Why the asians don't use a knife when eating?

[Demixl]

hy don't Asians use a knife when eating? I eat at a lot of Asians' houses where there are large gatherings and disposable utensils are used. I also eat at a lot of Asian restaurants. Knives are not used; you have to ask for one. They eat with a fork and spoon but never a knife. I find it difficult to cut up many foods with only a fork or spoon, especially plastic ones. I use a knife with almost every meal because I find it every useful and often necessary to cut up food.

When I ask them why they don't use a knife they look at me like I'm from another planet. Their only response is that they don't need a knife and it would be one more thing to have to wash. They eat large pieces of meat with their hands. (Hmm...let's see...wash your hands after eating or wash a knife.....I'll take the knife.) The utility of a knife makes sense to me. Having a mustache and eating messy large food with your hands do not mix well.

I eat the efficient European way - with a fork always in my left hand and a knife always in my right hand.

I read somewhere that the Asians find it barbaric and impolite to use a knife when eating. That's nuts. I find it barbaric to eat with your hands and unnecessarily cumbersome to not use a knife. I also read that they use a knife only for food cooking preparation to cut things into bit-size pieces. Believe me, they rarely prepare food in bit-size pieces.

The next time you see an Asian eating without a knife, ask them why.

That's my rant for today. Thanks for listening.

[Lmaomen1]

If the Asian restaurants you're going to serve large pieces of meat, you're going to fake Asian restaurants. :tsk:
Asian food is served chopped to appropriate sizes so that you can eat them with a chopstick only.
I don't believe a restaurant server would tell you they don't give your a knive because they don't want to wash it.
Only low level people eat with their hands in restaurants. At home is another story. :tsk:

[GeyTusovka]

This is the way they eat and we can’t do anything about it. I also find eating with hands with no knife and fork a bad manner and examples. It’s not like I eat only with knife or fork, but in public and when I have guests I never allow me to eat like a well educated person. As for me Chinese people are rude, selfish and negative people. After I visited Beijing I got only bad impression about everything: food, people, traditions, city and places. In addition, I tried a Chinese traditional food there and I got stomach poisoning. It was 5 hours before the departure and I was vomiting and shivering. When I got back home I passed food intolerance test uk and it turned out that I have allergy to a Chinese ingredient which name I don’t remember. I really hope people won’t follow their examples to be rude and eat with hands, because it disguises me!

[UnStuckable]

This is the way they eat and we can’t do anything about it. I also find eating with hands with no knife and fork a bad manner and examples. It’s not like I eat only with knife or fork, but in public and when I have guests I never allow me to eat like a well educated person. As for me Chinese people are rude, selfish and negative people. After I visited Beijing I got only bad impression about everything: food, people, traditions, city and places. In addition, I tried a Chinese traditional food there and I got stomach poisoning. It was 5 hours before the departure and I was vomiting and shivering. When I got back home I passed food intolerance test uk and it turned out that I have allergy to a Chinese ingredient which name I don’t remember. I really hope people won’t follow their examples to be rude and eat with hands, because it disguises me!

Could you tell me some more information about it? Let’s talk in PM

[Randing]

we use hand when we eat any thing in daily because they feel full stratification

[Yalhis]

Never tried Asian cuisine before. I think they don’t use a knife while eating because they pre-prepare portions for use and chop products.

[pritka]

What might make sense for you doesn't necessarily make sense for other cultures. Chopsticks certainly don't for me, but hey, you've got a a civilization exist for thousands of years survive with it. Plus, might depend which Asian you're talking about btw, Asia is big and varied.

[bigcash2011]

Well most foods can be cut and eaten with spoon and fork you just have to tilt them a little and make see saw type of movement and yes the spoon and fork should be steel ones, i hate plastic spoons.

[pritka]

Plastic utensils I can't use without breaking them. Too much force on my part.

[MuffynBrown]

I think they don’t use the knife because most of their dishes are like snacks, they’re small and that’s why they wouldn’t need a knife. And as for using my hands, It happens the same to me,  I don’t like the idea of getting my hands dirty unless we are talking about chicken wings.

[Clave]

Because they like a ninja when using sticks
Do you know that Bruce Lee was able to catch rice buy the sticks?

[McRide]

I think it's because the portions, everything is chopped up and they don't really need a knife. At the end is about their culture and we should respect that, even if it doesn't fit with ours, at least while we're there we should respect their manners. If we are in our houses we can do what ever we want to

 

[ErPrintz]

I love Asian food, it flavors are very addictive, and they’re all like snacks because of their size, that makes it easier to eat them and you don’t need a knife. There are some foods that if I order, usually I ask for a fork because I have trouble eating it because I’m clumsy using chopsticks.

[Borent]

This is all a matter of habit. For example, it is customary for us to use a knife at the table, but I personally never use it. It’s easier for me to initially prepare food for consumption, or use a fork to halve the food.

[Randing]

The handle of a knife is usually made from wood, plastic, or metal. Some knives have wooden handles that are stained or painted. Metal knifes often have a black rubber grip. Plastic handles are usually clear. Click Here