Brittany Pearce

CHINESE & BRITISH FOOD CULTURE

CHINA

CHOP STICKS L e a v e y o u r c h o p s t i c k s o n t h e s i d e o f y o u r p l a t e

o r b o w l w h e n n o t e a t i n g ; u s e t h e c h o p s t i c k r e s t s i f t h e y a re p ro v i d e d o r l a y t h e m e v e n a n d t i d y o n t h e t a b l e .

W h e n fi n i s h e d p l a c e c h o p s t i c k s a c ro s s b o w l / p l a t e

D o n o t : p l a y w i t h c h o p s t i c k s , l i c k c h o p s t i c k s , o r u s e t h e m t o s t i r u p t h e f o o d , g e s t u re w i t h t h e m o r p o i n t t h e m a t o t h e r s .

N e v e r s t i c k c h o p s t i c k s i n t h e c e n t e r o f r i c e , a s t h i s i s t h e w a y t o s a c r i fi c e a n d i s t h e re f o re c o n s i d e re d t o b e i n a u s p i c i o u s .

I f n o s e r v i n g u t e n s i l s a re p re s e n t , t u rn y o u r c h o p s t i c k s a ro u n d w h e n m o v i n g f o o d f r o m c o m m u n a l b o w l s t o y o u r o w n p l a t e . D o n ' t u s e t h e e n d s t h a t g o i n t o y o u r m o u t h !

 

UNITED KINGDOM

KNIFE AND FORK Leave cutlery on side of plate

when not eating. When fi nished place cutlery

diagonal ly across the plate to show you’ve fi nished

Fork in left hand, kni fe in r ight hand – rude to use fork in r ight hand.

TOOLS

PLACE SETTING

P lace napk in w i th the corner tucked under your p la te so that i t hangs in your lap

The e ldest person or guest o f honour usua l ly eats fi rs t

Making s lu rp ing no ises when eat ing nood les or dr ink ing soup i s acceptab le .

Fi r s t and best food i s g iven to e ldest members

When the main d ishes are prepared in a decorat ive form e i ther by cut or o ther means they w i l l be p laced fac ing the major guests and e lder peop le a t the tab le .

P lace napk in on lap , i f l a rge keep fo lder in ha l f w i th fo ld towards you

The host (ess ) eats fi rs t

Chew and swa l low a l l the food in your mouth be fore tak ing more or tak ing a dr ink .

Soup shou ld be spooned away f rom you. Ti l t the bowl away f rom you.

Break off a smal l p iece o f bread (or ro l l ) and but te r i t . Do not but te r the who le s l i ce or ha l f a ro l l a t one t ime .

Never chew wi th your mouth open and never ta lk w i th food in your mouth

No e lbows on tab le

No hats

TABLE ETIQUETTE CHINA UNITED KINGDOM

The chair fac ing the entrance (or east , i f poss ible) i s reserved for the person of the h ighest status.

The c loser that guests are seated to the person of h igh status the higher the i r rank

The guest of honor is a lways seated to the r ight of the host ; the next in l ine wi l l s i t on his le ft .

Place cards – i f more than 6 people

A female guest of honour usual ly s i ts to the r ight of the host , whi le a male guest of honour usual ly s i ts to the le ft of the hostess.

Men help seat the woman seated on his r ight then s i ts .

Guests should be arranged in the way that the host fee ls wi l l best for conversat ion.

SEATING ARRANGEMENT CHINA UNITED KINGDOM

CHINAPorridgeBreadEggsDumplingsSoy Milk

UNITED KINGDONToastCerealFried BreakfastFruit

BREAKFAST

CHINA

Cold DishesBeveragesCommunal Hot

dishesSoupTea

UNITED KINGDOM

BeveragesStarterIndividual Main courseDessertCheese and biscuitsCoffee

ORDER OF MEAL

Fish – abundance Eggs- Fertility Duck – Fidelity

Dumplings – money (shape)

Apple – Peace(pronunciation)

Chicken – luck (pronunciation)

MEANING OF FOODS IN CHINA

BEIJING UNITED KINGDOMFAVOURITE FOODS

Cream Tea

Roast Dinner

Fish & Chips

Ploughmans

Pie

Jiang bingCaramelized fruitGong Bao Chicken

Jiaozi

Yogurt

REGIONAL FOODSCHINA UNITED KINGDOM

CHINESE REGIONAL FOODS

Tsampa

馕 Nang

HotPot

Pickled Cabbage

Steamed bread

Sichuan Spice

Sweet and sour pork粑粑 Sticky Rice

Meatballs

Hunan Spice

UNITED KINGDOMSTRANGE FOOD

CHINAStinky tofu

Sea cucumber

Thousand year old egg

Birds nest soup Haggis

Black pudding

Bubble and Squeak

Scotch eggs