There’s a lot to learn when it comes to formal Chinese dining. Sure, a simple pair of chopsticks and a soup spoon are a lot less intimidating than formal Western dining – what with its salad fork vs. entree fork vs. dessert fork, steak knife and butter knife both facing inward, spoons of all different depths and sizes, and more. However, everything from the seating arrangement at Chinese tables to how and who takes the first bite has a meaning.
Want to know how to seat your guests? Save this chart for reference the next time you dine out at a round table.
If you’re dining in a private room, then the seat facing the door is where the main host sits. From there, everyone else is seated accordingly.
If you’re not in a private room, then the seat that’s furthest away from where the waiters will deliver the food becomes the main host’s seat.
And just a quick pointer for when the food arrives: It’s impolite to start digging in without permission. Usually, the host will say a few words and then signal to the rest of the guests – leading by example here – when they can pick up their chopsticks and start eating.
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Images: Jingkids
