'Cafe Romeo' Teaches RHS Girls About Etiquette

The food was great, the atmosphere just perfect and the company was outstanding.

Café Romeo Ville Ristorante opened for one hour and then closed, perhaps until next year, as several dozen Romeoville High School girls, all members of RIGHT (Really Intelligent Girls Hanging Together), learned the finer points of dining etiquette Thursday.

“We want the girls to be prepared when they go out to dinner,” said RHS parent and event organizer Angela Fortenberry.

“A lot of them are getting ready to embark on the next stage of their lives where they have to feel comfortable going out to dinner,” added RHS Assistant Principal Yolanda Jordan, who is one of the RIGHT advisors.

RHS Dean Carol Forsyth spent 10 or 15 minutes going over the RIGHT etiquette guide each girl received, discussing such finer points of dining as:

• What silverware to use when
• How to determine which bread plate and which water glass is yours
• When to start eating
• Passing dishes of food
• Conversing at the dinner table

“This is something we all needed at your age,” Dean Forsyth said. “A lot of us at your age haven’t ever been to a nice restaurant.”

“We want to make our girls feel special,” Jordan said, pointing out that prom is right around the corner.

Following the etiquette lesson, the girls dined on salad, baked mostaccioli, Grecian chicken, garlic loaf and assorted desserts prepared by chef Richard Knight of Cater by Knight and by Fortenberry.

Female RHS staff members seated the students, who were encouraged to make reservations and dress up for event.

“This is wonderful,” said Fortenberry.  “Doing this for them makes us feel good.”