You Lost Me At Chopsticks

NYC Museum of Food and Drink ~ November 8 ~ November 22

Throughout history, chopsticks have had a symbiotic relationship with Japanese cuisine. From their humble beginnings as cooking utensils to paper-wrapped bamboo sets at the sushi counter, there’s more to chopsticks that meets the eye.

Capable of reaching deep into boiling pots of water or oil, early chopsticks were used mainly for cooking. It wasn’t until A.D 400 that people began eating with the utensils. This happened when a population boom across China forced cooks to develop cost-saving techniques. They began chopping food into smaller pieces that required less cooking fuel, and happened to be perfect for the precise grip of chopsticks.

As food became more bite-sized, knives became more or less obselete. Their decline, and chopstick’s ascent, also came courtesy of Confucius. As a vegetarian, he believed that sharp sutensils at the dinner table would remind eaters of the slaughterhouse. He also thought that knives’ sharp edges evoked violence, killing the peaceful mood that should exist during a meal.

We understand, chopsticks take some getting used to, and can be frustrating at times. While particpating in The Chopstick Game, be sure to reference this poster to help with your hand position, grip, and form. Keep practicing and you’ll be a chopstick master before you can even say Itadakimasu!

2ft x 3ft

NYC Museum of Food and Drink ~ November 8 ~ November 22