If you are sitting in some corner of the world and enjoying a Chinese delicacy, you would generally picture the ambience of the Chinese Restaurant as a calm and quiet place, with low lights. If you are visiting a Chinese restaurant in India, you may choose a gaming site to play at India casinos while enjoying your amazing food and even win some breathtaking jackpots if you are lucky. However, in China, the scenario is extremely opposite. The Chinese are foodies, and they love to eat and prepare various delicacies, indulging in contrasting flavours and a wide range of ingredients.

A typical restaurant in China will be full of people, crowded and noisy with people indulging in some mouth-watering cuisine. The Chinese eating culture is quite different from what the rest of the world knows as the ‘Chinese Eating Culture.’ Chinese eating habits have evolved over the years and are different in different parts of the country.

chinese food

History Of Chinese Cuisine

Archaeological findings in China state that the first noodles were found along the Chinese Yellow river. It was only during the Han Dynasty that Chinese cuisine became prominent and organized. It is when they started manufacturing and selling food grains and preparing them in different dishes. Noodles were originally made from broomcorn millet and foxtail. Dining Etiquette, however, began during the Zhou Dynasty in 1045-256 BC. The food culture and the dining etiquette in China have evolved ever since and stand where we see them now.

Eating and drinking habits in China are somewhat different in different parts of the country and differ from western culture. 

In China, preparing and eating is a social activity, and it is considered both a science and an art. The ancient Chinese believed that health lies in a balanced diet, and hence they were very particular about the nutrition factor of foods. They used their creativity not just to make the food tasty but also to make it palatable. If you visit any restaurant, street joint, or household in China, you will find the appearance of the food very appealing. The Chinese are more inclined towards the food culture than the Western drinking culture as a part of socializing.

There are 3 main things about Chinese food culture. They are:

The Chinese Restaurant Environment Is Noisy

If you are in China, at a restaurant, you will find it very different from the general Chinese restaurant scenario you must have imagined as a quiet and ambient place. A Chinese restaurant is noisy. You will find people laughing and chatting over their food with dishes clattering. However, if you are looking for a quiet place to eat, some Chinese restaurants provide private dining rooms. It is like a parameter in China that if a restaurant is noisy, the food there is generally tasty and good. People prefer to visit such restaurants more often. 

China Has Strong Dining Etiquettes

Punctuality is a critical factor in making an impression when socializing over food in China. One should be very particular about how they look in front of the host and the other guests at the meal. You must judiciously decide whether to bring a small gift or a big one or nothing for that matter. It depends on the kind of relationship you share with the host of the meal. When you arrive at the event, you need to introduce yourself to the other guests, or you can let the host do that on behalf of you. You must be seated as per the seating arrangement made by the host. 

Seating Of Banquet

It is one of the most important aspects of Chinese food culture. The seating goes like, the host, followed by the chief guest and then the rest of the guests. 

China, with its strange mix of flavours and ingredients, is known for some of the best dishes in the world. Some of the dishes have been taken up by other nations as modified to their taste. 

Specific Chinese regions pick specific flavours as the key for most of their dishes. Some of them are:

  • In Central China, places like Hunan and Sichuan cuisine are predominantly Spicy.
  • Eastern China dishes mostly have a sweet taste.
  • Northern and Coastal China focuses on salty taste.
  • Southern China, on the other side, prefers a sour flavour. 
  • Chinese medicinal food, having a properly balanced diet is based on the bitter taste.

Did you know that an everyday greeting in China translates to ‘Have you eaten?’ in English. It is a ubiquitous greeting in many parts of China. The Chinese use food in various forms of art for celebration and socializing. Punctuality at a meal is a stringent rule among the Chinese.