Table manners

[Viking]

10 hours ago, Lieutenant Dan said:

Table manners? 

From a Westerner's point of view, saying these two words together sounds almost like an oxymoron in the Philippines. However, every culture has their own unique idea of what good "table manners" should be. When in the Philippines, just accept whatever the locals do at the dining room table, since whatever they're doing is usually the local acceptable way of eating.

Well, when listening to others experiences it seems like it's not that obvious that there has to be "bad" table manners. It sounds more like it depends on how they are taught.

I also realized that not everyone behaved this way, some had table manners and others did not. That was feeling a bit strange to me.

I have been eating with poor people that still had table manners so it's not a question of the economical situation either.

[Gas]

On 1/4/2023 at 9:20 AM, Onemore52 said:

It reminds me of my days working on drilling rigs in Malaysia, where the locals would eat with their hands, rice and all, so we put up a security screen to protect us from the sight of it.

Why did you find eating rice with their hands so unpleasant? 
I’m sure over the years you and I have both eaten plenty of foods with our hands. For example something from the chippy is usually eaten by hand. 
 

Boodle Fights are very common in the Philippines. 

During my early years in the Philippines I worked as a chain saw operator some days and was also involved picking/buying and selling native fruits. Was a every day occurrence that we would eat our food together on a large banana leaf whilst working in the jungle. 

Edited January 5, 2023 by Gas

[Viking]

41 minutes ago, Gas said:

Why did you find eating rice with their hands so unpleasant? 
I’m sure over the years you and I have both eaten plenty of foods with our hands. For example something from the chippy is usually eaten by hand. 
 

I actually don't have a problem if people eat with their hands, if done in a "good" way. It's not so nice when they do it without washing hands before eating and picking their nose, when they eat from the serving plate.

I attended something called a "Boodlefight" once. I am sure many of you are aware of it. Lots of food on a table and everyone was supposed to dig in with their hands. It wasn't my preferred way of having a pleasant meal but each to their own.

[Freebie]

Used to be a chain of restaurants called Kamayan  ( which means hand )  not sure if they still exist but it was all eating by hands.

Would often take visitors new to Philippines there, and everyone enjoyed the whole eating with hands thing, as it was new or unusual for them.

[Dave Hounddriver]

31 minutes ago, Freebie said:

Used to be a chain of restaurants called Kamayan  ( which means hand )  not sure if they still exist but it was all eating by hands.

Reminds me of a restaurant that served a "Boodle Fight" meal where all the dishes go in the center of a crowd and they all dig in to get their share.

[hk blues]

15 hours ago, Lieutenant Dan said:

Table manners? 

From a Westerner's point of view, saying these two words together sounds almost like an oxymoron in the Philippines. However, every culture has their own unique idea of what good "table manners" should be. When in the Philippines, just accept whatever the locals do at the dining room table, since whatever they're doing is usually the local acceptable way of eating.

Yes...and maybe no!

When out and about in restaurants (local style, not high-end) I rarely see examples of particularly bad manners as we've been chatting about.  Cutlery is provided as standard so it's not as if it's unusual.  Admittedly, not all use it but I don't consider it rude to eat with hands anyway - unless it's soup of course! 

I guess it's no different to our own countries where folk behave better in public than at home.   

[Possum]

2 hours ago, Freebie said:

Used to be a chain of restaurants called Kamayan  ( which means hand )  not sure if they still exist but it was all eating by hands.

Would often take visitors new to Philippines there, and everyone enjoyed the whole eating with hands thing, as it was new or unusual for them.

There are Kamayan places near me, pretty good food too. But meals come with spoons, forks etc. All food is brought out on banana leaves but you spoon it onto your plate.

[JJReyes]

On my first visit to London as a teenager with my family, I was shocked to see older men and women using the back of their forks to shovel food into their mouths.  At least their children and grandchildren, the McDonalds hamburger generation, learned to eat with their fingers just like Filipinos.  That's progress.  

Anyway, the point is each country has their own dining etiquette.

[gbmmbg]

6 hours ago, hk blues said:

Cutlery is provided as standard so it's not as if it's unusual

That's easy for you to say. My last 3 years in the navy was on Admiral's staff. The 3 star I worked for loved to drag me to all the black tie dinners knowing how much I hated it. Normally its easy, start from the outside and use your way in each serving...... until you get invited to a dinner at the french embassy. I had no idea what half of the cutlery was used for. lol I shit you not it looked just like this.... 

Edited January 5, 2023 by gbmmbg

[jimeve]

10 hours ago, Viking said:

Well, when listening to others experiences it seems like it's not that obvious that there has to be "bad" table manners. It sounds more like it depends on how they are taught.

I also realized that not everyone behaved this way, some had table manners and others did not. That was feeling a bit strange to me.

I have been eating with poor people that still had table manners so it's not a question of the economical situation either.

Indeed, manners cost nothing, My parents were working class but they bought me up and my siblings with impeccable manners.