The only one I really would avoid is passing things between or touching chopsticks together. This is reminiscent of Japanese funeral rituals and thus considered rude to do at the table.
The others are more about common sense and trying to help you enjoy the sushi as the chef intended:
They are bite-sized pieces, designed as a flavour combination, so don’t break them up in any way
If you don’t want rice, sashimi is a good way to get that
Putting too much soy sauce on the rice can make it fall apart
(real) Wasabi is delicate and mixing it with soy sauce will certainly destroy its subtle flavour. In any case in a high-end place the sushi chef will have added everything that’s intended as part of the flavour combination before serving the sushi, so adding stuff is not necessary
But again, these are suggestions. Enjoy the sushi how you like, you’re not hurting anyone.
Seattle’s best bang-for-the-buck experience hands down, Shiki, in lower queen anne. One of the few places certified to server Fugu, but even if you don’t go for the exotic stuff, an amazing spot.
Generally, if you want to pass food to someone, put it on a plate so they can pick it up themselves.
The only reason to use the back of the chopsticks, is if there is a shared plate of food in the center without a separate set of serving chopsticks. Taking from the shared plate with chopsticks that have been in your mouth could be considered unhygienic. You can use the back of the chopsticks to move the food to your own plate, then eat it.
However this is more like advanced etiquette and not a crucial rule, in my opinion. The only really bad things to avoid are sticking your chopsticks upright into rice and passing food between chopsticks.
Now in fairness we dont know how high end this Sushi place is, if its a place where your paying for the experience its more understandable but It does read a little bit passive agressive.
Yep. To turn the tables, is anyone going to stop you if you order a well-done steak and douse it in ketchup? Probably not unless you’re at a very high end establishment, but will it come off as uncultured, rude to the chef and raise a few eyebrows? You bet.
Likewise, there are Italian places where they will outright refuse to cut your pizza for you or to put parmesan on seafood pasta. British high tea is loaded with rules for serving and consumption order. Lots of cultures have these rules and expectations.
This is a helpful guide to general politeness and etiquette in a culture that highly prizes those things. It’s meant to be helpful to those who care. Why people are shitting on it as some show of defiance is beyond me and comes off childish as all hell.
I love seeing everyone try to reason their way out of accepting a polite request that literally says that it’s not mandatory.
The only one I really would avoid is passing things between or touching chopsticks together. This is reminiscent of Japanese funeral rituals and thus considered rude to do at the table.
The others are more about common sense and trying to help you enjoy the sushi as the chef intended:
But again, these are suggestions. Enjoy the sushi how you like, you’re not hurting anyone.
well put. and I’d add: support your local talent.
Seattle’s best bang-for-the-buck experience hands down, Shiki, in lower queen anne. One of the few places certified to server Fugu, but even if you don’t go for the exotic stuff, an amazing spot.
I was taught to pass food with the back end of the chopsticks, not the part that goes in your mouth. Is that your understanding as well?
Generally, if you want to pass food to someone, put it on a plate so they can pick it up themselves.
The only reason to use the back of the chopsticks, is if there is a shared plate of food in the center without a separate set of serving chopsticks. Taking from the shared plate with chopsticks that have been in your mouth could be considered unhygienic. You can use the back of the chopsticks to move the food to your own plate, then eat it.
However this is more like advanced etiquette and not a crucial rule, in my opinion. The only really bad things to avoid are sticking your chopsticks upright into rice and passing food between chopsticks.
Passing to their plate, not their chopsticks.
Wait, you don’t pick it off the leaf on the person, and put it directly in your friend’s mouth?
No, but I prechew it for them for easy digestion. Its a courtesy in my culture.
You still add Wasabi and soy sauce before eating though.
Both? I always do one or another. It’s nice variety too, if you have an entire roll of the same thing.
Now in fairness we dont know how high end this Sushi place is, if its a place where your paying for the experience its more understandable but It does read a little bit passive agressive.
Yep. To turn the tables, is anyone going to stop you if you order a well-done steak and douse it in ketchup? Probably not unless you’re at a very high end establishment, but will it come off as uncultured, rude to the chef and raise a few eyebrows? You bet.
Likewise, there are Italian places where they will outright refuse to cut your pizza for you or to put parmesan on seafood pasta. British high tea is loaded with rules for serving and consumption order. Lots of cultures have these rules and expectations.
This is a helpful guide to general politeness and etiquette in a culture that highly prizes those things. It’s meant to be helpful to those who care. Why people are shitting on it as some show of defiance is beyond me and comes off childish as all hell.
Lemmites love being difficult thran bastards.