Pay attention to eating Chinese food

Eating Chinese food is very particular, especially on formal occasions, and there are many rules.

Chinese food attaches great importance to etiquette and politeness, and has formed a set of traditions for thousands of years, some of which show ethical beauty and formal beauty.

Let's talk about the traditional etiquette of eating Chinese food first.

1, table seating etiquette

(1) There are two kinds of main tables, one is a rectangular table where the host and guest sit facing the crowd; One is a big round table with a flower bed or table in the middle, and the host and guest sit around the table. Seats at the main table should be signed with a seat card.

Generally speaking, one or two tables in the front row of the audience are for the distinguished guests and the first host. If the guest is not the guest of honor, you'd better not be in a hurry to sit down.

(3) Chinese banquets mostly use round tables. If there are multiple tables of Chinese food, the host or hostess is responsible for each table, and the seats on both sides are reserved for the guests at this table. It is not appropriate to sit down at a dinner party unless invited.

(4) If there are many tables, put the serial number on the dining table. Shanda Chinese Food also prepared a menu for each guest.

(5) In international communication and business communication, Chinese food is used to arranging seats according to positions and identities; If the wife or lady is present, the ladies usually line up, that is, the guest of honor sits on the upper right of the host and the wife sits on the upper right of the hostess.

(6) When the status of the guest of honor is higher than that of the host, in order to show respect for the guest of honor, the guest of honor can be invited to sit in the host's seat, while the host sits in the guest's seat, and the secondary host sits on the left of the guest of honor or is arranged according to the routine.

(7) If the host's wife can't attend for some reason, please ask a lady who is related to the host and has the same status to be the second host; If there is no suitable lady present, the host and guests can be arranged on the left and right sides of the host.

2. Tableware and Chinese etiquette.

(1) Chinese tableware mainly includes cups, plates, bowls, plates, chopsticks and spoons.

At a formal banquet, the water glass is placed at the top left of the dish and the wine glass is placed at the top right. Chopsticks and spoons can be placed on special seats or in paper sleeves. Public chopsticks and spoons are best placed in special seats. Prepare toothpicks and ashtrays.

(2) Chopsticks are the main tableware that distinguishes Chinese food from western food.

In the food culture of China for thousands of years, using chopsticks has formed basic rules and etiquette, such as: Don't knock chopsticks. When waiting for a meal, you can't sit at the table with chopsticks in one hand and tap the bowl lamp or teacup with chopsticks at will. Avoid throwing chopsticks. When handing chopsticks before eating, put them in pairs and then gently put them in front of each table. When they are far apart, you can ask someone to hand them in. You can't just throw it on the table, let alone under it. Avoid crossing chopsticks.

Chopsticks should not be placed horizontally and vertically, with a big head and a small head. Chopsticks should be placed next to the bowl, not on it. Avoid inserting chopsticks. When diners have to leave temporarily for some reason, they should put chopsticks gently on the table or beside the plate, not in the rice bowl. Avoid waving chopsticks. When picking vegetables, you can't wave chopsticks in the dish plate and flip them up and down. When other guests come to pick up food, they should pay attention to avoid "chopsticks fighting". Avoid waving chopsticks. Talk while eating, don't use chopsticks as props, dance around the table, and ask others not to poke chopsticks in front of others when eating. After eating, chopsticks should be neatly placed on the table on the right side of the bowl, and everyone should put down their chopsticks before leaving the table when the host signals the end of the meal. You shouldn't leave the table after eating by yourself.

3. Etiquette of food.

After a dish is served, you usually have to wait for the owner or the old man to come before you start eating. If you need to use public chopsticks or a public spoon to serve food, you should first use public chopsticks to serve food on your own plate, and then eat it slowly with your own chopsticks. Don't move chopsticks when picking up food until the food turns to your face, and don't grab the seat next to you. It is not advisable to bring too many dishes at a time. Don't just put one dish on the plate, followed by another. Don't put the picked dish back on the plate, stretch your chopsticks to hold another dish; Occasionally, some vegetables fall on the table, so don't put them back on the plate. Avoid the food next door and beware of chopsticks fighting. If there is a foreign guest at the same table, don't persuade him repeatedly or help him, because foreign guests generally don't have this habit.

4. Serving etiquette

(1) Chinese food order.

The general order of serving is: assorted dishes or snacks, hot meat, shark's fin or soup, fried products, soup or barbecue products, fish, rice noodles, beets and desserts. Sometimes the dishes are not so complete, and sometimes the chef doesn't necessarily cook in this order. But the basic principles are: platter first, tender first, expensive first, our famous brand first, easy to change, stale first, seasonal first. If there are more than two tables, serving depends on the main table, but the number and time of serving should be roughly the same, and there should be no suspicion of favoritism. Under normal circumstances, when new dishes are served, the old dishes will be removed. However, under special circumstances, if some guests still want to eat this dish, or if the host likes a sumptuous meal on the table, or two hot dishes are served together, it is necessary to push the old dish to the side of the deputy theme and put the new dish in the table or at the guest's place. Before removing old vegetables, you must get the owner's consent in advance.

If you serve chicken, duck, goose, fish, whole pig, whole sheep and other dishes with head and tail or oval dishes, one side of the head or the longitudinal side of the oval dish must face the theme. If the dishes are served with ingredients, they must be served together. Generally, the ingredients are served first, or the ingredients and dishes can be served together.

After all the dishes are served, the waiter should tell the host, and then put on a small bowl to deliver the meal.

After dinner, bring hot tea to the guests, put it on the right side of each plate, then remove the tableware, leaving only wine glasses and cups, followed by beets and desserts, and finally fruit.

(2) There are generally three ways to serve Chinese food: serving big dishes and helping yourself; The waiter distributed the dishes to everyone one by one; Put it on a plate, one for each person.

China people have always been famous for their hospitality. The host will introduce the characteristics of the dishes to the guests and repeatedly advise them to eat more. Sometimes the enthusiastic host will also use chopsticks to pick up dishes for the guests, which is the performance of the host's hospitality. Out of courtesy, guests should express their thanks and enjoy themselves according to their appetite. The host will repeatedly persuade the guests to drink, hoping that the guests can eat and drink enough. This is absolutely not available in western food.

5. Etiquette that Chinese food should pay attention to when entertaining foreign guests.

(1) When entertaining foreign guests with Chinese food, we should first choose the appropriate banquet date according to the religious, ethnic and cultural habits of the foreign guests' countries. When entertaining guests from European countries or Canada and the United States, you should avoid 13 every month, especially 13, especially 13 is the same day as Friday. Room 13 should be avoided, and the restaurant should avoid 13 people.

If you entertain Muslim guests from various countries who are deeply influenced by Islamic culture, you should avoid September in the Islamic calendar, because September is Ramadan. If Muslim guests must be entertained during Ramadan, it should also be held after sunset.

(2) China should give full consideration to the dietary structure and characteristics of foreign guests when entertaining them.

For example, Germans don't eat walnuts, Americans don't eat animal offal, and Hungarians don't eat exotic foods, such as sea cucumbers, shrimps and crabs with shells.

(3) When entertaining foreign guests with Chinese food, remember not to persuade food and wine repeatedly.

Western Europeans, Americans and Canadians have always advocated independence, freedom and individuality. They shouldn't persuade wine and vegetables repeatedly. Otherwise, this kind of Chinese hospitality will be mistaken for external coercion, which will cause disgust and affect the friendly atmosphere of the banquet.

6. Other etiquette details that need to be paid attention to when going to dinner.

Pay attention to neatness when going to eat. No matter how hot it is, you can't unbutton your clothes in public. If the host asks you to take off your coat, the male guest can take off his coat and put it on the back of the chair.

It is not advisable to eat too early or too late. If you are late, you should explain and apologize before you can sit down.

Don't cross chopsticks when eating; You should pick the dish closest to you first, and don't rummage through it. Dishes that are far away should be served only after the host or fellow guests say please use them. Don't carry the bowl too heavily.

When eating, don't wolf down and bite your mouth. There should be no food in the conversation at the table. It is extremely uncivilized to drink bread crumbs everywhere. If the soup and food are too cooked, don't blow it with your mouth. Don't drink too much when eating.

Guests are not allowed to leave halfway. If there is something urgent, they should explain the reason to the host and apologize, and signal to other guests before leaving. Guests usually don't leave the table after eating, and wait for other guests to finish eating.

When the banquet is over, guests should thank the host and then shake hands with other guests to say goodbye.

Various entertainment items, including candy, fruit, cigarettes, etc. You can't take it away unless the owner specifically indicates it as a souvenir. Sometimes, after attending a private banquet, I often send a memo or business card to express my gratitude. First of all, thank the hostess, but don't say anything modest when you leave the table, such as "how rich you are" and "how beautiful you are". Let the high-ranking people, the elderly and the women go first.

Thank you ~ ~