To taste the western food culture, I suggest you have time to have a look at the Maxim Restaurant in Chongwenmen. The western restaurant there is decorated according to the unique French romantic style at the end of 19th century, with gorgeous and elegant decoration, small bands playing classical songs in the orchestra pit and waiters in tuxedos. This is the tradition of Sim restaurant in Kyle, which allows customers to feast their eyes first (restaurant layout), then their ears (soft music) and then their mouths (delicious French dishes). Scholars who study western food, after long-term discussion and induction, think that eating western food is the most important to pay attention to six "M's".
the first one is "Menu"
when you walk into the western restaurant, the waiter will show you to your seat first, and when you are seated, the menu will be brought up first. The menu is regarded as the facade of the restaurant, and the boss has always attached importance to it. The cover of the menu is made of the best fabric, and some even use soft sheepskin to make various beautiful patterns. It seems inappropriate to call it a menu here, but it should be called a "menu".
I have a unique skill in how to order good dishes. No matter how I eat in western restaurants at home and abroad, the dishes I order are often delicious and cheap, and they are often praised by my colleagues. My way is to open the menu and see which dishes are named after the hotel. I often take them. I know that the chef will not make fun of his name, so the dishes they make will definitely be delicious. Please be sure to order them.
When it comes to ordering food, reading the menu reminds me of an incident that happened in Maxim's restaurant nearly 2 years ago. Four young "ten thousand households" farmers walked into this luxurious restaurant. They have money and want to taste a famous French dish. The restaurant manager and waiter were overjoyed, warmly welcomed them to their seats, politely presented recipes and respectfully invited them to order. Unexpectedly, one of them pushed the menu aside and said dismissively, "What do you want? You look at it, what is expensive, we have plenty of money! " Four farmers spent nearly 2 yuan, and Meimei ate a famous French dish, but from time to time, they made a fool of themselves. They didn't know how to use their knives and forks, and finally their napkins were used as handkerchiefs ...
Later, the French general manager talked to me about it, which was very touching: "From these four young people, it's exciting to see that China farmers are really rich. But it's hard for us to understand that China friends don't look at the menu when they eat western food. In France, even President De Gaulle and President D 'Estaing have to look at the menu to order western food. There is no question of having money or not, because reading menus and ordering food has become an indispensable procedure for eating western food and a way of life. "
The second is "Music"
Luxury and advanced western restaurants should have bands and play some soft music, and ordinary small western restaurants also play some wonderful music. However, the most important thing here is the "audibility" of the music, that is, the sound should reach the level of "like hearing and inaudible", that is to say, you can't hear it if you concentrate on talking with your friends, but you can hear it if you want to have a rest and relax, and you should master this temperature well.
The third is "Mood" (atmosphere)
Western food pays attention to elegant environment and harmonious atmosphere. There must be music, white tablecloths and flowers, and all tableware must be clean. In case of dinner, the lights should be dim and there should be red candles on the table to create a romantic, charming and elegant atmosphere.
the fourth one is "Meeting"
that is to say, who to eat western food with, you must have a choice, and you must be friends, relatives and people with similar interests. Eating western food is mainly to connect feelings, and rarely talk about business at the western food table. Therefore, in the western restaurant, there are few red-faced scenes.
The fifth one is "manners and customs".
It is also called "eating" and "eating". In short, we should follow the western customs and don't make abrupt moves, especially when holding a knife and fork, we will "lose our manners". When using a knife and fork, you should hold a knife in your right hand and a fork in your left hand. Cut the food into small pieces and send it to your mouth with a knife and fork. Generally speaking, Europeans don't change hands when using knives and forks, and always use the fork in their left hand to send food into their mouths. Americans, on the other hand, put down the knife and put the fork in their right hand to send the food into their mouth after cutting it. But at any time, the knife must not be sent to the entrance. At western banquets, the host will arrange for men and women to sit next to each other, and western gentlemen who pay attention to "ladies first" will show their hospitality to ladies.
the sixth is "Meal" (food)
An American gourmet friend of mine once said, "Japanese people eat with their eyes, and the form of cooking is beautiful. We eat our western food with our noses, so our noses are very big; Only your great China people know how to eat with their tongues. " Our Chinese food takes "taste" as the core, and western food takes nutrition as the core. As for taste, it can't be compared with Chinese food.
To a great extent, eating western food means eating emotional appeal: marble fireplace, glittering crystal lamp, silver candlestick, colorful wine, and people's elegant and charming manners, which in itself is a touching oil painting. In order to be more proficient when you first taste western food, it is worthwhile to spend some effort to familiarize yourself with these dining etiquette.
1. When sitting, keep your body straight, and don't put your elbows on the table, and don't tilt your feet. The distance from the table is better to facilitate the use of tableware. Don't fiddle with the tableware set on the dining table. Fold the napkin in half and gently put it on your lap.
2. When eating with a knife and fork, take the knife and fork from the outside to the inside, holding the fork in your left hand and holding the knife in your right hand; Hold the food with a fork in your left hand, cut it into small pieces with a knife in your right hand, and then send it to your mouth with a fork. When using a knife, the blade should not be outward. When you put down your knife and fork during a meal, you should put them in a figure of eight and put them on the edge of the plate respectively. The blade is facing itself, indicating that you will continue to eat. After each dish, put the knife and fork together on the plate. If you are talking, you can hold a knife and fork without putting it down. When you don't use a knife, you can also hold a fork in your right hand, but if you need to gesture, you should put down your knife and fork, never wave and shake it in the air with your hand, and never wipe your mouth with a napkin in one hand, nor take a glass in one hand and a fork in the other. Remember, never put one end of the knife and fork on the plate and the other end on the table.
3. Don't eat too much food at a time. Don't talk while chewing, and don't take the initiative to talk to people.
4. Don't sip when drinking soup, but shut up and chew when eating. Don't smack your lips and make a sound. If the soup is overheated, wait until it is slightly cold before eating, and don't blow it with your mouth. When drinking soup, scoop it out from the inside with a spoon. When the soup in the soup plate is almost finished, tilt the outside of the soup plate slightly with your left hand and scoop it out with a spoon. After eating the soup, leave the spoon in the soup plate (bowl) and point the spoon at yourself.
5. When eating fish, meat and other dishes with thorns or bones, don't spit out directly. Cover your mouth with a napkin and spit gently on the fork and put it on the plate. If there is a small amount of dishes left in the plate, don't scrape the bottom of the plate with a fork, let alone use your fingers to help you eat, but use a small piece of bread or fork to help you eat. When eating noodles, you should roll them up with a fork and then send them into your mouth.
6. Bread should be broken into small pieces and sent to your mouth. Don't bite the whole piece of bread. When spreading butter and jam, break the bread into small pieces before spreading it.
7. When eating chicken, most Europeans and Americans regard chicken breast as the most expensive. When eating chicken legs, you should first remove the bones forcibly, and don't eat them with your hands. When eating fish, don't turn the fish over. After eating the upper layer, remove the fish bones with a knife and fork before eating the lower layer. When eating meat, cut it into pieces, and don't cut the pieces too big, or cut the meat into pieces at once.
8. Don't put on makeup at the table and wipe your nose with a napkin. Burping while eating is the biggest taboo. If this happens, you should apologize to the people around you immediately. Don't stand up when eating, and ask others to pass the food that you can't get while sitting.
9. Don't wolf down your food. Food that you don't want to eat should also be put on the plate to show politeness. The host advised the guests to add food. If they have an appetite, it is not rude to add food. On the contrary, the host may be proud of it.
1. Don't leave during the meal. If you really need to leave, you should whisper hello to the guests around you. When drinking and toasting, even if you don't drink, you should touch the mouth of the cup on your lips to show your respect. When someone pours wine for you, if you don't want it, simply say "no, thank you!" " Or cover the glass slightly with your hand to show your refusal.
11. don't smoke until the meal is over, and don't smoke until coffee is served to indicate the end of the meal. If there are female guests around, you should ask politely, "Do you mind?"
12. When eating, you should talk with the guests around you, but you should avoid talking and laughing loudly. Don't just talk to a few acquaintances. If the left and right guests don't know each other, they can introduce themselves. Don't butt in when others are talking.
13. If you want to add milk or sugar to your coffee, stir it evenly with a small spoon and put the spoon on the saucer of coffee. When drinking, you should hold the cup handle in your right hand, put the saucer on your left hand, and drink directly with your mouth, instead of scooping it with a spoon. When eating fruit, don't bite the whole fruit. Cut it into 4 or 6 petals with a fruit knife, then remove the skin and core with a knife and fork it.
14. When eating, don't unbutton or undress in public. If the host invites the guest take off your coat, the male guest can take off his coat and put it on the back of the chair. Don't put his coat or belongings on the dining table.