TEQUESTA, Fla. — Fine dining and 5 year olds doesn't always go hand in hand. But this summer, you can change that.
A local restaurant is offering table manners and etiquette classes for free. The hope is to also change parents' perceptions about going out to eat.
Chef Erik Pettersen is joined by 8-year-old Alexa and 5-year-old Ariella for a fancy lunch at EVO Italian.
He's focused on fine dining, manners and etiquette. He's on a mission to teach the next generation how to get through a two-hour meal at a nice restaurant.
"It was owning a restaurant and hearing my own friends say, 'I haven't been there in a while because I cant find a good babysitter,'" said Pettersen.
Once he suggested they bring their kids, that's when he realized how real the fear of how your child will behave at dinner is.
So, once a month for the next three months,Pettersen is teaching a 30-minute class for kids ages 5 to 10. Part of the class touches on how to break free from technology, so parents and kids actually enjoy fine dining.
"For children growing up, to stick them with an iPad, how are they supposed to learn the etiquette and the manners that we are actually taking the time to do?" he asked. "They're not. You are actually just suppressing a problem."
Now, Pettersen hopes to address the problem one napkin, one fork at a time. All in hopes the next generation will learn and pass it along.
If you are interested in registering for the class, call EVO Italian directly at 561.745.2444 or visit https://evoitalian.com/
It's free, so first come first serve!