Watching People Eating Chinese Food/Do You Use Chopsticks?

[cedargrove]

I've been using chopsticks for many years, and my young kids are pretty good with them too.

When I was in China for work, one of my colleagues could not figure out how to use chopsticks, even after ten days. Some restaurants didn't have forks, so he was stuck stabbing his food. It was pretty funny to me, but he was cranky much of the trip.

[Kostas]

Pro chopstick user here

[AK797]

I'm from a very international family with members in many continents but I am still known as "fork and knife boy", I just prefer them to chopsticks or naan bread or whatever else so I take the abuse... but one day I'll be Godfather of them all as my Dad was.

[jw0n]

Chinese food doesn't taste better when used with a chopstick. Nor are the portions sized to be chopstick friendly. Take it from the Chinese guy

In any case, here in Southeast Asia, we have Malay, Indian and Chinese people. We eat with forks and spoon, chopsticks, and occasionally with just the hand. I have not mastered eating with just my fingers; there's a subtle art to tearing meat off bones with just your fingers. In those cases, I just keep to my fork and spoon

[Star Ferry]

I hardly ever use chop sticks, even after several years of living in Hong Kong and traveling around Asia.. I know how to use them but don't find it comfortable. Only use them when the restaurant confirms that they have no cutlery.

I've met a few people who made a big deal out of this... "Haha you're not using chop sticks IN ASIA?! Tee hee hee!"... without fail, all of these people were idiots, and none of them were even Asian. These are the sort of people who think moving from a Western country to Asia makes them cooler than James Bond.

[Syed117]

Fork and knife.

Sushi with hands though.

[geebob]

Yes I use chopstick, especially when I eat noodle ...even when I eat instant noodle at home, I also use chopstick...except for spaghetti

[Atomic4k]

Chinese American Take Out is fork and spoon. Korean food is with chopsticks, and sushi is a hard pass. I am Asian.

(When you get a chance take a trip to China and ask for some General Tso Chicken lol)

[Rock]

As a young 'foodie' in the early '70s I would always eat Asian food with chopsticks simply because it enhanced the experience for me. I like to eat food in the manner that I imagine the locals eat. I love a varied diet and food has always been a special enjoyment for me.
There are some things that should be eaten with the fingers and it always amuses me to watch someone struggling with knife and fork when fingers would do it better, although obviously this requires props like finger bowls etc.

[Cryten]

Originally Posted by BNALION

.........Recently, though, there has been a small wave of transnational activism aimed at reducing the use of disposable chopsticks stateside and in Asia; chopsticks, activists say, are contributing to heavy deforestation in China.

More nonsense from clueless activists looking for a new cause. Disposable chopsticks are not made from wood and therefore can not contribute to deforestation, they're made from bamboo, the stuff grows like a weed.

I'm all for reducing unnecessary waste, but there are more serious causes to get behind than bamboo chopsticks. Stopping the use of Styrofoam/Polystyrene food containers for one.

[Rondineli]

I cannot handle THE STUPID CHOPSTICKs
there!

[Magwitch]

I don't like eating with my fingers, nor chopsticks. I want to eat my food, not play with it. I respect greatly the customs of others, and my own as well.

[imperio]

Originally Posted by Magwitch

I don't like eating with my fingers, nor chopsticks. I want to eat my food, not play with it. I respect greatly the customs of others, and my own as well.

I find it challenging to navigate a big Mac with fork and knife


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[BristolCavendish]

All things considered, the use of a knife & fork, chopsticks and/or fingers while dining each have their place from the standpoint of custom and ease. But relying on a fork to eat something like sushi is really beyond comprehension and it definitely puts the G in gauche.

[Rockrolex]

Originally Posted by Wcdhtwn

I like using chopsticks but they are difficult during the soup course.

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Same here. Soup seems to slide right off a chopstick.

[Rockrolex]

Originally Posted by jw0n

Here in Southeast Asia, we have Malay, Indian and Chinese people. We eat with forks and spoon, chopsticks, and occasionally with just the hand. I have not mastered eating with just my fingers; there's a subtle art to tearing meat off bones with just your fingers. In those cases, I just keep to my fork and spoon

Obviously you have never eaten a meal with my wife. She can tear a chicken apart with her fingers and she orders a whole fish in restaurants so she can remove the bones with her fingers herself. She mocks me because I don't pick up a chicken part with my fingers, but will only use a knife and fork to cut it.

[MonBK]

Originally Posted by BristolCavendish

All things considered, the use of a knife & fork, chopsticks and/or fingers while dining each have their place from the standpoint of custom and ease. But relying on a fork to eat something like sushi is really beyond comprehension and it definitely puts the G in gauche.

Been around much?

[BristolCavendish]

Originally Posted by MonBK

Been around much?

Here and there (on various and separate occasions). Do you eat sushi with a fork?

[sco]

My parents taught us how to use them at a young age at our weekly local Chinese restaurant.

I usually use them when they are available, and have taught my kids how to use them as well. It seems like the "right" way to eat!

[MonBK]

Originally Posted by BristolCavendish

Here and there (on various and separate occasions). Do you eat sushi with a fork?

Yes and a knife.

[OgSnowflake]

Japanese restaurant 5 mins from my house I order a fork with my food every time as the table setting just has chopsticks... one day I was hungry no waiter was in site I gave it a try and after 2-3 meals never asked for a fork again. I dig chopsticks

[BristolCavendish]

Originally Posted by BristolCavendish

Do you eat sushi with a fork?

Originally Posted by MonBK

Yes and a knife.

There's a sushi place in Tulsa called Sushi Fork. I've never been there (or to Oklahoma for that matter) but they supposedly offer these devices as an alternative to using either a fork or traditional chopsticks. No mention of a plastic sushi knife.

[breitlings]

sushi, i have been told, was originally intended as finger food. under the sushi bar slats would be an area to wash your hands.

[AK797]

Originally Posted by imperio

I find it challenging to navigate a big Mac with fork and knife


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Well I can't eat many carbs due to high blood sugar so I whip the buns off any burger and knife and fork it. You certainly get a lot more flavour per bite. I shudder to confess but I have also started using a knife and fork for Krispy Kremes. I love the strawberry ones and biting into them sometimes you get no cream and then other bites too much and it flows out of your mouth so I thought fck it I am going to slice it open and distribute it properly. I don't eat sweets often so I need to make each one really count.

[AK797]

Originally Posted by breitlings

sushi, i have been told, was originally intended as finger food. under the sushi bar slats would be an area to wash your hands.

Yes, most sushi chefs only eat with their hands and want you to as well. On the other hand in some countries the louder you slurp your noodles the better so chef doesn't always know best.

[AK797]

Originally Posted by Rockrolex

Obviously you have never eaten a meal with my wife. She can tear a chicken apart with her fingers and she orders a whole fish in restaurants so she can remove the bones with her fingers herself. She mocks me because I don't pick up a chicken part with my fingers, but will only use a knife and fork to cut it.

As much as I am a fork and knife English gent, I love to tear into a roast chicken and rip it apart with my bare hands, the caveman in me comes out then and to hell with the cravat!

[MonBK]

Originally Posted by BristolCavendish

There's a sushi place in Tulsa called Sushi Fork. I've never been there (or to Oklahoma for that matter) but they supposedly offer these devices as an alternative to using either a fork or traditional chopsticks. No mention of a plastic sushi knife.

Great looking "tool" and I'm sure it does the trick.

Here are two "tools" I couldn't live without.

I'm sure you know what they're for and what the purpose is of the little hole on the knife.

[Star Ferry]

Originally Posted by BristolCavendish

There's a sushi place in Tulsa called Sushi Fork. I've never been there (or to Oklahoma for that matter) but they supposedly offer these devices as an alternative to using either a fork or traditional chopsticks. No mention of a plastic sushi knife.

that's ridiculous, BC. It's chopsticks or hands. With a fork, the sushi is at risk of falling apart

Imagine the incredible shame... your carefully crafted piece of sushi breaking apart and falling from the fork... as the chef and other patrons watch with disdain

[BristolCavendish]

Originally Posted by MonBK

Here are two "tools" I couldn't live without.

I'm sure you know what they're for and what the purpose is of the little hole on the knife.

The bottom tool appears to be a fish hook-disgorger. The knife with the hole in its middle? You'll have to enlighten me in as some specialized knives have small blade holes for running a cord through them (for a sawing action of sorts).

Originally Posted by Star Ferry

that's ridiculous, BC. It's chopsticks or hands. With a fork, the sushi is at risk of falling apart

Imagine the incredible shame... your carefully crafted piece of sushi breaking apart and falling from the fork... as the chef and other patrons watch with disdain

I wholeheartedly agree SF. Maybe the folks in Tulsa have their own concept of eating sushi.

[MonBK]

Originally Posted by Star Ferry

that's ridiculous, BC. It's chopsticks or hands. With a fork, the sushi is at risk of falling apart

Imagine the incredible shame... your carefully crafted piece of sushi breaking apart and falling from the fork... as the chef and other patrons watch with disdain

I must be in luck cause that has never happened to me.

In my defense I might not have enough experience eating Sushi as I've only been doing it for forty years.