Global food etiquette explained: What you should and shouldn’t do while eating abroad

I, for one, appreciate the thought behind the list, even though much of it is inaccurate. Having travelled fairly widely since childhood, and having seen people from different countries as guests in our home in Calcutta, I’ve always felt that one of the basics of travel is to educate yourself about the customs of the place you’re visiting. You may not agree with them, but as a guest, the least you can do is respect and adapt to them.

In 2012, Oprah Winfrey visited India for a TV show. At a dinner in a businessman’s home, she expressed great surprise—bordering on shock—that Indians ate with their fingers. From her reaction, you’d think the family had been eating with their toes, which honestly would have been far more impressive.

I even wrote about it then, because what struck me was not Oprah’s astonishment, but that no one had prepped her with the most basic cultural research. And even without research, it’s hardly a novelty that deserved the kind of fuss she made.

So don’t be like Oprah. Educate yourself. And if you aren’t aware of certain practices, at least don’t look scandalised by them.

Here are some culinary practices I’ve come across—along with a few basics worth knowing.

First, let’s debunk a few Taste Atlas “facts.” You can certainly eat with your hands in Chile. Many dishes—such as empanadas or the completo (a kind of hot dog)—are meant to be eaten that way.

The no-cappuccino-after-11-am rule in Italy isn’t entirely wrong. Cappuccino, heavy with milk, is traditionally a breakfast drink and considered indigestible later in the day. If you order one after 11 am, a restaurant will serve it to you—but will instantly peg you as a tourist who doesn’t know any better.

In Portugal, every restaurant I visited happily provided salt if asked—some even had salt shakers on the table. In Thailand, no one gives you a second glance if you eat local food with a fork.

Other habits I’ve noticed: in Italy, pizza is usually eaten with a knife and fork, not hands. In China, soup is often served at the end of the meal, not the beginning. Traditional restaurants there rarely have forks; only chopsticks and serving spoons. If, like me, chopsticks are a struggle, it’s wise to carry a small cutlery set. In Spain, authentic restaurants don’t serve hot sauce or Tabasco. In fact, when we would go to any of the many Spanish restaurants in England, we would carry our own tiny bottle to Spanish restaurants.

Closer home, in parts of East Bengal, dal is often served at the end of a meal. Friends whose grandparents were among the last Portuguese settlers in Bengal recall this being common in regions where the Portuguese once traded in jute and indigo.

In the Middle East, communal dining from a large shared plate is common. Most Arab countries encourage eating with your hand—but only with the right hand —while in Turkey, cutlery is the norm unless you’re eating kebabs wrapped in bread. Across Africa, hand-washing before a meal is a ritual. One of my finest meals was in Cape Town’s Africa Café, where the waitress washed our hands with water in a beautiful, large bowl before serving traditional dishes.

In Bengal, meals are eaten course by course: vegetables first, then dal, followed by fish, prawns or meat, and finally dessert. Mixing everything together is considered sacrilege. And contrary to what many believe, dosa is not a lunch dish; in southern India, it’s eaten for breakfast. Only outside the south has it become a lunch or dinner staple.

In China, soup is often served at the end of the meal, not the beginning. Traditional restaurants there rarely have forks; only chopsticks and serving spoons. (Photo: Pixabay)

France, too, follows a course-by-course structure. Bread is never cut but torn into small pieces and used to mop up butter. In England, soup bowls are tilted away from you, not towards you, and blowing on your food is considered rude.

At the end of the day, the golden rule is simple: don’t be gauche. When in a new country, I usually just observe how others are eating and follow their lead. This is one place where being a know-it-all doesn’t help—it’s better to defer to custom.

Always remember: you are a guest. And when in Rome, do as the Romans do—drink wine with your meals, finish your cappuccino before 11 am, and eat as much spaghetti vongole as your stomach will allow.

Next week, I’ll write about how Meghan Markle is simply following in India’s footsteps when it comes to her love for edible flowers. What am I talking about? Read next week’s column to find out.

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