Tips and taboos for ordering food

In China, various interests and traditional cultures have always been telling us, but as society is changing, many people are starting to have frequent gatherings, and no one pays much attention to the etiquette of ordering food. If you are entertaining more distinguished guests or guests from afar, you must pay attention when ordering food. Order according to the guests' preferences, and do some preparation in advance to avoid embarrassment in ordering food.

Tips and taboos for ordering dishes

Chinese dining etiquette has a history of thousands of years, and with the development of society, various external dining etiquettes are also constantly changing. To this day, a standard Chinese meal usually starts with cold dishes, followed by hot dishes, then the main course, then snacks and soup. If you feel a little bit full, you can order some desserts, and finally a fruit plate. When ordering food, you should take into account the dishes of each course. We must achieve "three advantages and four taboos"

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The three priorities refer to the three categories of dishes that are prioritized:

The first category includes dishes with Chinese characteristics.

This point should be taken even more seriously when entertaining foreign guests. Foods like fried spring rolls, boiled Yuanxiao, steamed dumplings, lion head, and Kung Pao chicken are not delicacies, but because they have distinct Chinese characteristics, they are highly praised by many foreigners.

The second category includes dishes with local characteristics.

For example, Xi'an's mutton soup steamed buns, Hunan's Mao's braised pork, Shanghai's braised lion's head, and Beijing's shabu-shabu mutton, when entertaining guests from other places, these special dishes will probably be more popular than the same old fresh seafood.

The third category is the restaurant’s specialty dishes.

Many restaurants have their own specialties. Serving a dish of the restaurant's specialty demonstrates the host's attentiveness and respect for the guests.

The fourth taboo is that when arranging the menu, you must also consider the dietary taboos of the guests, especially the dietary taboos of the guest of honor. There are four main dietary taboos:

1. Religious dietary taboos must not be neglected at all.

For example, Muslims generally do not eat pork and do not drink alcohol. Buddhists in China eat less non-vegetarian food, which not only refers to meat, but also includes foods with pungent odors such as onions, garlic, leeks, mustard, etc.

Some Buddhists who believe in Guanyin are particularly forbidden to eat beef. This should be paid special attention to when entertaining compatriots from Hong Kong, Macao, Taiwan and overseas Chinese.

2. For health reasons, there are also taboos on certain foods.

For example, people with heart disease, cerebrovascular disease, arteriosclerosis, hypertension and sequelae of stroke are not suitable to eat dog meat. Hepatitis patients should avoid eating mutton and turtle. People with digestive system diseases such as gastroenteritis and gastric ulcer are also not suitable to eat turtle. Patients with hypertension and high cholesterol should drink less chicken soup.

3. People's dietary preferences often vary in different regions.

Take this into consideration when planning your menu. For example, people in Hunan Province generally like to eat spicy food and eat less sweets.

People in the United Kingdom and the United States generally do not eat pets, rare animals, animal offal, animal heads and paws.

In addition, when entertaining foreign guests, try to order fewer hard dishes that require chewing. Foreigners are unlikely to spit out food they have bitten into their mouths while eating, so this is also something you need to take into consideration.

4. For some reasons, some professions often have their own special taboos in food and drink.

For example, civil servants are not allowed to accept invitations to meals while performing their duties, are not allowed to eat and drink excessively at official banquets, are not allowed to eat in excess of the standards set by the state, or drink strong liquor.

For example, drivers are not allowed to drink alcohol while working. If this point is ignored, the other party may make mistakes.