Diet idea the Europeans said that in the world has three big good food, in each edition has China and France, only then actually had different explanations about third, has said that was Italy, also had said that was countries' and so on Turkey, Tunisia or Morocco. Although reaches a stalemate, but everybody has a mutual recognition, the diet often can reflect the different nationality aspect and so on habits and customs and cultural thought differences. one time hosts the banquet in the Chinese restaurant, on the hotel vegetable very slowly, unconscious has passed for nearly two hours, but the vegetable has as if only then gotten up half. Is first time attends the Chinese meal banquet near a place woman, cannot bear asks me, your Chinese treats on these many vegetables? I said that must be many in China, usually is above 10. She is very surprised, including said that China's banquet too has been really rich, China's good food is very no wonder famous. But after a while, she also asks me, has a phenomenon to be very strange: The Chinese eats meal each time on that many vegetables, can be why long so thinly. But France enters the vegetable to be very each time few, but is why fatter than the Chinese? I am at a loss for words for a while, but thought that she asks how many truth a little, because that day shares a table several Chinese appear quite emaciated, but several French are all tall and sturdy. Thinks that spoke an own idea with her: China is a hospitable nationality, only then on a table vegetable had only then thought that has not neglected the visitor. Sometimes moreover the Chinese pays great attention the form, therefore in China's cooking, the vegetable style is ever changing, makes concrete is fastidious about the color fragrance to each vegetable matching. But European as if some, are inferior to China obviously actually in the vegetable variety change high and low free time, what but is fastidious is its nutrition matching and the protection. This is, the French diet idea important difference, how many also reflected the French chemical property standard difference. each people have the color which to color understanding oneself like, a country and the nationality are also same, likes to the different color being possible to reflect a national or the national esthetic appeal and the likes and dislikes tendency overall. has one time bumps into an EU commission's pair of professor husbands and wives, mentions China national dress which in the Shanghai APEC conference various countries' leader puts on, they said are attractive, but has a point to be not too clear, why do the Asian leaders mostly put on red, but the Western leader has chosen the blue color. I said that the color is leader designates. The Asian country has the same cultural context probably, red in the Chinese culture, is also possibly representing lucky, the wealth in the entire Asian culture and propitious pleasant, therefore the Asian leaders as if by prior agreement have chosen red. I ask in reply them, what does the blue color represent in the Western culture? They said the westerner to believe that the blue color represents is calm and is calm. thinks that I also said the East and West cultural difference was really too big, for example the dragon in China was nationality's symbol, but had one in Belgium's Mongolian Si Shize to hit the dragon festival, the dragon is regarded as the devil, has been massacred by fable in protection sacred · Michelle, therefore did specially hits the dragon festival to congratulate that eliminated the disaster shortcoming to thank Michelle. Professor husbands and wives also approves the East and West cultural difference hugeness, and approves the culture to need to exchange. in thinking mode West's cultural difference also displays in many aspects, but simple summarizes is not actually complex: Reflected that to the thinking mode in is abstract and the embodiment difference, reflected that to the life manner in as if may understand is more practical for the westerner, but Chinese how many stresses some mental feeling. For instance compares French word and Chinese writing, this point is very obvious. The Chinese writing makes the word to pay great attention the image much, what but in the French more pays great attention to consider is the use value. Looks like in Chinese the name card, in the French translates literally is the card which the visit uses, but the aircraft carrier calls in the French to carry airplane's warship and so on, is embarks from the actual uses makes the word. But presses the glass plate which likely the picture uses, we are also the words which makes from its use value angle, but the French has been more direct-viewing, the literal translation is “places above the picture”. reflects to the drawing in is so. Everybody knew that the traditional Chinese painting greatly opens big he, splashes ink enjoyably the human body proportion which and optics principle is fastidious with the European oil painting and so on completely belongs to the technical category which two have nothing to do with one another, is as if very difficult to have the common language. Sometimes the European not too can understand that sometimes we too abstract art expression means that we also will think European's artistic skill too practical duty, deficient divine and wonderful spirit. Looked that sometimes in many European drawing history has been presented for the classics religious theme painting, the Chinese while sighs its technique practical exquisite, also will sigh with emotion European master the imagination the deficiency: In order to explain that the angel is flying, must give these lovable young and clevers to add on a pair of wing. But our ancestor has not also drawn several thousand years, how many white clouds adds on nearby these beautiful female celestial, they have not flown? Has the ideal condition, has the imagination space. this is the cultural difference. But, the difference brings not always the difference, it gave culture masters of art to leave behind the broad creation space exactly, if could find an accurate combining site, not only that will give two nationalities, will also give the entire world to bring one kind to have forgives the significance the harmony and beautiful, for instance Zhao Wuji's painting manifested the inexhaustible charm which the culture blended
饮食观念
欧洲人都说世界上有三大美食，每一个版本里都有中国和法国的，只有关于第三家却说法不一，有说是意大利的，也有说是土耳其、突尼斯或摩洛哥等国的。尽管相持不下，但大家都有个共识，饮食常能反映出不同民族的生活习惯和文化思维等方面的差异。
一次在中餐馆举行宴会，饭店菜上得很慢，不知不觉中过去了近两个小时，但菜似乎才上了一半。临座的一位女士是第一次参加中餐宴会，忍不住问我，你们中国人请客都上这么多菜吗？我说，在中国还要多，通常是10道以上。她很惊讶，连说中国的宴会实在太丰富了，难怪中国的美食很有名。但过了一会儿，她又问我，有个现象很奇怪：中国人吃饭每次都上那么多菜，可为什么都长得那么瘦。而法国入每次菜很少，但为什么都比中国人胖呢？
我一时语塞，但又觉得她问得多少有点道理，因为那天同桌的几个中国人都显得比较瘦弱，而几个法国人个个人高马大。想了想，和她讲了自己的一点想法：中国是个好客的民族，只有上了一桌子菜才觉得没怠慢客人。另外中国人有时候更注重形式，所以在中国的烹调里，菜的样式千变万化，具体到每一道菜又非常讲究色香味的搭配。而欧洲人似乎更实际一些，在菜的花色变化上下的工夫显然不如中国，但讲究的是其营养的搭配和保护。这是中、法饮食观念的重要差异，多少也反映出了中法文化性格的不同。
对色彩的认识
每个人都有自己喜欢的颜色，一个国家和民族也一样，对不同颜色的喜好从整体上可以反映出一个民族或者国家的审美情趣与好恶倾向。
有一次碰到欧盟委员会的一对教授夫妇，谈起上海APEC会议上各国领导人穿的中国民族服装，他们都说非常好看，但有一点不太明白，为什么亚洲领导人大多穿红色，而西方领导人则多选择了蓝色。我说颜色都是领导人自己选定的。大概亚洲国家有着相同的文化背景，红色在中国文化里，也可能在整个亚洲文化中都代表着幸运、财富和吉祥如意，所以亚洲领导人都不约而同地选择了红色。我反问他们，蓝色在西方文化里代表什么?他们说西方人认为，蓝色代表冷静和沉着。
想了想，我又补充说东西方文化差异实在是太大了，比如说龙在中国是民族的象征，而在比利时的蒙斯市则有一个打龙节，龙被视作恶魔，被传说中的保护神圣·米歇尔杀掉了，因此特意搞打龙节来庆贺除灾弊感谢米歇尔。教授夫妇也非常认同东西方文化差异的巨大，并认可文化需要交流。
思维方式
中西方的文化差异还表现在诸多方面，但简单加以概括其实并不复杂：反映到思维方式上是抽象和具象的差别，反映到生活态度上则似乎可以理解为西方人更加实用，而中国人则多少更偏重一些精神感受。比如把法语单词和中文文字加以比较，这一点就很明显。中国文字造词多注重形象，而法文里更多地注重考虑的是实用价值。像中文里的名片，法文里直译就是访问用的卡片，而航空母舰在法文里叫载飞机的军舰等等，都是从实际用途出发来造词的。而像压照片用的玻璃板，我们也是从其使用价值角度来造的词，但法国人就更加直观了，直译就是“放在照片上面的”。
反映到绘画上更是如此。大家都知道中国画的大开大阖、泼墨写意和欧洲油画讲究的人体比例和光学原理等完全是属于两个风马牛不相及的技术范畴，似乎很难有共同语言。欧洲人有时不太能够理解我们过于抽象的艺术表现手法，我们有时也会认为欧洲人的艺术技巧过于写实本分，缺乏灵气。看多了欧洲绘画史上被奉为经典的宗教题材画作，中国人有时在感叹其技法写实细腻的同时，也会感慨欧洲大师们想象力的贫乏：为了说明天使在飞，就非得给那些可爱的小精灵们加上一双翅膀。而我们的祖先不也画了几千年了吗，在那些美丽的仙女旁边加上几朵白云，她们不就飞起来了吗?多有意境，多有想象空间啊。
这就是文化的差异。但是，差异带来的并不总是分歧，它恰恰给文化艺术大师们留下了广阔的创作空间，如能从中找到一个准确的结合点，那不仅会给两个民族，而且也会给整个世界带来一种更具包涵意义的和谐与美丽，比如赵无极的画作就体现出了文化交融的无尽魅力。
中西文化历来是世界文化的两大派系，而饮食在两个文化中部占有非常重要的地位。中西文化之间的差异从而造就了中西饮食文化的差异，在两种不同的文化背景下，中西方饮食习俗，不论在其观念、性质，还是在其方式、对象等诸多方面，所存在的差异是非常鲜明的。笔者根据自己几十年从事西式餐饮的经验，提出以下几点看法，以供参考。
1、中西饮食观念的差异
历史上，中国是世界上最古老的国家之一，有5000年的悠久而厚重的历史，创造了无数的灿烂文明，在这种文化蕴藏中，使中国的饮食更加博大精深。随着时间的流逝以及辽阔国土的地域差异，四大菜系逐渐形成，四大菜系自成体系，各有特点，但共同点是用料复杂考究，制作方法复杂，口味、菜式多种多样，令人惊叹。
西方以欧美为代表，其文化同样源远流长。到中世纪，欧洲文化已十分完善，在此期间，旧西方的饮食文化已经形成。其主要特点为：主食以面粉为主，原料也较为丰富，制作方法较中国简单，但同时也十分注重口味。
由于中西哲学思想的不同，西方人于饮食重科学。重科学即讲求营养。故西方饮食以营养为最高准则，进食犹如为一生物的机器添加燃料，特别讲求食物的营养成分，蛋白质、脂肪、碳水化合物、维生素及各类无机元素的含量是否搭配合宜，热量的供给是否恰到好处以及这些营养成分是否能为进食者充分吸收，有无其他副作用。这些问题都是烹调中的大学问，而菜肴的色、香、味如何，则是次一等的要求。即或在西方首屈一指的饮食大国——法国，其饮食文化虽然在很多方面与我们近似，但一接触到营养问题，双方便拉开了距离。
中国五味调和的烹调术旨在追求美味，其加工过程中的热油炸和长时间的文火攻，都会使菜肴的营养成分被破坏。法国烹调虽亦追求美味，但同时总不忘“营养”这一大前提，一味含营养而求美味是他们所不取的。尤其是20世纪60年代出现的现代烹调思想，特别强调养生、减肥，从而追求清淡少油，强调采用新鲜原料，强调烹调过程中保持原有的营养成分和原有的味道，所以蔬菜基本上都是生吃。所以说西方饮食之重营养是带有普遍性的。
2、中西饮食对象的差异
西方人认为菜肴是充饥的，所以专吃大块肉、整块鸡等“硬菜”；而中国的菜肴是“吃味”的。所以中国烹调在用料上也显出极大的随意性：许多西方人视为弃物的东西，在中国都是极好的原料，外国厨师无法处理的东西，一到中国厨师手里，就可以化腐朽为神奇。足见中国饮食在用料方面的随意性之广博。
据西方植物学者的调查，中国人吃的菜蔬有600多种，比西方多6倍。实际上，在中国人的菜肴里，素菜是平常食品，荤菜只有在节假日或生活水平较高时，才进入平常的饮食结构，所以自古便有“菜食”之说，菜食在平常的饮食结构中占主导地位。中国人的以植物为主菜，与佛教徒的鼓吹有着千丝万缕的联系。佛教便视动物为“生灵”，而植物则“无灵”，所以，主张素食主义。
西方人在介绍自己国家的饮食特点时，觉得比中国更重视营养的合理搭配，有较为发达的食品工业，如罐头、快餐等，虽口味千篇一律，但节省时间，且营养良好。故他们国家的人身体普遍比中国人健壮：高个、长腿、宽大的肩、发达的肌肉；而中国人则显得身材瘦小、肩窄腿短、色黄质弱。有人根据中西方饮食对象的明显差异这一特点，把中国人称为植物性格，西方人称为动物性格。
3、中西钦食方式、餐具及礼仪的不同
中西方的饮食方式有很大不同，这种差异对民族性格也有影响。在中国，任何一个宴席，不管是什么目的，都只会有一种形式，就是大家团团围坐，共享一席；筵席要用圆桌，这就从形式上造成了一种团结、礼貌、共趣的气氛。美味佳肴放在一桌人的中心，它既是一桌人欣赏、品尝的对象，又是一桌人感情交流的媒介物。人与人相互敬酒、相互让菜、劝菜，在美好的事物面前，体现了人与人之间相互尊重、争让的美德。虽然从卫生的角度看，这种饮食方式有明显的不足之处，但它符合我们民族“大团圆”的普遍心态，反映了中国古典哲学中“和”这个范畴对后代思想的影响，便于集体的情感交流，因而至今难以改革。
在餐具方面，差异就更甚明显。众所周知，中国人包括亚洲一些黄种人的国家，使用的是筷子、汤匙，吃饭也用碗盛；而西方人呢，则是盘子盛食物，用刀叉即切即吃，喝汤则有专门的汤匙。筷子与刀叉作为东西方最具代表性的两种餐具，筷子和刀叉影响了东西方不同的生活方式，代表着不同的两种智慧。著名的物理学家、诺贝尔物理奖获得者李政道博士，在接受一位日本记者采访时，也有一段很精辟的论述：“中华民族是个优秀民族，中国人早在春秋战国时期就使用了筷子。如此简单的两根东西，却是高妙绝伦地运用了物理学上的杠杆原理。筷子是人类手指的延伸，手指能做的事它几乎都能做，而且不怕高温与寒冷。真是高明极了!”
在礼仪方面，中西两者更显不同。在中国古代，在用餐过程中，就有一套繁文缛节。《礼记·曲记》载：“共食不饱，共饭不择手，毋放饭，……毋固获，毋扬饭，……卒食，客自前跪，撒饭齐以授相者，主人辞于客，然后客坐。”这段话大意主要是：大家共同吃饭时，不可以只顾自己吃饭。如果和别人一起吃饭，必须检查手的清洁。不要把多余的饭放回锅里，不要专占着食物，也不要簸扬着热饭。吃完饭后，客人应该起身向前收拾桌上的盘碟，交给主人，主人跟着起身，请客人不要劳动，然后客人再坐下。这些礼仪有的在现代也是必要的礼貌。在西方宴席上，主人一般只给客人夹一次菜，其余由客人自主食用：若客人不要，也不便硬让人家再吃，也不要按中国人的习惯频频给客人劝酒、夹菜。吃东西时，也不要发出响声，但客人要注意赞赏主人准备的饭菜。若与人谈话，只能与邻座的交谈，不要与距离远的人交谈。
4、中西饮食性质的差异
饮食观念的不同，使西方饮食倾向于科学、理性，中国饮食倾向于艺术、感性。烹调出自饮食，饮食原来是一个旨在供给维持生命的营养。西方饮食习俗的着重点仅仅是原始的饮食实用性的延伸；而中国饮食习俗中对味的偏重，就把饮食推向了艺术的殿堂。从这两种饮食观可以看出：西方饮食日趋规范化，中，国饮食随意性大。
中西方饮食文化差异是明显的，而且各有长处。随着经济全球化及信息变流的加快，中西饮食文化将在碰撞中不断融合，在融合中相互互补。现在的中餐已开始注重食物的营养性、健康性和烹饪的科学性；西餐也开始向中餐的色、香、味、意、形的境界发展。中西餐饮文化将在交流中共同发展。
Eating Custom and Practice
American eating is funny. They eat almost everything with a fork, and it appears that holding a knife in one's right hand longer than a few seconds is considered to be against good table manners.
饮食的风俗和习惯
美国人的饮食习惯很有趣。 他们吃所有东西都用叉子。好像用右手拿刀几秒钟就被认为与好的桌上进餐礼仪相违背。
The system is that if it is absolutely necessary to use a knife, people take the fork in their left hand, and cut off a piece of meat or whatever it is in the normal manner. Then they put the knife down, transfer the fork to their right hand, and only then do they transport the food to their mouth. This is clearly ludicrous(滑稽可笑), but it is considered good manners.
这种用法就是如果绝对需要用刀的话， 人们就用左手拿叉， 按平常的方法切下移小块肉和者其它的东西。然后他们把刀放下，把叉转到右手， 只有这时他们才把食物送入口中。这显然很滑稽， 但却是被认为是好的礼仪。
There are several results of this system. First, if it is not absolutely necessary to use a knife, Americans don't use one, because obviously this greatly complicates(使复杂化) things, and you will therefore see them trying to cut things like potatoes, fish and even bacon(熏猪肉) with a fork. Second, towards the end of a course, since only one implement(器具) is being used, food has to do chased around the plate with the fork - and for the last mouthful the thumb has to be used to keep the food in place, although one is not supposed to do this.
这样做有几种结果。 首先，如果不是绝对需要用到刀， 美国人是 不用的。 因为这样使得事情复杂化了。所以你就会看到他们用叉来切土豆， 鱼， 甚至熏猪肉。其次， 由于只是用了一种器具， 在吃完一道菜时， 就要用叉来到处弄食物，最后一口往往就需要大拇指的帮忙， 虽然是不该用的。
Third, tables are generally laid with one knife and two forks, the outside fork being for the salad. There is no need for foreign visitors to follow the American system and try to eat the salad with only a fork, but if you do use your knife, remember to save it for the meat course.
第三， 桌上通常会放一把刀， 两把叉， 外面的叉是用于吃色拉的。 外国人是不必跟美国人一样试图用一把叉来吃色拉。但是如果你用刀，记得用来切肉类。
Even desserts(甜食) (except ice cream) are eaten with a fork if at all possible, and the spoon you see by your dessert is meant to be for coffee (but if you use it for your dessert no one will say anything).
在可能的情况下，甚至甜食(除了冰淇淋) 都用叉来吃，在你看到的甜品边上的小勺是给你的咖啡用的(但是如果你用它来吃甜品，没人会说什么。
参考文献：词典
你可以从以下几点着手：
一．餐桌礼仪概述
1. 餐桌礼仪在中西方文化发展中的地位与作用。
二. 各国间不同的饮食文化
1. 我国饮食文化的发展及餐桌礼仪的形成。
2. 英、法、美、意等国家的饮食文化发展及餐桌礼仪的形成。
3. 用我国的典型食品北京烤鸭与西方国家的火鸡进行对比从而进一步比较两者差异。
4. 从差异中寻求中西文化间的共同点。
5. 形成中西方文化差异的根源。
Table Manners
The main difference between Chinese and W estern eating habits is that unlike the West, where everyone has their own plate of food, in China the dishes are placed on the table and everybody shares. If you are being treated by a Chinese host, be prepared for a ton of food. Chinese are very proud of their culture of food and will do their best to give you a taste of many different types of cuisine. Among friends, they will just order enough for the people there. If they are taking somebody out for dinner and the relationship is polite to semi-polite, then they will usually order one more dish than the number of guests (e.g.four people, five dishes). If it is a business dinner or a very formal occasion, there is likely to be a huge amount of food that will be impopssible to finish.
A typical meal starts with garlic. These are followed by the main courses, hot meat and vegetable dishes. Finally a soup is brought out, which is followed by the starchy "staple"food, which is usually rice or noodles or sometimes dumplings. Many Chinese eat rice (or noodles or whatever) last, but if you like to have your rice together with other dishes, you should say so early on.
One thing to be aware of is that when eating with a Chinese host, you may find that the person is using their chopsticks to put food in your bowl or plate. This is a sign of politeness. The appropriate thing to do would be to eat the whatever-it-is and say how yummy it is. If you feel uncomfortable with this, you can just say a polite thank you and leave the food there, and maybe cover it up with a little rice when they are not looking. There is a certain amount of leniency involved when dealing with Westerners. So you won't be chastised.
Eating No-no's
Traditionally speaking, there are many taboos at Chinese tables, but these days not many people pay attention to them. However, there are a few things to keep in mind, especially if you are a guest at a private home.
1) Don't stick your chopsticks upright in the rice bowl. Instead,lay them on your dish. The reason for this is that when somebody dies, the shrine to them contains a bowl of sand or rice with two sticks of incense stuck upright in it. So if you stick your chopsticks in the rice bowl, it looks like this shrine and is equivalent to wishing death upon a person at the table!
2) Make sure the spout of the teapot is not facing anyone. It is impolite to set the teapot down where the spout is facing towards somebody. The spout should always be directed to where nobody is sitting,usually just outward from the table.
3) Don't tap on your bowl with your chopsticks. Beggars tap on their bowls, so this is not polite. Also, in a restaurant, if the food is coming too slow people will tap their bowls. If you are in someone's home, it is like insulting the cook.
Eat Local
You can get expensive, delicious meals in any of the large hotels, but if you are looking for atmosphere, you have to go to a local joint. Not only is it cheaper, but you can get a good look at the locals and what normal people are like. And what the food lacks in presentation is made up for in the taste. Some restaurants have English menus, but don't count on it. A good way to choose dishes is to look at what othes are eating and point at it for the waitress. The other option is to play "Myatery Dinner," where players randomly point at items in the menu and wait for the surprise dishes to come. Whoever orders the braised dog heart with scallions in shark vomit sauce wins! If you bring your Guide with you, however, you can use the food guide in the back of the book to choose some safe and delicious fare.
Also, be sure to sample the local brew, Yanjing Beer.
Drining
Gan Bei!(cheers!)
Alcohol is a big part of eating in Beijing. Especially when dining with Chinese hosts, you can expect the beer to flow freely and many beis to be gan-ed.(Gan Bei literally means "dry the glass")Besides beer, the official Chinese alcoholic beverage is bai jiu, high-proof Chinese liquor made from assorted grains. There are varying degrees of bai jiu, and some are quite good. The Beijing favorite is called Er Guo Tou, which is a whopping 56% alcohol. More expensive and less formidable are Maotai and Wuliangye, which go for about 300-400 yuan per bottle. In comparison, Er Guo Tou costs a modest 4or 5 yuan per ping(bottle). If you are not a drinker, or don't feel up to the challenge, just say "wo bu hui he jiu"(I don't drink). It is generally acceptable to use Coke or tea as an alcohol substitute.
