Unusual Cultural Etiquettes And Table Manners

By Anna Stenning

On a recent visit to a friend”s house for dinner, I was most intrigued by their unique approach to eating – sitting on the floor without a table and chair! My friend”s were from Pakistan and they claimed that this was the way they had been raised to eat. Personally, I have always been raised to eat at the table, with the tableware all neatly arranged and using a knife and fork. However, on this occasion I had the privilege of sitting cross legged on the floor that was covered with a white sheet and holding the plate with one hand whilst devouring my food with the other. It was customary to eat with the right hand and to serve yourself all the food you need in one go.

This method of eating is common in certain areas of South East Asia whereby the tableware is arranged neatly on the floor and people eat with their hands. It is also common to see people eat at the table without any cutlery, eating rice and curry using their hands. The setup of the tableware is not always essential, however what is important is the plate that they eat from and how the food is presented in clean bowls.

In the UK it is common for people to eat with a knife and fork, at the table and always say ”Excuse me” if they want to leave the table at any point. Furthermore, things like bodily functions i.e. belching is strictly frowned upon and is considered rude. However, in some countries this is a sign of the person enjoying their meal. Take Canada for example, the Inuit people say thank you after a eating a good meal by burping. South Sea Islanders are also amongst the group of people who consider burping to be a polite gesture of thanks.

In Japan, if you eat your noodle soup with a slurping noise, the chef will think that you cannot wait to try their food and really appreciate the effort they have made into cooking the dish. Whereas in China, if you finish every morsel of food on your plate, to them it means you have not had enough on the plate and is considered rude table manners. Therefore, it is advisable to leave a little food on the plate after finishing. Unusual as they may seem, different countries have different table manners and set their table up very differently.

In Bangladesh it is common to place every single dish on the table using fine tableware when entertaining new guests. Dishes most commonly laid out are fish curry, vegetable curry, meat dish, chicken curry and lentil curry. It is also customary to have the table set up with a glass of water on the left hand side of the plate because the Bengali people traditionally eat with their right hand, have a bowl of warm water for people to wash their hands in a bone plate. Providing a different selection of food shows a sign of pride in the food that has been made and shows an appreciation for your guests. In terms of eating habits, it is unusual for people to be chatting, however in some cases with close family and friends this it is normal to converse without seeming rude.

In America it is common to eat with your hands if there are no cutleries and the principles of table manners are similar to that of the British customs. The UK has adopted the relaxed approach to eating food, if there are no cutleries available, but also maintain a much more reserved manner in terms of eating slowly and with the mouth closed at all times. In the Philippines it is common to see people eat using a spoon and fork, the knife is only used when it is necessary to cut the food into smaller portions.

Where some countries may be lapse on their tableware setting and their table manners, others are extremely strict in how they eat in front of people. What each country has in common with the other is their need for eating on simple platters and plates. Each dish is always presented in a way that makes it look appetising and accommodates for a comfortable way of eating, such as deep filled bowls for soups suitable for drinking use your hands, flat plates which are good for eating with your hands or using cutlery, and tiny tea cups which is customary for herbal tea.

When travelling, it is fascinating to discover different eating habits and to pick a new cultural insight into how the way in which people eat has an effect on your appreciation for the food. Some countries find it important to say a little prayer before they eat however some dive right into their meal showing the chef that they cannot wait to try out the food. Whatever the manners, you are always sure to be presented the food in generous quantities and in an appealing display.

About The Author

Anna Stenning is an expert at picking out the right tableware for guests, and also understands the importance of conducting good table manners when travelling to different countries.

» No Comments