“You’re holding your silverware like an American,” one wrote.
“At this point I am so confused, someone please help me,” a second requested. “Do Americans genuinely not know how to hold a fork properly, or are you just trolling us all now?”
“There are a lot of issues here and the biggest one is how you hold your silverware,” a third remarked. “Good God.”
In reference to the subpar steak, a fourth quipped, “Punishment for holding the fork like that.”
While a fifth sniped, “I remember my first time using cutlery too.”
“Seriously why can Americans not use cutlery, can someone please explain this phenomenon to me?” a sixth asked.
How Should You H0ld Your Silverware?
Throughout the history of forks, there have been two main ways of holding silverware. As established by Taste and Home, this is either the American-style or European-style, which is otherwise known as continental-style.
Moreover, as the outlet points out, Americans often start out with a knife in your right hand and the fork in your left. However, once they cut up the food, they engage in the old switcharoo. This leaves them with their knife in their left hand and the fork in their right hand to eat. This is known as the “cut-and-switch” style.
Meanwhile, if you’re dining continental-style, no switching is involved. You start out with a knife in your right hand and the fork in your left and leave it there. In the video, it appears as if Leo is adopting the American method of holding silverware, with her knife in her left hand and the fork in her right.
Still, it looks like her silverware method isn’t necessarily wrong—it’s just different from the more lauded continental-style.
@kennedy.leo_ OHHHHHH 😃