What is "service a la russe"

n. serving the dishes of a meal in courses

Service à la russe ( French, "service in the Russian style") is a manner of dining that involves courses being brought to the table sequentially.

It contrasts with service à la française ("service in the French style"), in which all the food is brought out at once in an impressive display. The Russian Ambassador Alexander Kurakin is credited with bringing service à la russe to France in the early 19th century, and it later caught on in England. This is now the style in which most modern Western restaurants serve food (with some significant modifications).