For tourists/expats coming to China for the first time, there may be misconceptions over what traditional Chinese food is like and what traditional eating habits are customary. Especially if your knowledge of Chinese food and manners has emanated from eating in Cantonese style Chinese restaurants in Europe/North America. The food in these restaurants is generally adjusted for the western palate, and thus rather different to the real China.

Below are 3 key areas of discussion with regards to eating in china and the manners and etiquette required, from my own personal experiences.

1. Pay attention to dining etiquette

When eating in a restaurant with Chinese, all dishes are shared among guests whereby you help yourself to what you want to eat and how much of it. However, you will observe a few key differences to the western way of dining.

Useful tips

- Offer to give others food first before yourself, and put it onto their plate directly to show your kindness and consideration towards them. But offer the oldest person on the table first (the male before the female, if any doubt) before you offer food to others who are younger.

- Take a piece of the food that is closest to you, don't reach for the biggest piece at the furthest end of the dish

- Finish the piece of the food you have taken from the dish, and the come back to take another piece, and repeat several times during the meal

Don't make the mistake I made of taking a bit of this and that and filling my bowl up to the brim. I quickly realized everyone staring strangely at me, and subsequently discovered that there was a cultural difference I missed. In the UK, it is common to take a bit of everything during a buffet, and hence observation of your new cultural environment is important.

2. Meat isn't filleted: Be Careful!

This isn't because Chinese people like to live dangerously. Simply that they like to eat meat and cartilage that is closest to the bone. Chinese consider this part of the meat to be of better quality. For those from the western part of the world, geneally speaking meat is filleted and bones removed.

Tips when eating meat in China

- Avoid talking too much when eating fish (it often contains many bones, and a choking hazard if you subconsciously forget to check for bones)

- Be comfortable with spitting out bones. You will notice that this is common among Chinese, whereas for foreigners, some may feel they have to use endless pieces of tissue to remove them, or take a trip to the bathroom to dispose of it discretely.

- Although cartilage may taste a little slimy when first tried, it is important to be open minded with new food in China. It would certainly be considered rude to refuse to eat and declare it as disgusting. It sounds obvious, but I have been in the present of foreigners who have said exactly this!

It can take a little getting used to. I was so concerned about choking on fish bones, that it took me far longer than everyone else to finish eating, as I took the smallest mouthfuls that I could as a safety precaution.

3: Be Aware of Spicy Food!

Si Chuan is China's spiciest providence, and the locals add chili's to almost every type of food there, however it is also common to eat spicy food in almost every single providence in China. It is likely you will find at least one dish out of the dishes ordered that contains chili's.

Advice for eating spicy food

- It is very hot, so if you are not accustomed to eating spicy food, make sure you have a class of 'cold' water, hot water or alcohol is definitely no help at the point where you realize you have accidentally eaten a chili!

- There are two types of spicy food in China. One is called (辣）which is the typical spicy food we think of, using chili's, but the other type is（麻）which is a type of spice that numbs your mouth.

- If you live in China for a long period of time, it is advisable to get used to eating spicy food, as naturally, the more you eat it, the more easily you can get used to it. In Si Chuan, for those who don't eat spicy food, a life of KFC/McDonalds is likely all you will have to choose from.

I have slowly adjusted to spicy food, but I always order a couple of pints of water ready before I eat. For other foreigners, they have seemed to not only regularly eat it, but also very much enjoy it too!

Please feel free to leave comments with questions, or your own personal experiences.

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