从这几篇 英语 作文 中，可以适当了解到中西饮食 文化 的巨大差异。下面是我给大家带来中西饮食文化差异英语作文，供大家参阅!
The Food Culture Difference Between China and West Studying food cultural differences, we can find out a joint enhancing the communication between China and the west through a comprehensive study of the subject. It may be a great help to the communication of the Chinese and western cultures.
Diet is actually the contents of our daily lives. It has special status in the Chinese culture, and it also has a great distinction between China and the west. As one of the world ancient nations, China’s diet has a history almost as long as that of Chinese civilization. But in western countries, ancient thinkers devoted less attention to the food problem than the Chinese philosophers did.The differences in concepts, targets, patterns, attribution and nature had reflected the different dietary culture in the different state characteristic.
Differences in Concepts
Chinese diet is a sense of beauty diet and pays attention to the "color, flavor, taste " regardless of the nutrition . Chinese people hanker on a diet is just the “mood” that is difficult for one to say anything. Even using the "color, flavor, shape and implement "which people often said to make the" realm "reification, is still difficult to crown all.
The major differences of eating culture between the West and China
a.The use of tableware
As we all know, chopsticks is our traditional tableware. We use chopsticks and spoon mostly and cups,plates,bowls and saucers are essential.The western use knife and fork.to eat..Their knifes can be divided into consumption knife, meat knife, friet knife, butter knife, fish knife and so on. The also have many kinds of forks like consumption fork, fish fork, and lobster fork.
b.The way to cook
China has very rich kind of cooking methods, such as braising, quick boiling, scaling, stewing, gradual simmering, slow red cooking, steaming, decoction and so on, up to more than thirty kinds. Besides, the dishes cooked with these methods are numerous. That is why Chinese feel it is very interesting to cook, while the Westerners emphasize too much on scientific diet and the collocation of nutrition. They cook according to scientific disciplines all the time, which is mechanized and monotonous, therefore without any joy.
c.The order of saving dishes
In a Chinese banquet cold dishes are the first served, next the hot dishes and the main course come with the following of soup, then follows the main food or desserts. Fruits often come the last. In a western banquet the serving order is different. The first course of Western dinner is appetizer. Appetizers have specific flavors, mainly salty or sour. They are few in amount but high in qualities. Different from Chinese dinners, the second course of Western dinner is soup. Western soup can be divided into four kinds, clear soup, cream soup, vegetable soup and cool soup which can be divided into more kinds. The third course of a Western dinner is non-stable dish. Usually, aquatic products, eggs, bread is called non-stable dish. The fourth course of Western dinner is the main course, which contains meat and bird species. The fifth course of Western dinner is dishes made of vegetables. Westerners often eat raw vegetables, so vegetables are often made into salad. The six course of Western dinner is dessert, such as pudding, pancakes, ice cream, cheese and fruits. The last course contains beverage, coffee or tea.
The Western diet culture difference
Western diet due to geographical characteristics, influence of
climate factors such as environment, customs, appears in the ingredients, flavors, cooking methods, different degrees of differences in eating habits. It is because of these differences, diet has a strong regional character. Differences between Chinese and Western culture makes a difference of Chinese and Western food culture, and this difference from the West in ways of thinking and policy. Chinese focus on "Heaven", Westerners focus on "people-oriented".
Nutrition and delicious(营养与美味)
Due to West philosophy thought of different, Westerners Yu diet heavy science, heavy science is emphasizes nutrition, so Western diet to nutrition for highest guidelines, eating like for a bio of machine added fuel, special emphasizes food of nutrition components, protein, and fat, and carbohydrates, and vitamin and the various inorganic elements of content is match expedient, calories of supply is right, and these nutrition components is can for eating who full absorption, has no other side effects. Knowledge of these problems are cooking, and how color,
fragrance and taste of the dishes, it is first requested. Sanhedrin Premier diet in Western countries--France, its food culture in many ways and we
approximate, but access to nutritional problems, will open the distance between the two sides.
Five flavors mixed with the operation aimed at the pursuit of delicious cooking in China, during the processing of the hot frying and slow fire attack for a long time may cause destruction of the nutritional components of food. France is also the pursuit of delicious cooking, but at the same time not forgetting "nutrition" that premise, consistently delicious is that they do not care nutrition for the taking. Especially modern cooking trends occurred in the 1960 of the 20th century, with special emphasis on health, diet, to the pursuit of light oil, emphasized the use of fresh raw materials, stressed during the cooking process to
maintain original nutrition and taste, so vegetables are eaten raw. So that the Western diet nutrition is universal。
To be fair, when it comes to nutritional problems also hit the biggest weakness of the Chinese food。
While we pay attention to diet, a healing cuisine, food, attention to diet to keeping fit, but we cook in search of delicious as the first
requirement, resulting in many nutrient losses in the process. Chinese chefs to participate in cooking contest in the world in recent years, others set out clearly a vegetable nutritional components on the side, we come up with this material. People ask questions, also flounder at some
moment, greatly eat the suffering which cannot be told to others!
We have always been primary purpose is as a pursuit of delicious eating. Folk saying "to eat for days, fresh taste first." When people praise the food and always says "smell good", but that is because we feel the color, flavor and sensory organs "eyes, nose and mouth" up and down the order. People in the "color, smell and taste", has always been the "" character "King".
Because of the extreme importance to the Chinese people, as well as the carrier of Chinese food just tastes, such as recognized luxury menu your cake and the sauce, shark fin, sea cucumber, hump, similar to its main constituents are cheap pork skin gelatin, itself is delicious, fresh soup to feed it, feed it, then use it to feed the people. Did this is not the flavor carriers to the core﹖
The Chinese emphasis on taste, is reflected in everyday conversation, such as family banquet, as soon as the main dish on the side table, the owner often say with modesty: "the meal well, not necessarily your taste. "He would never say:" does not have much nutritional value of vegetables, not enough calories。”
Cook about nutrition in the West at the expense of taste, at least for
primary purpose is not to taste enjoy. They to cold drink table, iced of cold wine also to then plus ice, and tongue surface throughout of taste neural once iced, will greatly lost taste of sensitivity, gradually to cannot differentiation taste; that with blood of steak and white fish, and white meat, raw of vegetable, white water Cook beans, and cook potatoes, although has "taste" and does not into "road", all are reflect has Western people on taste of ignored. They refuse to use monosodium glutamate, is sufficient to prove that such people are not aware of, and are not "known view" guest of honour!
Based on the importance of nutrition, Westerners more raw
vegetables, not just raw tomatoes, cucumber, lettuce, is the cabbage, onion, broccoli (broccoli) are also eaten raw. So their "salad" is like a plate of rabbit feed, make it difficult for us to accept. Modern Chinese people also talk about nutrition and health, know vegetables upon heating, vitamins, is destroyed, so we all for Mong Kok hot fries. It also bring down the content of vitamins, but not completely lost, but taste was more than delicious rabbit feed. Nutrition and taste of Chinese modern
gastronomy to the pursuit of optimal balance under balance, of course, is also a "happy medium"。
Standard and optional(规范与随意)
Westerners in the diet emphasize science and nutrition, has acted strictly in accordance with the standard of science of the whole process of cooking, steak tastes the same from New York to San Francisco, steak dishes are only a limited number of tomato, potato, lettuce. In addition, standardized amount of cooking requires sauce added accurate to the gram, cooking time is accurate to seconds. In addition in 1995 of the first issue of the digest was published overseas the eating in the Netherlands were also described in the article "Netherlands people's kitchens equipped with scales, liquid measuring cups, timers, scales, Spice rack size line up neatly on a standard bottle dozens of kinds of seasonings, like a chemical laboratory. ”
Chinese cooking and very different, not only the major cuisine has its own flavor and characteristics, is of the same cuisine with a menu, side dishes and a variety of spices used in the match, also according to the chef's personal characteristics are different. Is the same Chef a menu, despite its own generating method, but may vary according to different seasons, different, eat different identity, to be adjusted (such as rich in winter, light in the summer, the wedding to be colorful, funeral banquet taboos red Qiong Han to kill oil-greedy should be concentrated and thick sauce, gormandizer dine together should be fresh and unique). Also Cook your own tele mood changes, some kind of impromptu playing. Therefore, Chinese cooking is not only not emphasizing the second and g
standardization, but also places particular emphasis on randomness.
On the randomness of the food processing, first causing the Chinese recipes to space again and expanding: variety of raw materials, cutting skill variety, variety of spices, cooking methods and diverse and cross combination, a raw material can be made of several dozen types of dozens of kinds of dishes. For example, most commonly used raw
chicken, Cantonese cuisine chef hands, making dozens of road as well as hundreds of dish-LEGO. Other raw materials as well. And in is rich in a species raw materials of local, often can to this a raw materials made into table of Banquet, as Beijing of "full duck I", Yanbian of "full dog I", Guangdong of "full fish I", and "full Ho I", Changsha Li He WINS of "full cattle I", Beijing some halal restaurant of "full sheep I" and Beijing sand pot home of "full pig I", misery are reflected has China cooking of arbitrary derived out feast of dish type.
Machinery and interest(机械性与趣味性 )
Due to the standardization of Western dishes make, Cook became a mechanical work. Old KFC fried chicken recipe ingredients, and oil temperature, time of fried chicken, also must act strictly according to the specifications, and Chef's work becomes an extremely monotonous mechanical work, he is like an automated assembly line worker, or even by a robot that took its time. In addition, Westerners eat first aimed at
nutrition, as long as enough nutrition standards, others to be tolerant, thus today potatoes, steak, steak potatoes tomorrow, chefs in Diners in a very tolerant attitude of non-critical, repeated the day of mechanical work, of course, no fun at all.
In China, the cooking is an art, as female writer San Mao hotel in the desert article says: "I have always been on the family are hated, but the cooked dish is very interested, some onion, a few slices of meat,
scrambled out of a dish, I very much appreciate the art. "Cooking is an art, it is, like the other arts, reflects the rigor and the unity of off the cuff, so cooking has a very strong interest in China, even with certain games, attracted to food for the life of the Chinese people.
Fun cooking is traditional in China, drawing of Han dynasty
unearthed in the kitchen, would like an acrobatic troupe performed scenes. In the beauty of Du Fu's "machete fenlun" poetry, mention of this on the back of a knife a lot of bells, and is said to be the former chef of the Tang dynasty can be used while cutting the tinkle of music is played. Unfortunately, this tool and surgeon's skills have been lost.
Mongolian hot pot, and with similar spicy hot pot, Guangdong, Sichuan seafood hot pot is widely loved, in the fresh and hot, eat at ease,
and it moved to the main part of the cooking table, for people to
experience the fun of cooking over dinner. Also Xian with mutton soup, steamed bun of the very hard, to guests yourself broke to pieces, seems to eat than Cook chopped up and enjoy. Beijing-style "barbecue season" barbecue was disappointing, an exclamation he ' ll never be, is that it also changed it yourself "gentleman's not his fists". This modified, modified to have lost all interest in Sth., eating is not hard, it is not know how fun cooking in China, arbitrary orders out of the tragedy of such a pursuit of joy of cooking, Chef is definitely not in the West. Western motto is "work while you work, game game", it appears from the dichotomy of their mechanism, games are in dereliction of duty, game is to lose money on the sale, are "I don't." Advocates for a holistic and Chinese, "working in the game, a game in which", is the world.
Cooking Chinese have always regarded as a lot of fun, and to engage in this work to enrich the lives of positive performance. Youdaoshi "there is paradise, there are kitchen" cooking in China, just as with music, dance, poetry, painting, with improving the life realm of great significance.
So, in the final analysis is the difference between the perceptual and the rational. However, the difference seems to be changed with the development of science of fuzzy. More and more Chinese people to not only pay attention to color, smell and taste of the food, and pay more attention to the health and nutrition. Particularly experienced after SARS.
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。
略谈中西方饮食文化差异
餐饮产品由于地域特征、气侯环境、风俗习惯等因素的影响，会出现在原料、口味、烹调方法、饮食习惯上的不同程度的差异。正是因为这些差异，餐饮产品具有了强烈的地域性。中西文化之间的差异造就了中西饮食文化的差异，而这种差异来自中西方不同的思维方式和处世哲学。中国人注重“天人合一”，西方人注重“以人为本”。
这里简要从下面三个方面谈谈中西方饮食文化的差异。
一、两种不同的饮食观念
对比注重“味”的中国饮食，西方是一种理性饮食观念。不论食物的色、香、味、形如何，而营养一定要得到保证，讲究一天要摄取多少热量、维生素、蛋白质等等。即便口味千篇一律，也一定要吃下去——因为有营养。这一饮食观念同西方整个哲学体系是相适应的。形而上学是西方哲学的主要特点。西方哲学所研究的对象为事物之理，事物之理常为形上学理，形上学理互相连贯，便结成形上哲学。这一哲学给西方文化带来生机，使之在自然科学上、心理学上、方法论上实现了突飞猛进的发展。但在另一些方面，这种哲学主张大大地起了阻碍作用，如饮食文化。在宴席上，可以讲究餐具，讲究用料，讲究服务，讲究菜之原料的形、色方面的搭配；但不管怎么豪华高档，从洛杉矶到纽约，牛排都只有一种味道，无艺术可言。作为菜肴，鸡就是鸡，牛排就是牛排，纵然有搭配，那也是在盘中进行的，一盘“法式羊排”，一边放土豆泥，旁倚羊排，另一边配煮青豆，加几片番茄便成。色彩上对比鲜明，但在滋味上各种原料互不相干、调和，各是各的味，简单明了。
中国人是很重视“吃”的，“民以食为天”这句谚语就说明我们把吃看得与天一样重要。由于我们这个民族几千年来都处于低下的生产力水平，人们总是吃不饱，所以才会有一种独特的把吃看得重于一切的饮食文化，我想，这大概是出于一种生存需要吧。如果一种文化把吃看成首要的事，那么就会出现两种现象：一方面会把这种吃的功能发挥到极致，不仅维持生存，也利用它维持健康，这也就是”药补不如食补”的文化基础；另一方面，对吃的过份重视，会使人推崇对美味的追求。
在中国的烹调术中，对美味追求几乎达到极致，以至中国人到海外谋生，都以开餐馆为业，成了我们在全世界安身立命的根本！遗憾的是，当我们把追求美味作为第一要求时，我们却忽略了食物最根本的营养价值，我们的很多传统食品都要经过热油炸和长时间的文火饨煮，使菜肴的营养成分受到破坏，许多营养成分都损失在加工过程中了。因而一说到营养问题，实际上就触及到了中国饮食文化的最大弱点。民间有句俗话：“民以食为天，食以味为先”。就是这种对美味的追求，倒使我们忽略了吃饭的真正意义。
中国人在品尝菜肴时，往往会说这盘菜“好吃”，那道菜“不好吃”；然而若要进一步问一下什么叫“好吃”，为什么“好吃”，“好吃”在哪里，恐怕就不容易说清楚了。这说明，中国人对饮食追求的是一种难以言传的“意境”，即使用人们通常所说的“色、香、味、形、器”来把这种“境界”具体化，恐怕仍然是很难涵盖得了的。
中国饮食之所以有其独特的魅力，关键就在于它的味。而美味的产生，在于调和，要使食物的本味，加热以后的熟味，加上配料和辅料的味以及调料的调和之味，交织融合协调在一起，使之互相补充，互助渗透，水乳交融，你中有我，我中有你。中国烹饪讲究的调和之美，是中国烹饪艺术的精要之处。菜点的形和色是外在的东西，而味却是内在的东西，重内在而不刻意修饰外表，重菜肴的味而不过分展露菜肴的形和色，这正是中国美性饮食观的最重要的表现。
在中国，饮食的美性追求显然压倒了理性，这种饮食观与中国传统的哲学思想也是吻合的。作为东方哲学代表的中国哲学，其显著特点是宏观、直观、模糊及不可捉摸。中国菜的制作方法是调和鼎鼐，最终是要调和出一种美好的滋味。这一讲究的就是分寸，就是整体的配合。它包含了中国哲学丰富的辩证法思想，一切以菜的味的美好、谐调为度，度以内的千变万化就决定了中国菜的丰富和富于变化，决定了中国菜菜系的特点乃至每位厨师的特点。
二、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。
据西方的植物学者的调查，中国人吃的菜蔬有600多种，比西方多六倍。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缕万丝的联系。他们视动物为“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。
三、饮食方式的不同
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。人们相互敬酒、相互让菜、劝菜，在美好的事物面前，体现了人们之间相互尊重、礼让的美德。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。
西式饮宴上，食品和酒尽管非常重要，但实际上那是作为陪衬。宴会的核心在于交谊，通过与邻座客人之间的交谈，达到交谊的目的。如果将宴会的交谊性与舞蹈相类比，那么可以说，中式宴席好比是集体舞，而西式宴会好比是男女的交谊舞。由此可见，中式宴会和西式宴会交谊的目的都很明显，只不过中式宴会更多地体现在全席的交谊，而西式宴会多体现于相邻宾客之间的交谊。与中国饮食方式的差异更为明显的是西方流行的自助餐。此法是：将所有食物一一陈列出来，大家各取所需，不必固定在位子上吃，走动自由，这种方式便于个人之间的情感交流，不必将所有的话摆在桌面上，也表现了西方人对个性、对自我的尊重。但各吃各的，互不相扰，缺少了一些中国人聊欢共乐的情调。
所以，归根结底还是感性与理性之间的差异。但是，这种差异似乎在随着科学的发展而变的模糊。越来越多的中国人以不再只注重菜的色、香、味，而更注重它的卫生与营养了。尤其是在经历了非典以后。还有，人们因为越来越繁忙的工作，觉得中餐做起来太麻烦，不如来个汉堡方便等。这样一来在饮食上差异也就不太分明了。
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.
