It's a custom built over time.
Soup first then salad
A tureen is simply a large bowl or container from which soup is served at a dinner party.
You start with soup first. You don't need to worry as someone will serve you dinner in the right order.When in doubt, look at the order in which the utensils are displayed, from the outside going toward the plate. That will normally give you the necessary clue.
Soup is generally served from a soup bowl before it goes in your mouth.
Bread, Appetizer, Soup, Salad, Entree
Apetizers?
before a dinner, usually as a small appetizer
A light dinner will be served.
cooks soup for dinner
Relish plate
For a formal dinner, you usually start with a soup course , then the main course , and lastly dessert. In some countries , salad is seved as a replacement for the soup course , or as a second course , or alongside the main course. In some countries, there used to be a glace or sherbert [or sorbet ] served between the soup and main courses as a palate cleanser. Nowadays, you will probably never see this except at a State dinner .
it is served with soup