If you like various types of Asian food, then knowing how to eat with chopsticks is a must. They are held between the thumb and the fingers of one hand. It is generally recommended that they are used with your right hand even if one is left-handed.
Learn to use chopsticks
In order to learn how to use chopsticks, you must first practice holding chopsticks correctly. Once you are comfortable with that, you can practice moving them and trying to pick up small items with them as you would with tongs. Using chopsticks has its own learning curve, but with patience and perseverance, using chopsticks will feel natural just like using western style utensils like a knife and fork. It is always easier to watch somebody use them and teach you how to hold them, but sometimes you can also practice on your own. There are various videos available online that can teach you step-by-step how to eat with chopsticks.
Chopsticks Etiquette
There are a few general etiquette rules that apply to eating with chopsticks (similar to the ones pertaining to using western utensils). A very basic one is that it is generally considered improper to use chopsticks with your left hand. As is the case with general cutlery, chopsticks are not to be used to play with, make noise, and should not be left standing pointed upwards in a bowl. This resembles some funerary rituals performed in Asia. In addition you should not “poke” food with the pointy end of a chopstick — that is considered rude as well.
Aside from these etiquette tips, each Asian culture has its own faux-pas when it comes to eating with chopsticks. You can find more etiquette tips on eating with chopsticks by following “Chopsticks” on Twitter.
