Art of Hosting
Last week, we welcomed Bia C. Prado, an expert in hospitality, social skills, training, and organization to Studio TH for a chat surrounded by tea and cheese bread, discussing the Art of Hosting.
More than just teaching table manners, Bia offers a deeper perspective on etiquette?as an extension of education, care for others, and the way we choose to live together in society.
Amid conversations about behavior, table organization, and the proper way to arrange each serving element, the central focus of our meeting was history and good practices in action.
"Galateo," written by Giovanni della Casa in the 16th century, helped to shape the idea of social behavior in the West. More than just a manual of etiquette, the book argued that good manners exist to make living together more harmonious and respectful. Attention to gestures, conversation, and behavior at the table emerged as a form of consideration for others.
One of the moments that most captivated us during the lesson was discovering stories that have crossed centuries and helped shape many habits that now seem natural at the table. From Catherine de' Medici to Princess Theodora, our conversation traveled through history, revealing how many customs we carry today were born from social transformations and family traditions built over time.
Among the curiosities, one of our favorites was the story of the first recorded fork: a gold piece with only two tines, used by the Byzantine princess Theodora to savor candied sweets.
Even the menu, now so present in our daily lives, was born as a gesture of care and hospitality, conceived by Leonardo da Vinci, who sought to present guests with the flavors of his banquets in a more careful and intentional way.
In Versailles, Marie Antoinette transformed small gatherings into what we now know as patisserie, giving soul and art to what many used to call...
Machiavelli already understood that the way a person presents themselves, leads conversations, and behaves socially is part of building presence, respect, and influence.
In this sense, etiquette was the ability to understand others, occupy spaces with social intelligence, and build relationships through attention to detail.
On her next visit to TH, we invited Bia to delve deeper into hospitality through the art of hosting guests, and the delicacy of knowing how to be a guest. For those who wish to continue exploring this world, we have gathered some of Bia's recommended readings.
Books on behavior, culture, gastronomy, history, and the art of living, which contextualize how the art of hosting can be a way of building relationships.
Carson I. A. Ritchie
Kenneth James
Gilles Lipovetsky and Elyette Roux
Treatise on Elegant Living
Jaime Pinsky
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