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How to Eat With Chopsticks

Eating with chopsticks is no rocket science, here is a small guide for you to become an expert on this

By Pavithra JinadasaPublished 3 years ago 3 min read
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Two young women eating using chopsticks in a cafe |Image via Freepik

Chopsticks are seen as cultural icon. In many Asian countries, people like to use chopsticks to eat their food; this also reflects the ancient maxim, 'less is more'. Some dishes of East Asian cuisine are intended to be eaten with chopsticks. For example, eating rice with a fork is difficult if you are Chinese; the Chinese don't ever waste their food, and with a fork, it's difficult to clean every bit of your plate. Eating with chopsticks is no rocket science.

1. Find the supplies

Before booking into Hotel Okura Macau for your Chinese style meal, you need to practice eating with chopsticks. First, you need to gather the supplies. You need a pair of chopsticks and test food – it's best if your test food is in the shape and size of tiny wooden blocks, definitely not the kind served by Hotel Okura Macau.

2. Learn how to manoeuvre the sticks

Place the first chopstick in the curve between your index finger and thumb; this chopstick should not move. The broad end of the chopstick should rest in the crook of your hand, where your index finger and the thumb connect. The narrow end should be placed between the side of your pointer finger and the base of your thumb – this is much similar to how you hold a pen, but the only difference is, the chopstick is supposed to be immobile. Some people like to place the chopstick on the side of the ring finger with the tip of the finger holding it firmly. This way, you have the middle finger to manoeuvre the other stick.

3. Hold the second chopstick with your pointer finger and thumb

The second stick is the one that's going to do all the moving. The side of your thumb should be placed on the side of your finger, so the first chopstick rests above the second chopstick. Make sure the grip is comfortable so that your fingers aren't irritated. The two chopsticks should be at an even horizontal distance so that it'll be easier for you to pick the food – the chopsticks shouldn't cross. To get the chopsticks even, you can tap them on the dining table, but make sure it doesn't make a loud noise.

4. Practice moving the chopsticks

The two chopsticks shouldn't make an X. It shouldn't happen anyway because only the first chopstick is supposed to be moving. Once you know how to move the chopsticks, you can start picking up food, start with big chunks of food. Once you've had enough practice, you can try different dishes.

5. Eating rice and soup with chopsticks

This may seem counterintuitive at first, but a lot of Asians do eat rice using chopsticks. If the rice is sticky enough, it's easier to eat it with chopsticks. Unlike in the West, in most Asian countries, lifting the food plate or the bowl close to the face is acceptable. When it comes to eating soup with chopsticks, it's about grabbing the chunks of vegetables and meat with the chopsticks and drinking the soup directly from the bowl. Making a slurping noise while having soup is acceptable in Asia, but don't do it if it's a high end or a western-style restaurant.

6. Don't spear the food

Use the chopsticks to tear the food apart, but spearing the food is not good etiquette. Food items like big chunks of food can be lifted using the stick to your face level and eaten.

7. When sharing food

If you are sitting at the dining table with a group, don't use your chopsticks to serve yourself food, this is bad manners. There will be a different pair of chopsticks meant for serving food.

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Pavithra Jinadasa

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