From Our Editor in Chief: Inside Our (Sixth!) Cover Shoot with Hoda Kotb
In the cover story, Kotb shares the truth about why she stepped away from the Today show
It marks the sixth time Kotb's graced the cover of PEOPLE magazineI've been covering Hoda Kotb for the past 14 years, ever since the fourth hour of the Today show was first taking off. She and Kathie Lee Gifford were hitting their stride, drinking wine in the morning and sharing an incredible chemistry on-air. Since then, I've done six cover stories with her and countless more interviews.
When we photographed her with her new baby Haley in 2017, I was expecting my twins — we both sat on the guest bed of her Upper West Side apartment for that interview, because a giant stuffed gorilla gifted by Andy Cohen was taking up a large portion of the seating area.
When Hoda replaced Matt Lauer as Today coanchor in 2018, she was on the cover alongside Savannah Guthrie. She was on there again when she adopted baby Hope in 2019 and graced the cover of our Family issue with both girls in 2022.
Then last fall she appeared on the cover to share some shocking news: She was leaving Today.
Our readers love Hoda — who doesn't? — and so when we got the opportunity to shoot her with her daughters again, we took it. Driving to her house, I hadn't prepared questions: I figured after 14 years of interviews, we'd just talk. What have you been up to lately? How are your kids? But this turned out to be our most intimate interview yet.
Hoda shared that she does in fact miss Today, that (just like me, and plenty of other moms) she can lose her cool sometimes — and that there was more to the story when she decided to leave Today: Hope, 6, has been dealing with the rigorous ongoing care required after being diagnosed with type 1 diabetes. I'm so grateful to Hoda for the trust she placed in PEOPLE by sharing this, and I think readers will be inspired by her positive outlook and doting attention to her girls.
You can take an inside look at the making of the cover story (including behind-the-scenes footage of the shoot and interview) on People's new short-form reality show The Fourth Wall, which airs exclusively on the People app.
Thanks for reading, clicking and watching.
Read the original article on People
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Nick Leighton says, "The outside-in rule is that you just use the utensil that's farthest from the plate first. So, if you're having salad as the first course, the fork and knife that will be farthest away from the plate on the outside are going to be the fork and knife to eat the salad with." In English dining etiquette, the knife is held in the dominant hand with the prongs facing down, and the fork is held in the non-dominant hand. You maneuver by using the fork to hold the food still while you cut it, and then use the knife to move the food onto the fork –– never use your fork to scoop even difficult food like peas, and never place your knife in your mouth, even to lick it. Laura Windsor says, "Once food is placed into the mouth, you must place the knife and fork in what is known as the 'resting position.' This means that the fork should rest over the knife (blade facing west) in an 8:20 position if the plate were seen as a clock." When finished, place your knife and fork together in a straight line, facing upwards -- this indicates that the server can take your plate away. Use The Correct Place Setting There's more to English dining etiquette than knowing which knife and fork to use. The elaborate rules stem from when British nobility demonstrated their wealth by hosting lavish dinner services. The demand for multiple courses and dishes meant that established guidelines needed to be set. In fine dining, the perfect table always starts with the main plate in the center, with the side plate and napkin to the left and glasses to the right. Glasses are set in the order they will be used, starting with Champagne (sometimes, but not always, served as an aperitif), followed by water glasses, white wine glasses, and then red wine glasses. Nick Leighton gave us a useful tip for remembering which glass or plate is yours: Think "BMW" -- bread, meal, water. Or, you can make okay signs with both of your hands and your left hand will make a lower case "b" for "bread" and your right hand will make a lower case "d" for "drink." Laura Windsor says that when you have finished eating, you must always place your napkin to the left, and reminds us to "Never use your napkin to wipe your face like a face cloth!" She explains that napkins should be used for dabbing from left to right. "We should never use our napkins as a bib -- that's reserved for babies and 17th Century gentlefolk wearing stiff Elizabethan ruff collars." Don't Argue Over The Bill It is customary for the host of a formal dinner party to pick up the bill for the entire table. To avoid unseemly squabbles, this can be done by leaving your card with the staff before the meal begins, or, as Laura Windsor advises, by excusing yourself from the table and paying at the register. If you wish to split the bill, don't demean yourself or your hosts by arguing over individual elements. You can avoid unseemly debates by asking for separate checks from the start or by splitting the bill by the number of people dining. Today, several apps can help you calculate the cost of a bill per person and include a tip. This brings us to the subject of tipping. English tipping etiquette differs from that in the U.S. In the U.K., tipping is discretionary (although it would be unusual not to tip unless the service or food has been very poor). Laura Windsor advises that the standard tip amount in the U.K. is 12.5%, while U.S.-based etiquette expert Nick Leighton says that tipping 20% is the standard. This should be increased for extra-large groups or when the staff or restaurants have gone out of their way to fulfill requests. Note that many restaurants in the U.K. and the U.S. will add a service charge to the bill, so there is no requirement to tip an additional amount, although you can still tip extra for exceptional service. Brush Up On Your Table Manners Perhaps the single most important thing to remember in English dining etiquette is to ensure that you blend in and present yourself in a calm and cohesive manner. There are many things to keep in mind to ensure that you don't stand out from the crowd (in a bad way). Always consider your fellow guests; this means waiting for others to be seated before starting to eat, and eat a pace that is roughly the same as everyone else. You should also consider how your actions may affect others. This is particularly important when it comes to your physical person. Laura Windsor advises us that we should never groom at the table, spit, blow our nose into the napkin, or place the napkin on the plate. If you need to sneeze or cough, turn away from the table and sneeze into your napkin, and if you need to use the bathroom, simply excuse yourself -- never announce yourself or make a fuss. English dining etiquette assumes that the staff will do the work, so never pick up a dropped knife, fork, or spoon, and never try to be helpful by stacking plates or passing plates –– this is a job for the wait staff. It's considered uncouth to rock on your chair, eat with your mouth full, or drink out of your finger bowl –– these are the actions of a child. Finally, contrary to the American way, it is seen as gauche to ask for a doggie bag. Read the original article on Tasting Table. Solve the daily Crossword
