Would it be ok to eat rice using a spoon in front of Westerners?

Question

It seems to me that Westerners are willing to learn to use chopsticks in Asian restaurants. However, when spoons are the way the dish is normally eaten within the country of origin, Westerners prefer to use a fork.

Since presumably both spoons and forks originated from the West, is it OK to eat rice using a spoon in front of Westerners in a Western country, or should I use a fork instead?

Would it be considered rude to use a spoon to eat rice, since spoons in the West are normally associated with soups?

Answer 1

It depends on how you define "western countries", but if you think of Western Europe + UK + US/Canada, please rest assured that nobody would care whether you use sticks, fork, spoon or hands (well, this one is a bit of stretch) to eat your rice. So yes, this is ok. If you don't get a spoon, please ask for one.

Please also note that not every kind of rice could be eaten with chopsticks; certain types of rice (typically those used in soups such as Georgian "Harcho") are non-sticky, and I can't imagine eating it with anything else but spoon.

Answer 2

As someone who always used to eat rice with a spoon, the first time I moved to the US for studies and saw people eating rice with a fork, I couldn't stand it.

I tried it myself, but damn it - trying to balance the rice grains, without having them fall through the forks was annoying.

At first, I would ask for a spoon. This raised some eyebrows, but nothing more (this was in Texas, if that matters). This lasted for about a week; and eventually I got tired of asking for spoons because each time they would bring me a spoon, it would be a large (to me) spoon, so either they had the very tiny dessert spoons, or the large soup spoons. I was used to a more normal "eating" spoon.

Eventually I got used to eating rice with a fork ... and when I came home and went hunting for a fork to eat rice, my mom gave me a look like what is wrong with my son. This is because in our household - forks are reserved for desserts (mainly, cakes), and sweets. Not for (as my mom would say) "eating".

The bottom line from my personal experience is - use what makes you comfortable eating (like my friend that used to eat pizza with a knife and fork, as if it was some steak). A few people may simply look up once, and then go back to their own food.

It is most definitely not rude by any stretch of the imagination (although some passionate pizza lovers did make some comments - but all in jest).

Answer 3

Unless you are in a situation where very specific etiquette is expected, no one will care one bit about which utensil you use.

Such specific etiquette may be expected in diplomatic or high value business meetings, but for casual, or even formal dining, it is not.

It is not uncommon to see Americans pick up bite sized morsels with a knife when the fork is readily available.

Answer 4

In South Germany many people in rural areas eat with a spoon at home. If they do it in public they are looked on as unsophisticated peasants. I have a colleague who always eats rice, pasta or vegetables with a spoon, and she is looked down upon for this - she also has a loud rural accent. My son was astounded when his flatmate at college ate with a spoon, "but Mom, his parents are teachers!".

However, this is only a problem for locals. If you are clearly non-Western no-one will be offended - though they may try and offer you chopsticks. People travel a lot these days and are quite aware that, e.g., in Thailand they use spoons not chopsticks. It would make a good starting point for a conversation.

Answer 5

I agree with most of the replies: Yes, it is okay (acceptable, not rude) to eat rice with a spoon.

However, what I haven't seen mentioned is that western children usually start eating with a spoon for everything, and then graduate to a fork for solid foods as they get older. So while eating rice with a spoon would not be rude in any way, some might consider it childlike.

Answer 6

If you want to eat rice with a spoon you may; few people would consider it rude. However, please consider several issues:

First, a fork is the most common utensil with which to eat in Western cultures. People at your table may be curious. Be ready to explain.

You may need to ask for a spoon, because you won't be given one. Some restaurants give spoons only when you order soup, a stirred beverage, pasta, or dessert; a formal meal will have different-shaped spoons for each of these items. All restaurants will give you a spoon upon request.

You may eat too quickly or take large bites. A table spoon could hold more rice than a fork, especially sticky rice. It would not be polite to put such a large amount of food in your mouth.

The tines of a fork are easier to stab through a clump, especially of sticky rice. A spoon tends to cut and smash the grains.

Answer 7

Yes , it will be okay. Just ask any waiter for a spoon if the table didn't had it at first, most of the time, if the rice is served with too much liquid sauce, there'll either be a spoon to eat like if it was soup or bread to soak up the sauce.

Answer 8

I took a Thai cooking class (in California) and Lesson One included: Thailand does not use chopsticks; Thais eat curry with spoons. Since then I've tried to do likewise. No one will care.

Answer 9

In Britain there will be no problem whatsoever asking for a spoon. The waiting staff might look a little surprised because most people eat dry Rice with a fork and only use a spoon if it is a liquid type dish but there will be no problem. I doubt anyone else at the table will even notice what cutlery you are using and if they did they wouldnt say anything.

Answer 10

It depends a bit whether you look like a foreigner. If you do, then anything is acceptable, the worst that will happen is that someone might ask "Is that how it's done where you come from? I must remember that for my next visit".

If you don't look like a foreigner and do things very oddly, e.g drinking soup from the bowl rather than using a spoon, then you will get some odd looks. But the more polite the society, the more likely people are to be trained in the rule that you don't make comments about such behaviour.

(I was in a UK restaurant with a Japanese visitor/guest once, and my guest ordered three starters and no main course. The waiter whispered to me "do you think he would like them all served at the same time, or one after another?" I said I had no idea, but he would be quite happy to be asked...)

Answer 11

It really doesn't matter. A lot of Westerners would use a spoon as well if they were given one. The spoon not being readily available at the table 100% of the time would be your biggest problem. But you should be able to ask the waiter/waitress for one. And apart from it looks somewhat odd no one would actually care. (unless you're at a really formal dinner with high placed individuals)

Not having a spoon shouldn't be a problem though. Burhan Khalid said rice would fall through the fork, but that's not true. The rice grains aren't small enough to fall through the openings in the fork, at worst they would get stuck in between. The real difference is that a fork is flat instead of cup shaped, so the rice falls off the sides when you take too much and you'd have to use a knife to square it up on the sides.

So give it a try, why not? But if you can't manage (like a lot of Westerners can't manage to eat with chopsticks) just use a spoon.

Answer 12

If you refer to rice dishes as having rice on a plate with something on top of it (eggs, curry, stir fry meat and vegetable, etc), it is perfectly fine to eat it with fork and spoon. Asian people actually eat stir fried rice with fork and spoon because it is easier to eat and less messy than using chopstick or hand.

The situation that you use chopsticks to eat rice would be the case where the rice is being put in a bowl and the other dishes are put on separately plate. You can use chopsticks stuff up and put on your rice bowl. You can lift up your bowl close to your mouth and use chopsticks to move the rice in. If using chopsticks to pick up dishes seem to be difficult or getting messy, ask for spoon(s) allocate for each dish (think of it as buffet style).

In most of the case, people would not care how you eat your own food. Unless you start causing a scene that get people attention.

Answer 13

A spoon is more than OK - in fact I as a Swede prefer using that to eat rice.

So no, it wouldn't be rude or strange.

Answer 14

It is not rude. It will be awkward if you are in a place where everyone else uses a spoon for rice and you are using a fork.

It will be the same as if you are trying to ask for chopsticks in some western restaurant.