Nothing disgust me more when guests poke their chopsticks or spoon into dishes. It is a very common scene at chinese dinners I attend where everyone doesn’t give a s**t about hygiene and just grab food using their own utensils. Even when a spoon is provided and placed on the dish for everyone to use. I hate to say this but I notice patrons of the older generation are usually guilty of this unhygienic practise. I may be wrong but younger diners seem to be more aware of healthy table manners.

Either way, it doesn’t matter. I have yet to been to a dinner where someone doesn’t poke their utensils into the dish. As a result, I always strive to be the first off the block when the dishes arrive on the table. I would dash forward to grab a portion before everyone else stick their chopsticks into the dish. It’s ugly I know but far less disgusting than eating from a dish where there’s bits of their saliva from everyone at the table.