There was a time when eating with hands was considered a shame, a sign of ill-manners. Not anymore! The Western world’s view regarding ‘manual eating’ is changing fast and this change is fuelled by some of the high-end restaurants in America. In case you are one of those who still think that eating with hands is barbarian, read further:-

1) Why Eating With Hands?

First of all, eating with hands connects you directly with the food. According to Asians, Eating food with your hands generates warmth and, especially for Indians, eating food with fork and knife is quite unthinkable because these are considered more of a weapon than eating instruments.

2) A Common Practice

As opposed to the situation a few years ago, eating with hands has become quite a common practice today in the West. However, in the east, particularly in Asia, Africa, and the Middle East, it was a common practice right since the beginning. However, patrons, especially immigrants from these parts of the world, found it hard to eat outside in America because of the intolerance of many restaurants towards eating with hands. Digging in manually was seriously discouraged.

3) The Change is Here

A lot of high-profile chefs are encouraging their diners to use hands while eating their signature dishes. Tulsi chef Hemant Mathur asks his diners to use their hands, especially while serving his dishes like the goat curry or stewed chickpeas while A-Frame chef Roy Choi discourages the use of cutlery in his restaurant dining room. He specifically complains, “I see people cutting Kalbi ribs like a steak, and its like fingernails on a chalkboard.” In fact, several chefs today believe that eating food with hands makes the whole experience a lot more satisfactory and sensual while also cutting down on the formality associated with fine dining.

4) Is It Etiquette?

It may come as a surprise to you but contrary to popular belief, etiquette is the basic thought behind the hand-to-mouth eating and it is not easy. In many communities, it is important to wash your hands before eating while in Muslim communities; you also need to say a prayer of thanks before you can dig in, mostly with your right hand. The details of eating with hands also differ from one place to another, from one community to another, and from one restaurant to another. However, mostly, rice, chapatti, or flatbread is used to carry many dishes into the mouth.

Eating with hands may still be a matter of discussion but there is no harm in trying it at least once in a while, if you are completely unfamiliar with the practice. Believe us, you will not regret it. Just to get you started, read about how to eat rice with fingers.

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