Three Things That You Shouldn't Do When Handling Chopsticks
If you're looking for an authentic dining experience that will give you an opportunity to hone your chopsticks skills, selecting a Chinese, Japanese, or Vietnamese restaurant is the right choice. Although people sometimes eat these types of cuisine with a fork and spoon, the truly authentic way to experience the bulk of the menu at any of these restaurants is with chopsticks. If you've perhaps used these eating implements a few times but are eager to get better, authentic restaurants will give you a chance to do so. As you practice, it's important to use chopsticks correctly—and that means that you shouldn't do the following things.
Hold One in Each Hand
Given that you're likely used to eating with some combination of a fork, knife, and spoon, it's commonplace to hold one utensil in each hand while you eat your food. This isn't a habit that you want to carry over to your visit to an authentic Asian restaurant, however. Whether you attempt to push a soft piece of food onto one chopstick with another or use the two implements to carefully lift and transport food toward your mouth, these actions are poor etiquette. You should always hold both chopsticks in one hand.
Spear Soft Food
As you eat with your chopsticks, you might notice that it's easy to spear a soft piece of food with a single chopstick and move the food to your mouth. For example, if you're at a Japanese restaurant and are enjoying a plate of sushi rolls, you might discover the ease of managing individual pieces of the roll by spearing them through the center with one chopstick. This approach is rude because of the effort that the kitchen staff puts into delicately preparing your rolls, and you should lift them gently with both chopsticks instead.
Make Excessive Noise
When you eat food with a knife and fork, those around your table will be so accustomed to the clinking noise of your utensils hitting the plate that they don't react. In an authentic Asian restaurant, however, there's often a quiet atmosphere that diners should respect. Although wooden chopsticks won't make the same volume of sound when they hit your plate, this noise can still be audible. You should take care to pick up your food without banging the tips of your implements against the plate. This approach will allow you to limit the noise that your eating makes.
Consider proper dining etiquette at any restaurant you visit, whether it's an authentic Asian restaurant or something more American like Boudro's Texas Bistro.