Knives and forks are a famous symbol of Western food culture, and an important part of
Western etiquette culture. Compared with Chinese food, Western food etiquette is
complicated and complicated not only the difference between chopsticks, knives and
forks.
The cutlery of Western food is mainly knives, forks, spoons, and napkins. There are not
some things that are common in Chinese tables on Western tables, such as wet wipes.
Because foreigners regard eating as a social event, they use wet wipes to wipe their
faces and put on makeup. In addition, there is no toothpick, using toothpick in public
is an uncivilized behavior, which destroys the appetite of others and destroys one’s own
image.
Basic Usage Of Knife And Fork
The main tool when the oriental eats is the chopstick, the knife and fork is then used
when the westerner eats. When eating, the plate is in the middle, then the knife and
spoon are placed on the right side of the plate, and the fork is placed on the left.
The set tableware cannot be changed at will, but if you are “left-handed”, you can use
the knife and fork interchangeably when eating, but after the meal, the tableware must
be placed according to the normal usage, and the handle of the knife and fork must be
placed Placed on the plate to the right, the main reason for this is to not disturb the
service staff.
The basic action after the food is on the table is to press the left end of the food
with a fork and then fix it. After cutting off a bite-sized piece of food with a knife
along the side of the fork, the fork can directly put the food into the mouth. Simply
put, it is “press with a fork and then cut with a knife”.
If you want to cut food smoothly, correct posture and proper angle are very important.
If the elbows on both sides are too high, the knife and fork will be upright due to the
excessive angle; on the contrary, if the elbows are too low, the knife and fork will be
tilted, so there is no way to cut the food well. The correct method should be to relax
the shoulders and wrists, keep the arms open, and keep the angle between the knife and
the dinner plate at about 15 degrees.
Knives and forks have different specifications, and their sizes are also different
according to different uses. When eating meat, use a large knife whether you want to cut
it with a knife or not; use a medium knife when eating salads, sweets, or or other
foods; forks or spoons generally vary with the size of the knife. When drinking soup,
use a large spoon, but when drinking coffee and eating ice cream, use a small spoon.
Here Are Seven Key Points:
1. Sit upright facing the food;
2. Relax your shoulders and wrists;
3. Arms close to the body;
4. The elbows should not be too high or low;
5. The knife and fork and the dinner plate are at an inclined angle;
6. Press the food tightly with a fork;
7. Move the knife gently, and press it firmly.
In this way, not only can the food be easily cut, but the posture also looks quite
elegant. There are also essentials in the way the knife is moved. First, apply force to
the fork in the left hand, and then move the knife gently.
It Is Taboo To Serve Others With Your Own Utensils:
When eating Western food, everyone has their own cutlery. If it is a shared meal and
everyone can take it from the big plate, then there must be a spare common fork or spoon
for everyone to use.
Pay attention when using a fork: you can’t use a fork to pierce the food entrance, but
scoop up the food and put it in your mouth.
Americans sometimes use a knife to cut the meat into chunks, and then use a fork to send
it to the mouth; while Europeans generally eat it while cutting it, and shovel it up and
send it to the mouth. If you don’t need a knife to eat a certain dish, you can also
hold a fork with your right hand. For example, when Italians eat noodles, they only use
one fork and do not need other tableware, so it is simple and convenient to hold the
fork with your right hand. If there is no large piece of meat to cut, such as a
vegetarian plate, but only vegetables and non-staple food that do not need to be cut,
then it is reasonable to use the right hand to hold the fork to eat.
Never point fingers when holding a knife and fork. When speaking or talking, it is
polite to put the knife and fork on the plate. When eating at the table, while enjoying
the food, of course everyone should have a happy chat. But don’t dance and talk when you
hold a knife and fork in your hand, don’t laugh or make loud noises, it will make people
feel frightened, in fact, this dangerous behavior is indeed a threat to others and to
yourself.
Forks and spoons can be put in the mouth, but knives cannot be put in the mouth, whether
there is food on it or not. Not only is etiquette a requirement, but knife entry is
dangerous.
Eating Etiquette:
Meat: When cutting the steak, cut it from the outside to the inside, and eat one piece
at a time. Please don’t cut it into pieces at one time for convenience. ; When cutting
the meat, the size should be moderate, not too large, so that there is a danger that the
mouth will not close. When chewing food, be sure to close your mouth to avoid making
noises, and do not put the food in your mouth until it is swallowed.
Shellfish Seafood: Shellfish seafood should be picked out and eaten with the left hand
holding the shell and the right hand holding a fork. When eating fish fillets, you can
eat with a fork in your right hand and avoid using knives, because the delicate fish is
easily chopped and becomes difficult to clean up; when you encounter a whole fish, eat
the upper layer of the fish first, and then use the knife Remove the fish bones with a
fork, and avoid turning over. When eating lobster, use your fingers to remove the shrimp
shell before eating.
Fruits: Fruits with a lot of water should be eaten with a small spoon. For peaches and
melons, restaurants will peel and slice them first, and they should be eaten with a
small fork. Strawberries are mostly placed in small dishes, which can be eaten with a
spoon or fork. In addition, when eating fruit, the restaurant usually provides a hand
washing box with flower petals or lemons in it for washing hands.
Dessert: For general cakes, use a small fork to eat. After cutting the hard ones with a
knife, use a small fork to eat. As for ice cream or pudding, you can use a small spoon
to eat. If you encounter small pieces of hard biscuits, you can take them directly.
Table manners occupy a very important place in the complete order of life. Meals are not
only a means of satisfying basic physical needs, but also a social experience of
paramount importance. For this reason, it is particularly important to master the
knowledge of certain cutlery usage methods and dining rules. Whether you are the host or
just a guest, you must master these rules.
Keywords: Knife, knives, forks, spoon, chopsticks, Western food culture, Western etiquette culture, Chinese food, cutlery, Chinese tables, Western tables, plate, tableware, dinner plate, salads, sweets, soup, coffee, ice cream, meal, dish, noodles, vegetables, fruit, flower, cakes, table manners
