Cutlery
Cutlery in Saudi Arabia — good cutlery is the weight in the hand at every meal: balanced, polished and made to be used daily. At RIS you will find the Buho cutlery range for the table, alongside special pieces with real character — Japanese brass bird spoons that turn coffee and dessert service into a small ceremony. Complete the setting with our flatware sets and dinnerware.
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Everyday Cutlery — Balance Before Shine
Pick up a fork before you judge it: good everyday cutlery sits balanced in the hand, neither blade-heavy nor handle-light, with smooth edges that never press into the palm. A complete place setting carries a dinner knife and fork for the main course, a spoon for soup and rice dishes, and a teaspoon for tea and coffee. Buy for the way you actually eat — in Saudi homes, where rice dishes and shared plates anchor the meal, a generous table spoon earns its place at every setting.
The Special Pieces — Japanese Brass Bird Spoons
Beyond the everyday set live the special spoons: small, sculptural pieces that exist to make a moment feel considered. The Japanese brass bird spoons are made for exactly this — stirring Arabic coffee service, serving desserts, sugar and condiments with a bird-formed handle that guests always notice. Keep special spoons in their own tray or box, brought out for guests, celebrations and the coffee ritual, rather than lost in the everyday drawer.
Caring for Brass
Brass is a living metal: it warms in colour with use and develops a soft patina that many collectors love. Wash brass spoons by hand in warm soapy water and dry them immediately with a soft cloth — water left sitting is what spots and dulls brass. Never put brass in the dishwasher, and polish occasionally with a paste of lemon juice and salt or a dedicated brass cloth to restore the shine. Store pieces dry, wrapped or separated, so they do not knock against steel cutlery.
Building Your Cutlery Drawer
Start with complete settings for your table — one full setting per seat, plus two spares — then add serving pieces and one set of special spoons for guests. Store everyday cutlery in a lined drawer tray with a slot per piece; it stops scratches, keeps sets counted, and makes setting the table fast. In a majlis dining room, a second guest set in its own box keeps hosting effortless.
Delivery Across Saudi Arabia
RIS delivers across Saudi Arabia, with free delivery in main cities on orders of 2,500 SAR or more. Cutlery is packed in its presentation packaging, and you can feel the balance of the pieces at our Jeddah showroom.
Frequently Asked Questions
What cutlery does one place setting need?
One complete place setting needs five pieces: a dinner knife, a dinner fork, a smaller fork for starters or salad, a tablespoon and a teaspoon. In Saudi homes, a generous table spoon is essential for rice-based meals, and a dessert spoon or fork joins for sweets. Buy settings in even counts — six or eight — so every seat at the table matches.
How can I tell if cutlery is good quality?
Good cutlery feels balanced when you pick it up — the weight sits in the middle of the hand, not tipping toward the blade or the handle end. Edges and fork tines are smooth, the finish is even with no rough seams, and the piece does not flex when pressed. Stainless steel marked 18/10 is the everyday quality benchmark; it resists rust and keeps its polish for years.
What are brass bird spoons used for?
Japanese brass bird spoons are special serving spoons for coffee, tea, desserts, sugar and condiments — small pieces whose bird-shaped handles make them decorative as well as useful. They suit the Saudi coffee ritual and guest dessert service, where the detail is noticed and remembered. Keep them as guest pieces rather than everyday cutlery, wash them by hand, and their warm brass glow becomes part of your table's signature.
How do I care for brass spoons?
Wash brass spoons by hand in warm water with mild soap, then dry them immediately and completely with a soft cloth — standing water is what spots brass. Never use the dishwasher, whose detergents and heat dull and discolour the metal. To restore shine, rub gently with lemon juice and a pinch of salt or a brass polishing cloth, rinse, and dry at once.
Does brass tarnish, and is that a problem?
Yes, brass naturally deepens in colour and develops a soft patina over time — this is character, not damage, and many people prefer the warm antique tone. If you prefer the bright finish, a gentle polish with lemon and salt brings the shine back in minutes. Either way, keep brass dry in storage, because moisture, not air, causes the dark spots that need real cleaning.
Can brass cutlery go in the dishwasher?
No — brass cutlery should never go in the dishwasher, because the harsh detergents, high heat and standing water stain and dull the metal in a single cycle. Hand washing takes a minute: warm soapy water, a soft sponge, and immediate drying. Everyday stainless steel cutlery is dishwasher-safe, so keep the two families separate — brass for guests and special service, steel for the daily drawer.
How many cutlery sets should I buy?
Buy complete settings for every seat at your dining table, plus at least two extra settings for guests and the piece that inevitably goes missing. Six settings suit most apartments; eight to twelve suit villas and majlis dining rooms in Saudi homes that host regularly. A separate boxed guest set, kept polished, means you are always ready when visitors arrive.
How should cutlery be stored?
Store cutlery in a drawer tray with a separate slot for each piece, handles aligned, so pieces do not scratch each other or tangle. Guest sets and brass pieces keep best in their box or wrapped in soft cloth in a dry drawer. Never store cutlery damp — dry every piece fully first, especially brass and any knife blades.
What is the difference between everyday and guest cutlery?
Everyday cutlery is stainless steel chosen for durability and dishwasher use — it works hard daily and asks little care. Guest cutlery is the refined layer: heavier, more polished pieces and special items like brass bird spoons, brought out for dinners and celebrations. Many Saudi homes run both systems, keeping the guest set boxed and shining so hosting never starts with polishing.
How do I set cutlery correctly on the table?
Set forks on the left of the plate, the knife on the right with its blade facing the plate, and spoons to the right of the knife, all aligned at the handles about 2 cm from the table edge. Work from the outside in: the pieces furthest from the plate are used first. Dessert cutlery sits above the plate, and in Saudi hosting the coffee spoons arrive later with the dallah service.
Are special spoons a good gift?
Yes — a set of Japanese brass bird spoons is an elegant, unusual gift for a coffee lover or a new home, small in size but rich in craft and story. They are used at the most social moment of the meal — coffee and dessert — so the gift is remembered often. Presented in their box, they read as jewellery for the table rather than kitchen equipment.
Do you deliver cutlery outside Riyadh and Jeddah?
Yes, RIS delivers to all regions of Saudi Arabia, and delivery is free in main cities for orders of 2,500 SAR or more. Cutlery and brass spoons travel in their presentation packaging, protected from knocks in transit. You can also handle the Buho cutlery and the brass bird spoons in person at our Jeddah showroom to feel their balance before ordering.
