I thought it actually looked kind of odd for the speaker to be handed the utensils only to immediately hand them back. Why would he have to touch them if he was not partaking? He could just be given the opportunity, but refuse.
Where I am they always do that. After the handlers get through with the passive crowd they all go back to the front row and sit down while one hands off the plate or glass to the others and sits down as they pass it from one to the other. The last one of the handlers then goes onstage and hands the plate or glass to the speaker who then immediately hands it back.
The best time I had in many years was when some of the towns "shining examples" wandered in and sat in the front. When the wine came by the first in line took almost the whole glass full in one big gulp, then choked and hacked and spit what he hadn't swallowed back into the glass and loudly proclaimed, "THAT is some lousy wine!"