Rude Food
Global guide to teach you right from gauche
“Strong and able, keep your elbows off the table.” Sound familiar? For many Americans, this slogan may bring back memories of family dinners or evenings at cotillion class, recited by bland teachers preaching proper etiquette. But a walk through John Jay or Ferris Booth might call into question whether some of those mind-your-manners mottos were lost in the transition from child seat to adult table.
In a world of multi-tasking and meals-on-the-run, table manners easily fall by the wayside ... next to that napkin on the floor. But what may seem rude to some at the table is perfectly polite and customary to others. A tour of table manners around the globe provides insight into more than just proper etiquette, as eating a meal in any country is about more than satiating hunger—it’s a reflection of a society. Could we be a little more specific about the profundity of manners?
Beside the basic napkin-on-your-lap rule, everyone knows not slurp their soup or burp at the table ... or do they? Actually, burping is a sign of apres-meal gratitude in many Asian settings. In Japan, sonorously slurping up udon shows appreciation of the meal, while noisy noodles will gain gawks from most Western diners. In China the “clean plate” is an insult to the hostess, insinuating that the diner is still hungry, while many other cultures frown upon the leftover entree. “If I didn’t eat what was on my plate when I was a kid, I could forget about watching television that evening,” Brooklyn-born Luis Quero, CC’ 10, says. “My mom would say, ‘I cooked all day and this is the thanks I get?”
Lauds to the chef and gratitude to the service staff play an important part in any gourmand’s etiquette. Yet in Europe, tips are unheard of by most waiters and diners alike, since restaurants either calculate them in or don’t practice tipping at all. One French first year, wishing to remain anonymous, says, “I never tipped back home, so leaving a gratuity here did not occur to me. Then a waiter chased me down the street after dinner while on a date. I would consider myself a good tipper after that.”
Luck and superstition play an important role in many gastronomic practices internationally as well. Never point chopsticks upwards at fellow diners in China—it’s considered bad luck. In Germany and Austria, not looking someone in the eye when clinking glasses during a toast could illicit seven years of bad sex, not to mention the scorn of one’s company. And don’t flip fish on the plate to avoid bones when feasting in Europe—this is thought to bring bad luck to the entree’s catcher.
Chopsticks, fork-and-knife, and even the tortilla scoop each have a certain modus operandi, depending on location. The polite American cuts with the right hand, sets the knife down, and passes the fork to the right hand, before eating with the right. Think, “cut, pass, eat,” in contrast to the unfortunately frequent “spear-and-swallow.”
Many, however, find this manner inefficient, preferring the faster and equally acceptable Continental style. Here, the fork is held in the left hand, prongs pointed downward, while the food is cut and directed with the knife in the right hand. According to etiquette expert Emily Post, however, prongs may be reversed if the food is too finicky to be skewered by a fork. “A friend of mine from England eats like this, but she refuses to turn her fork around—ever. She considers it ‘shoveling food.’ Watching her eat rice is entertaining. She won’t even attempt peas anymore,” Cristina Astigarraga, CC ’10, says.
The hand-utensil dynamic is a complicated one when eating abroad. When in Thailand, cut with the edge of the spoon—knives are rarely found at the table, since they are considered aggressive symbols. Don’t put a fork in your mouth either: all Thai meals are meant to be spoon-fed. On the other hand, remember to keep your spoon on the table while enjoying pasta in Italy. Twirling your tagliatelle is taboo.
If mastering the fork and knife is elementary for most, finger food etiquette is an advanced course. Depending on the service, setting, and style of the occasion, forgoing the fork is often confounding. For instance, in Eastern cultures, asparagus are perfectly eaten by hand, assuming they’re not in a sauce or sauteed to the point of sogginess. While “Seinfeld’s” Mr. Pitt may prefer his candy bars with a fork and knife, just about anything found in JJ’s is fine for the fingers.
Dipping usually goes hand-in-hand with finger foods, bringing up another question of protocol. Eating pommes frites with one’s fingers is fine, but don’t ask for ketchup to accompany them while in France. That request is the ultimate coup d’état of culinary insults. Double-dipping is considered a mortal sin among American diners, but this stigma varies internationally. “In Israel, we eat a lot of foods without utensils, using pita bread for a scoop. Double dipping is usually assumed. No one cares,” Olivia Schmid, CC ’10, said.
When dining internationally, sticking to the adage of “when in Rome...” is best. Brushing up on the table manners of your country du jour wisely secures enjoyable dining experiences, especially since etiquette varies so widely throughout the world. Wherever the meal, though, gratuitous gastronomy always demands a gracious consumer, from the use of utensils to pre- and post-meal propriety.<