Marcy MinianoAh, yes — another internet-famous figure trying to tell non-white cultures to adhere to Western standards of formality. Remember the news in 2021 about a British etiquette expert saying Asians shouldn’t eat with their hands?
This time, it’s a TikTok tutorial on how to eat rice with a fork and knife. The video was uploaded by self-proclaimed British etiquette expert, Lucy Challenger. And as you might have guessed, many Asians were not too happy about it.
How to “properly” eat rice with a fork and knife, according to this influencer
Image credit: Lucy Challenger TikTok Page
In her tutorial, Lucy claimed that the “correct” way to eat rice is with a fork and knife. She also emphasised that during formal settings, one shouldn’t scoop or “shovel” the rice straight into the mouth. Instead, you need to push the rice grains onto the top of your fork with a knife, then “neatly place it” into your mouth.
The influencer has since taken down this odd video. But of course, as with most things on social media, nothing is ever completely removed forever. There are various reposts of the video making the rounds. See for yourself here.
At the same time, there are countless comments and reactions from different people — most of whom claim that the tutorial clearly shouldn’t be taken seriously. Below are some of the most memorable ones:
Granted, Lucy has also done tutorials on how to eat certain fruits — such as grapes and bananas. It seems as though she was merely trying to show her followers how to eat rice in a formal and highly Western setting.
Image credit: Lucy Challenger TikTok Page
However, since rice has never been a British thing, to begin with, it’s understandable why some would have negative feedback. For instance, why should Asians be taught by an outsider how to eat something that’s inherent in their culture? Or better yet, why is it even considered improper to use a spoon (or even chopsticks) in such a setting?
To this, we say: Thank goodness we’ll probably never have to follow this weird “rule” IRL anyway. But hey, if you’d personally like to try out this method, well then — you do you.
Also read: Brush Up on British Slang: 12 Most Common Words and Expressions to Learn
So, what do you think of this supposedly formal way to eat rice with a fork and knife? Go on and sound off at our Facebook page!
Featured image credit: towfiqu barbhuiya via Canva Pro; Facebook image credit: Lucy Challenger | TikTok
