How to use chopsticks to show off eating sushi

It is common to go to a sushi restaurant and see diners use chopsticks with great ease to eat without complication.

If oriental food, especially sushi, is one of your favorites, it is not necessary to stop eating it because you do not know how to use the chopsticks.

Using chopsticks is not a complicated activity, but it takes patience and time to practice. Whether you have mastered the use of chopsticks or are just beginning the learning process, it is always important to improve your technique.

Learn each of the steps necessary to hold the chopsticks and eat sushi without dropping a roll before taking it to your mouth.

Step by step: how to use chopsticks

Using chopsticks to eat sushi requires only four simple steps that, with practice and patience, you will master in a few minutes.

In this way, you will eat your plate with peace of mind and without worrying about having an accident with the sushi.

Step 1: the grip

The first step to be considered when using chopsticks is the grip

The thick part of the first stick should be located in the natural space of the union of the thumb with the index finger and on the first two phalanges of the middle finger.

It is important that that first toothpick does not touch the thumb. Also, make sure that the stick is firm in your hand, but that your hands are not tense.

Step 2: second toothpick

This second toothpick is held between the thumb and the index finger in a position similar to the one you use to hold a pencil when writing.

It is important that the chopsticks are parallel. If not, you will have to repeat the process to get a good grip on the chopsticks.

Step 3: How to hold

The chopstick underneath must be fixed and the one above it will be in charge of moving.

The toothpick that can move will be the one that you use to grab the food, while the toothpick that is firm will be in charge of holding it and preventing it from falling.

Step 4: Putting food in the mouth

Hold the food portion firmly and put it in your mouth. Avoid bending your head towards the plate.

Once you bring the paper to the height of your mouth, insert it completely. You must not bite them and you must not lean it on your lips and then eat it.

Video: How to use chopsticks as a teacher

To better understand how chopsticks should be held and used, here is a video from the Pratiks España channel.

It details each of the steps to follow in order to hold chopsticks in the correct manner, as well as the movement that must be made to hold the sushi roles and eat them at ease.

Practice at home and eat sushi, or any other food, like an expert, without any of your sushi roles dismantling or falling off when soaking in the soy sauce.

Avoid this by using chopsticks

During the process of learning how to use chopsticks it is necessary to know what actions to avoid.

Let’s look at the things you should never do while using your chopsticks.

They should never be sucked

One of the actions that everyone should avoid is sucking on chopsticks after eating sushi rolls or any other food.

If you soak the roll in the soy sauce, eat it and notice that there is food left on the chopsticks, you should not suck on the chopsticks.

It can be considered by others as an unpleasant action and can take away your appetite.

Always the dominant hand

Like any other activity, you need to use one hand to operate the instrument you are using. In the case of chopsticks, it needs to be the dominant hand.

Using your dominant hand will help you control your chopsticks more easily and eat with confidence.

Do you point out when you use chopsticks?

Finger pointing has always been a habit that is distasteful and an offense to some people. So, pointing with a chopstick doesn’t make much difference.

Remember that chopsticks are utensils for tasting the delicious oriental dishes in a restaurant, and not for pointing out the waiters or the products you want to order.

Don’t use them to make fire, they don’t work!

Many people think that rubbing one stick on another will generate fire and it doesn’t.

It’s important not to rub the chopsticks when you’re waiting for food to arrive. It is also necessary to avoid placing the chopsticks on the table.

Rubbing them or placing them on the table are unhygienic actions that allow bacteria to be transferred from the hands to the chopsticks

Avoid picking them up at the ends

When you are just learning to handle chopsticks, it is common for them to be held at one end.

Holding them at either end will not allow an effective grip on the sushi rolls and will make it more difficult to put them in your mouth.

So, the solution to this problem is to practice the grip by using the chopsticks in the part located a few centimeters below the ends until you have a comfortable and functional grip.

Always together

Unlike eating with two different utensils, such as a fork and a knife, chopsticks are a single utensil.

This means that the chopsticks should be placed together next to the sushi plate and not separately.

Manufacturing material of chopsticks

There are a variety of materials used to make chopsticks. Plastic, bamboo and wood are some of the materials used.

In general, the most commonly used materials are wood and bamboo because they offer anti-bacterial protection.

A variety of chopsticks made of plastic, which have the ability to be washed and reused, are available in home improvement stores.

With the negative effects of climate change, the manufacture of biodegradable disposable chopsticks has increased, allowing them to be used as compost.

A little history, where do chopsticks come from?

The use of chopsticks, or kuai-tzu, originated with the Shang Dynasty, which ruled China during 1766 and 1122 BC.

The Chinese generally used knives for hunting and their hands for eating, until they began to use self-made chopsticks as cutlery.

Over the years, chopsticks became an important part of the table, as it was considered an offense for guests to make any effort during meal time.

The chopsticks came to Japan around the 7th century and were named as hashi.

In the beginning, chopsticks were only used to offer food to the gods, because people’s hands were seen as impure to handle the food that would be consumed by the supreme beings.

Where to find the best chopsticks for your restaurant

Do you want to have a theme party at home, sell sushi roles or want to please your guests with any oriental dish?

At Monouso, we have a shop that specializes in sushi. Beautiful dishes, sushi trays, sushi delivery boxes or steamers are some of the products you will find in this space.

But it couldn’t be complete without a representation of the sushi sticks, made of high quality bamboo, they don’t transfer flavor to your food and come with a paper cover for extra hygiene.

If you want quality products, with the best prices on the market we invite you to visit Monouso, your best option online.