Catering is a common social activity. China is rich in food culture, and China people are hospitable and pay attention to food etiquette. Whether it is Chinese food or western food, it is nothing more than two aspects of etiquette. First, it comes from its own etiquette norms, such as proper dining and elegant manners; The other is the etiquette norms other than eating, such as menu, music, environment and so on.
China's food etiquette is an important part of China's food culture. To learn Chinese etiquette, we should mainly pay attention to mastering the rules and skills in six aspects: the way of eating, the choice of time and place, the arrangement of menu, the arrangement of seats, the use of tableware and the etiquette of eating. Several common dining methods
This paper mainly introduces the etiquette norms of banquets, family dinners, simple meals, working meals (including buffets) and other specific forms.
1. Banquets usually refer to social gatherings in the form of meals. It can be divided into formal banquet and informal banquet. A formal banquet is a grand and formal banquet. It is often a large-scale dinner event with elaborate banquet, held in high-end hotels or other specific places, and paying attention to ostentation and extravagance and atmosphere. For attendance, dress, seating arrangement, number of dishes, music performance, guest and guest speeches, etc. , often have very strict requirements and attention. Informal banquet, also known as informal banquet, is also suitable for formal interpersonal communication, but it is more common in daily communication. Its form is simple, focusing on interpersonal communication, not on scale and grade. Generally, only relevant personnel are arranged to attend, and spouses are not invited. Often, there is no excessive demand on dress, seating arrangement and the number of dishes, and music performances and speeches by guests and hosts are not arranged. Chinese banquet refers to a banquet with the traditional national style of China, which abides by the eating habits and etiquette norms of China people. Banquet activities can be divided into three types according to their purpose and nature: one is ceremonial, such as welcoming important guests or dignitaries for official visits; Banquets held to celebrate major festivals or hold important ceremonies are all etiquette requirements, and such banquets should have certain etiquette norms and procedures. The other is friendship, mainly for communicating feelings, expressing friendship and developing friendship, such as welcoming guests, seeing them off, saying goodbye and getting together. The other is the nature of work, in which the host or participants hold a banquet to solve a certain work so as to discuss the work at the dinner table. These three situations often complement each other and have both. The purpose, form and nature of the banquet are different, but the basic etiquette followed by the host and guest is the same.
The basic etiquette of the banquet
1) seating arrangement. For formal banquets, seats are usually arranged in advance so that participants can sit in order and be polite to guests. In informal banquets, seats don't have to be arranged in advance, but there are usually points of sitting and sitting. The following points should be considered when arranging seats: First, focus on the position of the host. If there is a hostess, the hostess and the hostess are the center, and the top floor near the hostess is arranged in turn; The second is to arrange the guests and couples in the most important position. It is usually to the right, that is, the owner's right hand is the most important position. The farthest position facing the door is the upper seat, the nearest position facing the door is the lower seat, the second position is on the right of the upper seat, the third position is on the left, and so on; Third, under the premise of following the etiquette order, let the neighbors be as accommodating as possible; Fourth, the host's accompanying guests should be inserted between the guests as much as possible, so that they can talk with the guests and avoid sitting together.
2) Etiquette between host and guest
Master's etiquette
It should be said that the success of the banquet depends on the host's hospitality, hospitality and meticulous organization. Officially, the host's duty is to make every guest feel the welcome of the host. The host holds a banquet, whether it is Chinese food or western food, no matter what the reason and purpose, the host should send an oral or written invitation to the guests in advance, and arrange the time and place of reception according to the habits and characteristics of the guests. Etiquette banquet etiquette is more grand and exquisite. Before the banquet begins, the host should stand in front of the door and smile at the guests, with the younger generation in front and the elders behind. You should greet each guest in turn. After most of the guests arrive, they return to the banquet venue to greet and socialize with the guests respectively (informal family dinners are more casual, and the host may not greet the guests at the door, but shake hands before the guests arrive). The host must be cordial and sincere to the guests, treat them equally, and can't just pay attention to one or two entertainment and ignore other guests. Before taking a seat, all cigarettes and tea shall not be delivered by others or waiters, and the owner shall deliver cigarettes and tea in person as far as possible. After serving, the host should first propose a toast to the guests and say some kind words to thank them for coming. After that, every dish comes up with a toast to invite you to drink, and then ask the guests to "raise chopsticks". To take care of the convenience of guests, change dishes or turn the table in time. Guests with special tastes should change dishes in time. After the banquet, the host will see the guests off at the door. We should say a few words of apology and thanks to those guests who didn't take care of them at the party. For the guests who walk behind, you can say a few commonplaces.
Guest etiquette
As a guest invited to dinner, it is a respect for the host to be punctual, behave appropriately and pay attention to etiquette. We should also pay attention to the following issues:
(1) clothing. Before going to the banquet, guests should consider their own dress according to the purpose, specifications, objects, customs or the requirements of the host, and the dress should not affect the mood of both parties and the atmosphere of the banquet.
(2) order food. If the host has arranged the dishes, the guests should not order any more. If you attend a banquet and the dishes have not been set, you should pay attention to the etiquette of ordering. Don't choose too expensive dishes when ordering, and don't order too cheap dishes at the same time. If they are too cheap, the host will be unhappy and think you look down on him. If the cheapest dish is exactly what you really like, then you should do something and try to be tactful.
(3) eat. When eating, be polite and polite. "Don't eat horses, drink cows, swallow tigers, whales, chew food, make no noise, leave no marks and filth on lips and bones, and don't litter." Don't move chopsticks in a hurry when facing a table of delicious food. Don't move chopsticks until the host says "please". The host raised his glass to signal the start, and the guests could eat. If the amount of alcohol can be tolerated, the first glass of wine for the host should be finished. Guests at the same table can persuade each other to drink, but they can't force each other to drink in any way, otherwise it is impolite. When you are unwilling or unable to drink, you can refuse. When picking vegetables, one is to use public chopsticks; Second, the right amount of vegetables, don't get too much, can't eat and rest. The third is to take the food in front of you, and don't stretch your arms to reach the food far away; Fourth, you can't flip the dishes on the plate with chopsticks at will; Fifth, when you meet a dish you don't like, you can rarely put it on a plate without eating it. When this dish comes to you again, you can use the excuse that you haven't finished the dishes on your plate, so you can stop putting them. Finally, you should finish all the dishes on your plate. Try not to cough, sneeze, yawn or blow your nose when eating. If you can't restrain yourself, cover your mouth and nose with a handkerchief and napkin, turn around, side your face and keep your head as low as possible.
(4) It is best not to leave halfway to attend the banquet. If you have to, you should say sorry to the person at the same table, and at the same time solemnly apologize to the host and explain the reasons. After eating, everyone should put down their chopsticks, and the host indicated that they could leave. After the banquet, you can go to the host in turn, shake hands and say "thank you" and say goodbye to the host, but don't hold the host's hand and keep talking, so as not to hinder the host from seeing other guests off. 2. Family dinner, that is, a banquet held at home. Compared with a formal banquet, the most important thing for a family banquet is to create a cordial, friendly and natural atmosphere, so that the host and guests attending the banquet can be relaxed, natural and casual, enhance mutual communication, deepen understanding and enhance trust.
Usually, family banquets often have no special requirements in etiquette. In order to let the guests feel the attention and friendliness of the host, basically the hostess cooks in person and the host acts as a waiter; Or the host cooks and the hostess serves as a waitress to entertain the guests, making them feel at home.
If you want to attend a banquet, then you need to pay attention to it. First of all, you should dress yourself neatly and generously, which is a respect for others and for yourself.
And go to dinner on time at the time invited by the host. In addition to the reception, the general banquet will invite guests to arrive half an hour in advance. It is not impolite to arrive a few minutes before the party for some reason. But being late is disrespectful to the host and very impolite.
When entering the host's house or banquet hall, you should say hello to the host first. Meanwhile. You should smile, nod or shake hands with other guests, whether you know them or not. Take the initiative to stand up and give up your seat to the old man; Be solemn and polite to female guests.
When seated, your seat should be arranged by the host or waiter, because some banquet hosts have already arranged it. If the seat is not fixed, it should be noted that the seat facing the door is the upper seat and the seat facing the door is the lower seat. Old people, old people and women should sit down first, and then find suitable seats for themselves.
Sit up straight after taking a seat, put your feet under the seat, don't straighten or shake your legs all the time, don't lean your elbows on the edge of the table, and don't put your hands on the back of the chair next to you. After taking a seat, don't look like no one is watching, and don't stare at the dishes on your plate with impatience. You can have a simple conversation with your partner.
Dress formally when eating, don't take off your coat, and don't take off your coat halfway. Generally speaking, it will be done after the host gives the start signal. Eat gently, and pick vegetables lightly. And put the food in your own small plate first, then pick it up with chopsticks and put it in your mouth. When putting food into your mouth, take a sip, tilt your elbows outward, and don't open them to the sides to avoid touching your neighbor. Don't make any noise when eating, drinking or drinking soup. When eating, if you want to use condiments placed in front of other guests at the same table, you should say hello to others before taking them; If it's too far, please politely ask someone to help you. If you must pick your teeth when eating, cover your teeth with your left hand or handkerchief and gently pick your teeth with a toothpick in your right hand.
When drinking, it is impolite to persuade others to drink, especially for those who can't drink well.
If the banquet is not over yet, but you have finished your meal, don't leave at will. Wait until the host and guests have finished eating, and the other guests can leave in turn. 3. A light meal is an ordinary meal. The places where you eat light meals are often different, with the least manners. As long as diners pay attention to public morality and hygiene, pay attention to the environment and order, other aspects don't have to mind too much. 4. Working lunch is a business gathering held by partners who have business relations in business communication. They contact, keep in touch, exchange information or negotiate business in the form of dining. It is different from formal working meals, formal banquets and dinners with relatives and friends. It pays attention to an atmosphere, aiming at creating a relaxed, happy and harmonious atmosphere, which is conducive to further contact with friends through dinner. It is a business activity that continues in the form of dining, and the dining table is used as a conference table or negotiating table. Working meals are generally small in scale and usually held at noon. The host does not need to send a formal invitation, and the guests do not need to give a formal reply to the host in advance. The time and place can be temporarily selected. For the sake of hygiene, it is best to eat together or use public chopsticks. We will continue our business conversation while having a working meal. But at this time, it should be noted that in this case, you should not record or video, or arrange a special person to record, just like in the conference room. If you don't need to take notes, you should get the consent of the other party first. Never go your own way as if you don't trust each other. When you find that the other party is dissatisfied with this, you can't insist on doing so.
Working lunch is a "business negotiation meal" between the host and the guest, and it is not suitable for people outside the theme to join. If you happen to meet an acquaintance, you can say hello or give a brief introduction to the person at the same table. But don't be presumptuous and leave your friends behind. In case someone who doesn't know enough "lingers", you can politely order the guests to leave "You are busy, so I won't take up your precious time any more" or "We'll contact you tomorrow. I will call you on my own initiative. " Buffet is a modern way of eating from the west in recent years. It does not arrange seats, nor does it arrange a unified menu. It displays all the staple foods, dishes and drinks that can be served together, and selects, processes and enjoys them according to the personal hobbies of diners.
This can save money, not much etiquette, and is convenient for both the host and the guest; Everyone can do whatever they want when eating. It is also the wisest choice to arrange meals in this way when holding large-scale activities and entertaining a large number of guests.
Buffet is characterized by no fixed seats, optional seats, standing and lively form, which is very convenient for communication with each other. Vegetables, dishes and tableware are placed on the table, so that guests can help themselves, and what they like and the size of the quantity are completely independent. Pay attention to manners on this occasion. You shouldn't eat too much at a time, but you can add more if you don't have enough, so as not to make others laugh that you haven't eaten and seen the world. It's even more rude if you have a pile left. In addition, put bones, fishbones and so on. On one side of the plate. You can't take the food out of the restaurant after eating the buffet. Choose the time and place carefully
Chinese food, especially Chinese banquet, is divided into breakfast, lunch and dinner according to people's dining habits and dining time. Determine the specific time of the formal banquet, mainly to follow folk customs. Moreover, the host should not only proceed from his own objective ability, but also pay attention to the convenience of the host and guests, and give priority to the actual situation of the invited people, especially the host and guests. Don't ignore this. If possible, discuss with the host and guest first to make the hatchback convenient. At the very least, try to provide several time choices to show sincerity and control the specific length if necessary.
In addition, when having a social dinner, the choice of dining place is also very important.
First of all, the environment should be elegant. Banquet is not only for "eating", but also for "eating culture". If the dining place is low-grade and the environment is not good, even if the dishes are distinctive, the banquet will be greatly discounted. If possible, you must try to choose a quiet and elegant place to eat.
Secondly, the sanitary conditions are good. When determining the location of social dinner, we must look at the sanitary conditions. If the dining place is too dirty and messy, not only the hygiene problem is worrying, but also the appetite of diners will be destroyed.
We should also fully consider a series of specific issues, such as whether it is convenient for diners to come and go, whether there is a bus line, whether there is a parking lot, whether it is necessary to prepare transportation for diners, and whether the facilities in this place are complete. How to arrange the "double satisfaction" menu
According to our eating habits, it is better to say "please eat" than "please eat". So the arrangement of the menu must not be sloppy. It mainly involves two aspects: ordering food and preparing menu.
When ordering food, you should not only eat well, but also do what you can. If you order something bigger, more distinctive or even casual for the sake of ostentation and extravagance, it will not only do you no good, but also make people laugh. At this time, we must know fairly well and try our best not to overspend, squander or waste. You can order a set meal or reserve a table. In this way, the cost is fixed, and the grade and quantity of dishes are relatively fixed, which saves trouble. You can also order food temporarily on site according to your "personal budget". This can not only give greater freedom, but also give consideration to personal financial resources and taste.
When the invitee orders, first of all, he tells the host that he has no special requirements, please help yourself, which is actually welcomed by the other party. Or seriously order a dish that is not too expensive and not taboo for everyone, and then ask others to order. Don't be picky about what others order.
A standard Chinese food, no matter what taste, is served in the same order. Usually cold dishes are served first, then stir-fry, then main course, then dim sum and soup, and finally fruit plate. If you serve salty snacks, pay attention to the salty soup; If there is dessert, there will be sweet soup. Whether you eat big dishes or not, knowing the standard serving order of Chinese food will not only help you to match the dishes skillfully, but also avoid making a fool of yourself and making jokes because you don't understand them.
Before the banquet, the host needs to think twice about the menu in advance. When preparing the menu, the host should focus on which dishes can be selected and which dishes can't be used.
There are four priority dishes:
The first category, China specialties. Pay more attention to this rule when entertaining foreign guests. Such as fried spring rolls, dumplings, steamed dumplings, lion's head, kung pao chicken and so on. It is not delicious, but it is highly praised by many foreigners because of its distinctive China characteristics.
The second category, dishes with local characteristics. For example, soup mutton in Xi 'an, braised pork in Maojia, Hunan, stewed lion's head in Shanghai, and instant-boiled mutton in Beijing, I'm afraid these specialties will be more praised than the same raw seafood when entertaining foreign guests there.
The third category is the specialty of this restaurant. Many restaurants have their own specialties. The last special dish of this restaurant can best reflect the host's care and respect for the invited guests.
The fourth category, master's major. When holding a family dinner, the host must shine in public and cook more special dishes. In fact, the so-called major is not necessarily perfect. As long as the host does it himself, this alone is enough to make the other party feel your respect and friendliness.
When arranging the menu, we should also consider the dietary taboos of the guests, especially the dietary taboos of the guests. There are four main dietary taboos:
Religious dietary taboos should not be ignored at all. For example, Muslims usually don't eat pork or drink alcohol. Buddhists in China don't eat meat, which not only means not eating meat, but also includes stimulating foods such as onions, garlic, leeks and mustard greens. Some foods are also taboo for health reasons. For example, people with heart disease, cerebrovascular disease, arteriosclerosis, high blood pressure and sequelae of stroke are not suitable for eating dog meat. Patients with hepatitis should avoid eating mutton and soft-shelled turtle. People with digestive diseases such as gastroenteritis and gastric ulcer soup are also not suitable for eating soft-shelled turtle. Patients with hypertension and high cholesterol should drink less chicken soup.
People in different regions often have different dietary preferences. For this reason, we should take this into account when arranging the menu. For example, people in Hunan generally like to eat spicy food and eat less sweets. British and American people usually don't eat pets, rare animals, animal viscera, animal heads and claws.
Some professions, for some reasons, often have their own special taboos in catering. For example, national civil servants are not allowed to eat, please, eat and drink at official banquets, eat beyond the standards set by the state, and drink alcoholic beverages. For another example, drivers are not allowed to drink alcohol during work. If you ignore this point, you may make the other party make mistakes.
At a grand and formal banquet, the menu selected by the host can also be carefully written and distributed to everyone, so that diners can not only know it before the meal, but also keep it as a souvenir after the meal. seating arrangement
The seating arrangement of Chinese food is related to the identity of the guests and the courtesy given to each other by the host, so it is an important content.
The arrangement of Chinese food seats is different in different situations. It can be divided into table arrangement and ranking arrangement.
1. Table layout
At banquets in China, round tables are usually used to place dishes and drinks. There are two ways to arrange the pecking order of the round table.
The first case is a small banquet consisting of two tables. This situation can be divided into two horizontal and two vertical.
When two tables are arranged horizontally, the right side takes precedence and the left side takes second place. The left and right mentioned here are determined by the position facing the main entrance.
When two tables are arranged vertically, the table time should be far above and near below. The distance mentioned here is based on the distance from the main entrance.
The second case is a banquet with more than three tables. When arranging the number of tables for a multi-table banquet, we should not only pay attention to the rules of "facing the door", "respecting the right" and "taking the distance as the top priority", but also consider the distance between other tables and the main table. Generally, the closer to the main table, the higher the number of tables; The farther away from the main table, the less the number of tables.
When setting the table, the size and shape of the table used should be basically the same. Except for the main table, which can be a little bigger, no other dining table can be too big or too small.
In order to ensure that the attendees can find their own table in time and accurately during the banquet, they can indicate each other's table on the invitation, hang a schematic diagram of the banquet table layout at the entrance of the banquet hall, arrange ushers to guide the guests to sit according to the table, or put a table card (written in Arabic numerals) on each table.
2. Rank arrangement
At the banquet, the specific ranking of each table is also divided into primary and secondary rankings. There are four basic methods of ranking, and they usually work at the same time.
The first method is that most hosts should sit facing the main entrance and at the main table.
The second method is to hold a multi-table banquet, and each table must be attended by the representative of the host. The position is generally consistent with the main direction of the main table, and sometimes it can be directly opposite to the main table.
The third method is the ranking of each table, which should be based on the distance from the table owner, with the nearest being the top and the far being the bottom.
The fourth method is that each table is in the same position as the table owner, and the right is the respect, that is, the table owner faces the right, the right is the respect, and the left is the inferiority.
In addition, the number of people dining at each table should be controlled at 10, preferably even. For example, six people, eight people and ten people. If there are too many people, it is not easy to take care of them, but they may not be able to sit down.
According to the arrangement of the above four rankings, the specific arrangement of the round table ranking can be divided into two specific situations. It's all about the theme.
The first case: the arrangement of a theme at each table. Its characteristic is that each table has only one host, the host and guest sit at the right head, and each table has only one dialogue center.
The second situation: the arrangement of two themes per table. It is characterized in that the host and wife sit at the same table, the male host is the first host, the female host is the second host, and the guest of honor and the lady of the guest of honor sit on the right side of the male and female hosts respectively. Therefore, each table objectively forms two dialogue centers.
If the status of the guest of honor is higher than that of the host, in order to show respect, you can also arrange to sit in the host's seat, or ask the host to sit in the host's seat.
In order to facilitate the accurate seating of guests, in addition to the timely guidance and instructions of the host and the host, eye-catching personal name seat cards should be placed on the table in front of each guest's seat. When holding a foreign banquet, the seat card should be written in both Chinese and English. The practice in our country is that Chinese is above and English is below. When necessary, the name of the dining car is written on both sides of the seat card
When arranging seats for light meals, if you need to arrange a table, you can refer to the arrangement of the table at the banquet. The arrangement of ranks can follow four principles.
One is the principle of high right and low left.
Two people sit side by side, usually the upper seat on the right and the lower seat on the left. This is because Chinese food is served clockwise, so the person sitting on the right has priority over the person sitting on the left.
The second is to respect the principle of middle seat.
Three people sit together to eat, and the person sitting in the middle is higher than the people on both sides.
The third is the most important principle of others.
When dining, according to etiquette, the person facing the main entrance is the upper seat, and the person facing the main entrance is the lower seat.
The fourth is the special principle.
In high-end restaurants, there are often beautiful scenery or elegant performances for diners to enjoy indoors and outdoors. At this time, the seat with the best viewing angle is the upper berth seat. When eating in some middle and low-end restaurants, people usually take the position near the wall as the upper seat and the position near the aisle as the lower seat.
Seating order (seating order):
Case one, the guest pays the bill.
Li Er's good friends came to visit him from far away. Li Er took his friends to a very high-end hotel for dinner in all seriousness, and asked several buddies to accompany him. To show respect, he insisted that his friend sit in the innermost seat facing the gate. My friend quickly declined, but he refused kindly and had to sit there.
After dinner, my friend went to the bathroom, and Li Er didn't think much. After dinner, when Li Er was ready to check out, the waiter said that his friend had already checked out. Li Er was a little unhappy and scolded his friend for rushing to settle the bill, but his friend said, "Why don't I settle the bill if you let me sit in this position?" Li Er didn't know what to say.
Seating style. Ask the guests to sit down first, then ask the old man to sit next to the guests, sit down in turn, and finally sit in the seat closest to the door. If you take care of children, sit down and arrange them next to you. When you sit down, you should enter from the left side of the chair. Sit up straight and don't bow your head after sitting down, so that the distance between the dining table and your body is 10 ~ 20 cm. Don't move chopsticks after sitting, let alone make no noise, and don't get up and walk. If anything happens, say hello to the host. Before moving chopsticks, you should express your appreciation for the superb skills, thoughtful arrangement and warm invitation of the host or chef.