Chinese food offers a wealth of different dishes that can satisfy a wide range of tastes. But to truly enjoy the cuisine, it’s best to reach for chopsticks rather than a fork. Eating with chopsticks can be intimidating to beginners, but keeping a few simple tips in mind will help you wield the utensils with ease. After a bit of practice, you’ll have no trouble using the tools as efficiently as other types of cutlery.

How to Use Chopsticks

1. Establish the Base

Before you dig into your Chinese food, you’ll need to anchor one of your chopsticks as the base. Grab one of the sticks with your dominant hand and hold it like you would a pencil. Only about one inch of the non-food end should be sticking out behind your forefinger and thumb. For more control, the middle of the stick should rest slightly on the inside of your ring finger. This chopstick acts as the base while you eat and shouldn’t move when you pick up food.

2. The Second Stick

The second chopstick as the important job of actually moving to pick up your Chinese food while eating. The non-food end of the stick should line up with the non-food end of the base stick. Then, the rest of the stick should pass between your middle and index fingers somewhere within the first joint. This is the basic neutral position of holding chopsticks.

3. Grabbing Food

Remember, the only stick that should move when grabbing your Chinese food is the second stick. To grab a bit, use your middle and index fingers as to maneuver the stick against your thumb to tighten or loosen your grip on the food. Try not to grip either stick too tightly; an easy clutch will allow you to move the sticks more smoothly to enjoy your meal. It might take a bit of practice, but you’ll have it down after only a few dishes.

Whether you’ve mastered chopsticks or need some more practice, Hong Wah Chinese Restaurant in Penfield, NY, provides the best dishes for you to practice. With a menu full of Chinese food classics such as egg foo young and Szechaun beef, you’re sure to find the perfect dish for practicing your chopstick skills. Visit the website to browse the menu or call (585) 385-2808 to place an order.