I remember having a huge portion at La Coupole and I couldn’t finish it. The server very haughtily asked me, “would you like a doggie bag?” I could tell he was teasing the American.
In Lithuania older men definitely follow the rule of filling the glass with wine for the ladies. One time I did a major faux pas, my mom had her glass empty and was looking at my dad for him to fill it and I saw that my father was not paying attention. So 13 year old me decided to fill the glass for my mother. Imagine the shock.
I have never understood what some people have against being vegetarian. My husband's parents are from India and are strict vegetarian. His father turns 90 this year.
Vegetarian here. I think I have to add that a good manner means please don't judge other people options for food. As the only vegetarian at the office, well.. It's so tiring to have people judge my plate😅
It's interesting to hear that every country has their own "rules" and traditions. Here, in Poland I can relate to some of the food rules You mentioned but there are also many other things we do that other people find weird. I guess that is what makes countries so unique in their own way and I'm here for it :>
For us in the US, many parents don't teach proper table etiquette because they cannot teach what they do not themselves know. At best they knew a couple of rules like don't put your elbows on the table, dont lick you knife, or don't talk with your mouth full. If one's parents or grandparents didn't teach proper manners at home there's nowhere else to learn about manners. There are no classes for manners or social etiquette, and it is not taught in Grade School, junior high, high school nor college.
I was nervous the first few times I sat down for a holiday meal with my in-laws. My parents both came from very poor families. They did teach table etiquette but maybe not everything. My in-laws came from well-to-do families. In retrospect it wasn’t too bad, except I wasn’t familiar with the order of utensil use. I had to get my wife to school me a little.
This was super interesting. I personally feel as though US food rules are too relaxed while French food rules are a bit strict. For example, when you spoke about it being strange to ask for food modifications in France-I don’t think it should be wrong to ask for modifications however I do admit here in the US people can go a bit overboard, almost altering the entire meal. Also it’s common in the US for customers to complain about their meal such as saying it’s over cooked/too salty, etc. Which I guess is ok however I feel if you want a meal cooked in such a precise way then maybe just cook it yourself at home. 😂
I am American (Ohio, USA) with a Romanian heritage. It is customary for dinner guests to arrive from 5 minutes before to 5 minutes after, but exactly on time if you can help it. Not eating before everyone is served is standard, unless that person says he doesn't mind and go ahead. But usually that is only at a restaurant and not at home. At home, you wait. Seems we also share customs on refilling drinks, and I agree with you about the ice. It's overdone in restaurants. Seems our table manners are the same. In my family, we don't bring cell phones to the table. In restaurants, we like to custom-order our meals, and we expect good service because we tip so much. We use doggy-bags or "to go" containers because "Waste not, want not."
In Colombia we are not really supposed to eat all the sauce on the plate and 'clean it', it's seen mostly as bad manners, specially since we don't eat bread with all our meals, so when I lived in France it was weird to see people do it and consider it almost rude if someone (usually me) didn't do it hahaha
Thank you for this, I'm from Canada and I'm going to spend a month in Nice next year so I feel it's very important to know about these things. I was surprised to hear it's not as normal to take food home with you there!
That’s so interesting to me. In Scotland, it’s common for people to ask for a container for any leftovers at a restaurant, and if someone asked to have shrimp removed from a pasta meal, chefs wouldn’t take offence, regardless of the reason. They’d assume the person is either veggie, or has an allergy. But that being said, the customer is always right mentality is extreme in the uk, and it causes a lot more hassle to not just do what’s been requested by the person paying. After all, if one restaurant won’t accommodate, another will, and it’s just bad business to restrict people’s food options when there’s so many places that can serve exactly what the person wants
I was raised in the US but was raised as a French Girl. My Grandpa was Finish, not Sure where my Grandma's heritage was from. Everything from the way we ate, thought about food, table manners and everything else so it seems. I would love to see France someday, that's why I decided to learn something. Feels like it would be so natural being there now.😊
The elbows on the table got to me. It brought me back to when I was 10. I put my elbows on the table and boy my dad got after me about that really bad. I haven't done that since.
In Portugal we also eat bread with *everything* (people here panic when there’s no bread at home) but it’s seen as rude to wipe your plate with it. I mean, we do it at home but it is not very polite to do it elsewhere. (Also bread here stoped being free at restaurante which is very sad😢). It’s interesting to look at differences between cultures even between two mediterranean countries
In germany, we have this rule of waiting for everyone to be served as well, also not having your ellbows on the table. I relate so much to the "extra wish" thing though, because I used to be a vegetarian (now vegan) and I often have to ask for stuff to be removed or omitted... Usually german staff will do it, but I tend to feel a liiittle judged sometimes, especially in more "classic" german restaurants, which are heavily meat based XD
@@alicia-hd2cs Worst is when ppl feel ATTACKED although you weren´t the one to start the conversation and simply answered all their questions trying to explain why YOU do it, not why anyone else should go vegan...
In Sweden almost every dinner is served with sauce/gravy (often cream based). :) When Swedes go abroad to Spain and such they are so disappointed that the only sauce available can often be a bit of olive oil or vinaigrette. My parents are Polish and when my Swedish partner eats at their house he's always asking where the sauce is lol
In the Netherlands its very common to eat mayonaise with your fries. I know im not supposed to ask for it but i love to do it in france because they also love their mayonaise so it will be available (dont know what they eat it with tho) and its often the most delicious freshly made mayonaise
I'm American, we were taught pretty much the same rules (except for the cheese and wine "rules"). I wish we said bon appetit here instead of something like, "dig in!", lol.
I love your videos about French culture and food. I'm in the US. A lot of the rules you mention were ones I was brought up on. I love cycling and hope to ride bikes in France some day.
Oh yes, I was always told "the fork goes to your mouth, not your mouth to the fork" 😅🙈 And nowadays I tell it to my daughter (8) too 😄 The "elbow-thing" is a thing over here too... very inpolite 😅🤷🏻♀️ Greetz from a Belgian living in Germany 😘
I’m Australian and I like to be casual about getting to things so I love the 15 minute late rule. My Dad always told us not to put our elbows on the table too. I would also use bread to wipe a plate clean!
On the other hand, here it is more customary to arrive even 10 - 5 minutes earlier (to have time to take off your outer clothes, greet the host and hostess, other guests, spend some time in conversation, and then go to the table). Being 15 minutes late is the maximum limit that can be left without a special reason.
The one thing that struck me about Europe when I visited was how much bread you all consume. In the US, bread is either something you eat without thinking about it (usually unhealthy eaters), are terrified of (whole 30, keto, carnivore), or it can only be whole wheat. There's so many politics about bread here. I love the idea of eating fresh bread with your meals, but how do you balance it? Like protein source, veggies, fats, carb on plate + extra carb in the form of bread?
The bread in the US is also garbage. There's no secret to eating bread lol. A few small pieces with a meal is fine, or replace the other carbs in your meal with good bread if you must. The French tend to eat smaller portions than Americans, far less processed food overall, and more fruits and vegetables, so there's no reason to worry about some bread with their meals.
Sorry I’m commenting as I watch lol.... in US we get such massive portions at restaurants that it’s almost a given to have to take the leftovers home because it’s basically 2+ meals on a plate and it’s so expensive that there’s no way I’m wasting that money 💴 and not taking it home! Haha
Old-fashioned is traditions....traditions are what make our country unique, each country is unique and has its own old-fashioned manners.👍😁🙏 It is good! Nos traditions sont nos racines et s'ancrent dans une histoire et un patrimoine culturel et gastronomique.😁 C'est important de les préserver. 1/or begin to eat WHEN the hostess begins the first bite!
My dad is french, lived there until he was seven. We live in the Netherlands and i have a dutch mum. I remember my parents hammering on the table manners. But i never seemed to pick up on the elbow thing. And some things like eating soup from a bowl make more sense for me to pick up the bowl to prevent spilling. But now I am puzzled wether these things came from my french dad or also my dutch mum. Maybe its just a french thing and the reason i never picked up on it bc i grew up in the Netherlands
Hi Lucie, some of the rules apply in the USA too but it depends on the class and age of people . At someone's house, you wait until the host or hostess lifts their fork elbows on a table are still frowned upon in polite society. Yes we do like our ice here in the USA. I don't unless it's a blazing hot summer day.I remember being in France and seeing people eat pizza and burgers with their knives and forks. If I saw this I followed suit.
Cold drinks trigger my IBS pain so people find it really odd (in US) that I drink room temperature water and if I have a diet soda or something I don’t put any ice in it and at restaurants I will tell them to do very little ice in my drink. Lol
Very good observation, especially on being invited over to a home dinner party. The French used to have these a lot (maybe not so now) The children are raised to have social table manners at a very early age, use knife and fork, dont speak...The hostess rlues and no one eats until told so and everyone is served. In America i was invited to a Thanksgiving dinner and about 12 people at the table and 3 people started eating before the host even made a toast to the guests. I was so shocked at the rude table manners and said "can people wait?" Then later the next day I was accused of being "too formal and people were hungry". In France table manners at someone's home is very important..you also dont get up and turn on the tv after 2 hours of eating,..Lol. I also don't care for waiting for a man to serve another glass of wine or having to make sure I don't get buzzed! Lol! After dinner is over, the women usually get together in the kitchen and clean up and gossip, and the men go outside and pass around harder brandies and gossip too until 2am! 😅
So what is the polite thing to do in France if you don’t drink alcohol? Wine seems to be served with everything - are you offered water or do you have to ask? Or do you just not touch your wine if you are served any, and then the host assumes you do not need a refill? Definitely wouldn’t want to offend by asking for something else, but I would also hate to waste a glass full of the host’s wine.
You can absolutely turn down wine and say that you don’t drink alcohol, good hosts will do their best to give you another option !! It’s also something you could mention beforehand so they can anticipate !!
I’m confused with the beginning. It’s rude to show up on time it’s ok to be late. If dinner is at 8 though arrive early for appetizers? I missed something, sorry.
I would say most of these rules apply in Argentina, too! Except in restaurants they never serve you tap water, and the waiters look at you weird when you ask for it. Also, doggy bags used to be a major faux pas (it was not seen as something very classy to do) but nowadays it's much more normal to ask for one! Makes sense, you paid for your meal, why not take the rest home with you?
Dinner is at 8 Wait to eat until everyone is served and ready to eat Serve others before yourself and refill others glasses and plates first Women shouldn’t serve their own wine Cheers and look person in the eye Don’t ask for drinks other than water or wine unless you are asking for a child No ice in drinks No elbows on table or knees Observe others behaviors and copy Customer isn’t king No modifications at restaurants Bread and water is free Use bread as utensil Don’t share main meal but acceptable for apps or desserts Not common for doggy bag
I’m French and I DO ALL OF THEM. Just one thing I don’t : Wiping my plate with bread at the restaurant. It’s known as a lack of manners and even education, I would embarrass the whole table by doing so. The plate has to be clean but not by using bread. I do it at home or at close friends’ though. (This is something that not everybody does, but in my family this is very important)
American restaurants often provide bread before a meal arrives. Americans eat bread the same way you do in France, including using it to clean our plates.
When I was a child and visited my country relatives, they always had bread at every meal and used it to push the food as well as wipe the plate with it as well. They usually had gravy that remained on the plate after the other food was eaten.
Yeah I do the same if I’m with a close family member like my tante I’ll eat veggie burgers and pizza with forks and knife 🍴 and I’ll look around to see if anyone is eating with their hands like if see more than 3 people eat with their hands then I’ll do the same .
I've never heard of a French person who didn't like french cheese! How can that be when there's more than two hundred types of cheese in France?Much love.❤
Eating with your hands is super normal in Bosnia and Herzegovina, you'll get weird looks for eating burek (meat pie) or ćevapi (beef sausages in a pita bread) with anything other than your hands!
I definitely eat like a French person with portion sizes and I almost never finish my whole meal cuz the servings are so big but I hate bringing home leftovers but don't want to waste it either 🙃 I also don't normally share entrees unless it's just a bite to see if I like it, or something like ribs & sushi then I'll split it if I won't eat a whole roll of each kind
You aren't allowed to put your arm down on your lap? How do you keep your napkin from falling on the floor? Seriously, if I don't hold my napkin down, it's going to end up on the floor. Maybe it's because my legs are shorter that the legs of the chair, so my lap slants downward, but if putting your arm down is super rude, what am I supposed to do?
Hi Lucie! I really wanna hear from you what you think about body detox. Like: doing a special detox diet. Since I heard from other professional nutritionist that it will not help or improve your body detox if you take special supplements or diet. The body already detoxes itself 24/7 since that’s its job. I wonder what what’s your opinion? Thanks 😊
Hi Natalya, I really think detox diets can do more harm than good and that the body doesn't need them, here's a video I made on the subject if you're interested!! ua-cam.com/video/lJkt7--t2eY/v-deo.html
Very helpful video, thank you. I shall bear this in mind when I dine with French friends and on my holidays in France. As an Englishman living in England a lot of the French table etiquette is what we also constitute as good manners in the UK though everything is changing now because of US influence.
cleaning one's plate with bread was done in the french countryside 50 years ago, when stews and other sauces were a daily occurrence. you won't find that in a city. on the other hand, I find it very pleasant not to have a mountain of ice in a glass, I find this american habit exasperating. in addition to giving a water taste to everything, there is in fact nothing in the glass. in fact I dread every trip under american influence, the chicken without taste, the cheeses with wax taste and others.
I completely agree with the maxim that you should more or less adhere to the local rules and table manners. However, there is too much "fear of getting funny looks" going on. For instance, it is your right to ask for a doggy bag. France is not a far-off desert island, and the staff have definitely heard of this custom even if they're not used to it. Also, vegetarianism is not a rare phenomenon anymore, it's very common and I believe most restaurants are adapting to it. Yes, some waiters may say it's not possible to modify the meal and they would have their reasons, but you should never accept being "judged" for it. You're paying for a meal, not to be educated. Rant over, bon appétit!🙂
Who cares if you are judged by a close-minded person or an animal-abuser. You should judge them for using tortured animals. And don't be ashamed or embarrassed to ask a plant-based substitute every time even if it annoys the staff! If you are having a lunch with your colleagues in a restaurant and there is no plant-based option which is sadly very often the case in Paris - that is THEIR shame!! Also, as a tourist, you have the right to visit Paris without having to respect the animal-protein based French kitchen (foie gras and cruel cheese and everything). When the proud French immigrate to Africa or America, nobody has a problem with them eating whatever the f*ck they want. Be proud of your conviction and solidarity with the animals. Tradition is never an excuse for animal cruelty. :)
Kind of intimidating! In Australia the food rules are much more relaxed, lol. Even in a nice restaurant it's weird if someone eats a burger or pizza with utensils; the people you're with will likely laugh or comment on it. The chef getting annoyed at you asking for no shrimp was surprising, especially since shellfish can be a serious allergy for some. Which made me wonder, are food allergies uncommon in France?
I am so surprised how similar this is to Australia (where I live in Australia anyway). Other than showing up slightly late which here is very rude (I was just at a dinner this past weekend where some people were this late and if was sooo awkward 😅). Everything else is the same at restaurants too (but is slowly changing), I have been explicitly told no to ice in a cocktail and a doggy bag before, so annoying!
as a british mum living in france with french kids i actually find all these differences annoying and i wish every country just had the same rules so that what i tell them can just be right. you didn't mention how the french think it's normal to not use a plate for breakfast. it drives me insane.
coucou, marion cotillard, gros bisous à toi de la californie ! j’adore ta voix parce qu’elle est très relaxante ! alors, j’adore que tu nous aies parlé sur le pain à la table ! je faisais ça même avant que je sois allé en france pour la première fois 😊 en fait, je comprends totalement ce que les chefs-cuisiniers ressentent quand les clients leur disent de faire des modifications pour un plat. alors, en tant qu’américain, c’est vraiment énervant aux états-unis d’entendre un client qui commande qqch comme : « moi, je prends le burger mais pas d’oignon, pas de tomates, du mayo au lieu du ketchup, avec du pain au blé au lieu du pain normal » et des trucs comme ça 😄 les chefs, spécialement les français, ont tres fiers et ils pensent qqch comme : « voilà, je prépare le plat comme ça et je veux que les saveurs se fassent ressortir comme ça et les clients n’apprécient pas mon travail ou ma connaissance culinaire quand ils font des modifications ». bien sûr, je crois que les chefs devraient toujours pouvoir faire des petites modifications mais celles-ci à l’américaine m’énerveraient aussi haha et une fois, quand j’étais à paris, j’ai demandé un doggy bag au serveur mais ce n’était pas pour moi mais plutôt pour une amie qui était trop malade pour pouvoir aller manger avec moi ! alors, j’ai commandé une pizza et je ne l’ai pas finie en sachant que j’allais lui donner les restes pour son dîner. donc, j’ai expliqué tout ça au serveur et ça, c’est bien allé : « puis-je prendre les restes chez moi à emporter, svp ? c’est pas pour moi, c’est pour une amie qui n’a pas pu être ici pour aller manger avec moi car elle était trop malade » et il m’a compris ! et enfin, je comprends que les français ne préfèrent pas partager de plats principaux en général mais moi, je préfère le truc espagnol où tous les plats sont à partager, les tapas en rations ! et cette manière culinaire devient de plus en plus populaire même chez moi à los angeles où les clients prennent des plats à partager pour maintenir la convivialité entre amis ! n’importe où, tout le monde me connaît pour toujours prendre des tapas, des plats à partager quand je vais manger ! ça fait une expérience culinaire très unique et memorable, je peux te promettre ça ! merci pour la vidéo, chère lucie ! j’ai hâte toujours les vendredis pour tes vidéos !
Merci beaucoup Justin pour ton long commentaire très intéressant! Je suis d'accord avec toi pour les modifications des plats, un peu ça va mais il ne faut pas trop. Et oui pour les pizzas généralement ça va car ils te donnent juste une boite à pizza! Oui, c'est vrai que les tapas c'est très convivial, mais moi je suis un peu "old-fashioned", j'aime bien avoir mon propre plat!
@@Edukalebylucie ah je comprends ça aussi. alors, tu préfères ton propre plat aussi car t’es végétarienne ? et les autres personnes qui se nourrissent traditionnellement, qui mangent de la viande, prenaient trop de nourriture de ton plat végétarien ? et à la fin, vous partagiez l’addition mais la personne qui mange du steak payait le même que toi qui manges que des légumes, même si les légumes sont moins chers ? 😬 donc, je fais trop de spéculations mdr 😄 et je suppose que tu n’ailles pas souvent manger asiatique ? tu ne partages pas de sushis avocats ? de toute façon, merci d’avoir répondu à mon très long commentaire 😊
Classic example of why Europeans are naturally in better shape than Americans. I grew up in front of the TV at most meals and to this day I prefer to eat in my bedroom than at the dinner table. I love the table when I’m alone in the house because I prefer to eat alone. Good ole disordered eating rituals! Eek 😱
In the US no elbows at the table is also a thing but many people see it as old fashioned now. But I know it’s rude when you eat like stuffing your fasting or trying to clean the plate because my mom snapped at me as a kid to stop eating like i never ate before but i’d just be really hungry lol.
À propos du vin, pour dire que tu ne veux plus de vin tu finis ton verre et tu en laisses un fond si tu en veux plus, c’est comme ça que l’homme de la maison sait si il doit te resservir. Et oui cette règle est debile
Half true, half not. I married with french. So sad you don't like french cheese. You can spread or you can eat on top or just eat directly in your mount, feel free, it's depend on cheese types.
Cheff must be very lazy for not like to please the costumers, no spread the cheese? That’s crazy, is not doggy bag it’s my food that I payed and can’t finish but Want to finish at home. 🙄
I remember having a huge portion at La Coupole and I couldn’t finish it. The server very haughtily asked me, “would you like a doggie bag?” I could tell he was teasing the American.
In Lithuania older men definitely follow the rule of filling the glass with wine for the ladies. One time I did a major faux pas, my mom had her glass empty and was looking at my dad for him to fill it and I saw that my father was not paying attention. So 13 year old me decided to fill the glass for my mother. Imagine the shock.
Thanks for sharing!
That's kind of adorable
I have never understood what some people have against being vegetarian. My husband's parents are from India and are strict vegetarian. His father turns 90 this year.
Vegetarian here. I think I have to add that a good manner means please don't judge other people options for food. As the only vegetarian at the office, well.. It's so tiring to have people judge my plate😅
It's interesting to hear that every country has their own "rules" and traditions. Here, in Poland I can relate to some of the food rules You mentioned but there are also many other things we do that other people find weird. I guess that is what makes countries so unique in their own way and I'm here for it :>
Totally agree, it's so interesting!
For us in the US, many parents don't teach proper table etiquette because they cannot teach what they do not themselves know. At best they knew a couple of rules like don't put your elbows on the table, dont lick you knife, or don't talk with your mouth full. If one's parents or grandparents didn't teach proper manners at home there's nowhere else to learn about manners. There are no classes for manners or social etiquette, and it is not taught in Grade School, junior high, high school nor college.
I was nervous the first few times I sat down for a holiday meal with my in-laws. My parents both came from very poor families. They did teach table etiquette but maybe not everything. My in-laws came from well-to-do families. In retrospect it wasn’t too bad, except I wasn’t familiar with the order of utensil use. I had to get my wife to school me a little.
This was super interesting. I personally feel as though US food rules are too relaxed while French food rules are a bit strict. For example, when you spoke about it being strange to ask for food modifications in France-I don’t think it should be wrong to ask for modifications however I do admit here in the US people can go a bit overboard, almost altering the entire meal. Also it’s common in the US for customers to complain about their meal such as saying it’s over cooked/too salty, etc. Which I guess is ok however I feel if you want a meal cooked in such a precise way then maybe just cook it yourself at home. 😂
Yes I agree, I feel like there should be a certain balance to what you can modify or not!
I am American (Ohio, USA) with a Romanian heritage. It is customary for dinner guests to arrive from 5 minutes before to 5 minutes after, but exactly on time if you can help it. Not eating before everyone is served is standard, unless that person says he doesn't mind and go ahead. But usually that is only at a restaurant and not at home. At home, you wait. Seems we also share customs on refilling drinks, and I agree with you about the ice. It's overdone in restaurants. Seems our table manners are the same. In my family, we don't bring cell phones to the table. In restaurants, we like to custom-order our meals, and we expect good service because we tip so much. We use doggy-bags or "to go" containers because "Waste not, want not."
This channel is very helpful for learning french and french culture. Thank you so much! ☺
In Colombia we are not really supposed to eat all the sauce on the plate and 'clean it', it's seen mostly as bad manners, specially since we don't eat bread with all our meals, so when I lived in France it was weird to see people do it and consider it almost rude if someone (usually me) didn't do it hahaha
So interesting, thanks for sharing !!
Thank you. I have found the best article:
learnhealthtips.com/top-10-foods-to-fight-cancer/
Thank you for this, I'm from Canada and I'm going to spend a month in Nice next year so I feel it's very important to know about these things. I was surprised to hear it's not as normal to take food home with you there!
That’s so interesting to me. In Scotland, it’s common for people to ask for a container for any leftovers at a restaurant, and if someone asked to have shrimp removed from a pasta meal, chefs wouldn’t take offence, regardless of the reason. They’d assume the person is either veggie, or has an allergy. But that being said, the customer is always right mentality is extreme in the uk, and it causes a lot more hassle to not just do what’s been requested by the person paying. After all, if one restaurant won’t accommodate, another will, and it’s just bad business to restrict people’s food options when there’s so many places that can serve exactly what the person wants
So interesting to learn about what it’s like in different countries!
I was raised in the US but was raised as a French Girl. My Grandpa was Finish, not Sure where my Grandma's heritage was from. Everything from the way we ate, thought about food, table manners and everything else so it seems. I would love to see France someday, that's why I decided to learn something. Feels like it would be so natural being there now.😊
I love learning about different cuisines and cultures, thanks for this video!
Thanks for watching !!
The elbows on the table got to me. It brought me back to when I was 10. I put my elbows on the table and boy my dad got after me about that really bad. I haven't done that since.
In Portugal we also eat bread with *everything* (people here panic when there’s no bread at home) but it’s seen as rude to wipe your plate with it. I mean, we do it at home but it is not very polite to do it elsewhere. (Also bread here stoped being free at restaurante which is very sad😢). It’s interesting to look at differences between cultures even between two mediterranean countries
Oh no, so sad that you don't get free bread anymore! And yes I agree with how interesting it is to learn about these differences!
In germany, we have this rule of waiting for everyone to be served as well, also not having your ellbows on the table.
I relate so much to the "extra wish" thing though, because I used to be a vegetarian (now vegan) and I often have to ask for stuff to be removed or omitted... Usually german staff will do it, but I tend to feel a liiittle judged sometimes, especially in more "classic" german restaurants, which are heavily meat based XD
I hate it because everyone will just stop eating and go on a ramble about why they aren’t vegan and why on earth i am?
@@alicia-hd2cs Worst is when ppl feel ATTACKED although you weren´t the one to start the conversation and simply answered all their questions trying to explain why YOU do it, not why anyone else should go vegan...
In Sweden almost every dinner is served with sauce/gravy (often cream based). :) When Swedes go abroad to Spain and such they are so disappointed that the only sauce available can often be a bit of olive oil or vinaigrette. My parents are Polish and when my Swedish partner eats at their house he's always asking where the sauce is lol
Interesting, thanks for sharing!
Love cream sauces❤
This was incredibly interesting, thank you for sharing
I'm from the UK and this is making me feel decidedly French 🙂
In the Netherlands its very common to eat mayonaise with your fries. I know im not supposed to ask for it but i love to do it in france because they also love their mayonaise so it will be available (dont know what they eat it with tho) and its often the most delicious freshly made mayonaise
Very interesting topic !! 💜 We really love it when you talk about your culture ✨
Glad you enjoy it!
We also eat pizza and burgers with a fork in Sweden!
Thanks for sharing !
In Brazil we do it as well
So do I. When I did my 'finishing' course, we did not eat with our fingers, unless it was afternoon tea.
I'm American, we were taught pretty much the same rules (except for the cheese and wine "rules"). I wish we said bon appetit here instead of something like, "dig in!", lol.
Thanks for sharing!
I wish the US was a little more French in how we eat
I love your videos about French culture and food. I'm in the US. A lot of the rules you mention were ones I was brought up on. I love cycling and hope to ride bikes in France some day.
Thank you so much for watching!!
Oh yes, I was always told "the fork goes to your mouth, not your mouth to the fork" 😅🙈 And nowadays I tell it to my daughter (8) too 😄
The "elbow-thing" is a thing over here too... very inpolite 😅🤷🏻♀️
Greetz from a Belgian living in Germany 😘
Hahah so funny we share the same customs!!
I’m Australian and I like to be casual about getting to things so I love the 15 minute late rule. My Dad always told us not to put our elbows on the table too. I would also use bread to wipe a plate clean!
On the other hand, here it is more customary to arrive even 10 - 5 minutes earlier (to have time to take off your outer clothes, greet the host and hostess, other guests, spend some time in conversation, and then go to the table). Being 15 minutes late is the maximum limit that can be left without a special reason.
The one thing that struck me about Europe when I visited was how much bread you all consume. In the US, bread is either something you eat without thinking about it (usually unhealthy eaters), are terrified of (whole 30, keto, carnivore), or it can only be whole wheat. There's so many politics about bread here. I love the idea of eating fresh bread with your meals, but how do you balance it? Like protein source, veggies, fats, carb on plate + extra carb in the form of bread?
The bread in the US is also garbage.
There's no secret to eating bread lol. A few small pieces with a meal is fine, or replace the other carbs in your meal with good bread if you must. The French tend to eat smaller portions than Americans, far less processed food overall, and more fruits and vegetables, so there's no reason to worry about some bread with their meals.
Sorry I’m commenting as I watch lol.... in US we get such massive portions at restaurants that it’s almost a given to have to take the leftovers home because it’s basically 2+ meals on a plate and it’s so expensive that there’s no way I’m wasting that money 💴 and not taking it home! Haha
That's the way it should be haha!
Many of the etiquettes you described are also used in Asian (specifically Chinese) culture. I heard that in Japan, doggy bags are not a thing either.
Super interesting, thanks for sharing!
Old-fashioned is traditions....traditions are what make our country unique, each country is unique and has its own old-fashioned manners.👍😁🙏
It is good!
Nos traditions sont nos racines et s'ancrent dans une histoire et un patrimoine culturel et gastronomique.😁 C'est important de les préserver.
1/or begin to eat WHEN the hostess begins the first bite!
C’est vrai !
My dad is french, lived there until he was seven. We live in the Netherlands and i have a dutch mum. I remember my parents hammering on the table manners. But i never seemed to pick up on the elbow thing. And some things like eating soup from a bowl make more sense for me to pick up the bowl to prevent spilling. But now I am puzzled wether these things came from my french dad or also my dutch mum. Maybe its just a french thing and the reason i never picked up on it bc i grew up in the Netherlands
Hi Lucie, some of the rules apply in the USA too but it depends on the class and age of people . At someone's house, you wait until the host or hostess lifts their fork elbows on a table are still frowned upon in polite society. Yes we do like our ice here in the USA. I don't unless it's a blazing hot summer day.I remember being in France and seeing people eat pizza and burgers with their knives and forks. If I saw this I followed suit.
Interesting, thanks for sharing!!
Cold drinks trigger my IBS pain so people find it really odd (in US) that I drink room temperature water and if I have a diet soda or something I don’t put any ice in it and at restaurants I will tell them to do very little ice in my drink. Lol
Well you would thrive here lol!!
I absolutely hate cold drink, I have stomachache if do so, always ask for warm boiled or room temperature water
I had those same etiquette rules when I lived with my grandma.
Thank you so much, these all related to what I needed to know 🥰
Very good observation, especially on being invited over to a home dinner party. The French used to have these a lot (maybe not so now)
The children are raised to have social table manners at a very early age, use knife and fork, dont speak...The hostess rlues and no one eats until told so and everyone is served. In America i was invited to a Thanksgiving dinner and about 12 people at the table and 3 people started eating before the host even made a toast to the guests. I was so shocked at the rude table manners and said "can people wait?" Then later the next day I was accused of being "too formal and people were hungry". In France table manners at someone's home is very important..you also dont get up and turn on the tv after 2 hours of eating,..Lol. I also don't care for waiting for a man to serve another glass of wine or having to make sure I don't get buzzed! Lol! After dinner is over, the women usually get together in the kitchen and clean up and gossip, and the men go outside and pass around harder brandies and gossip too until 2am! 😅
So what is the polite thing to do in France if you don’t drink alcohol? Wine seems to be served with everything - are you offered water or do you have to ask? Or do you just not touch your wine if you are served any, and then the host assumes you do not need a refill? Definitely wouldn’t want to offend by asking for something else, but I would also hate to waste a glass full of the host’s wine.
You can absolutely turn down wine and say that you don’t drink alcohol, good hosts will do their best to give you another option !! It’s also something you could mention beforehand so they can anticipate !!
I’m confused with the beginning. It’s rude to show up on time it’s ok to be late. If dinner is at 8 though arrive early for appetizers? I missed something, sorry.
I would say most of these rules apply in Argentina, too! Except in restaurants they never serve you tap water, and the waiters look at you weird when you ask for it. Also, doggy bags used to be a major faux pas (it was not seen as something very classy to do) but nowadays it's much more normal to ask for one! Makes sense, you paid for your meal, why not take the rest home with you?
Thanks for sharing!!
Dinner is at 8
Wait to eat until everyone is served and ready to eat
Serve others before yourself and refill others glasses and plates first
Women shouldn’t serve their own wine
Cheers and look person in the eye
Don’t ask for drinks other than water or wine unless you are asking for a child
No ice in drinks
No elbows on table or knees
Observe others behaviors and copy
Customer isn’t king
No modifications at restaurants
Bread and water is free
Use bread as utensil
Don’t share main meal but acceptable for apps or desserts
Not common for doggy bag
Is this the résumé?
Cool, thanks
Awesome, thanks!
in turkish culture the rules are similar only cleaning up with bread I think that they don't do but in Germany they don't have so strict rules.
Thanks for sharing!
I’m French and I DO ALL OF THEM. Just one thing I don’t : Wiping my plate with bread at the restaurant. It’s known as a lack of manners and even education, I would embarrass the whole table by doing so. The plate has to be clean but not by using bread. I do it at home or at close friends’ though. (This is something that not everybody does, but in my family this is very important)
Yes I understand, I only do that in informal settings!
First time knowing these! Thank for sharing this!
Thanks for watching!
American restaurants often provide bread before a meal arrives. Americans eat bread the same way you do in France, including using it to clean our plates.
When I was a child and visited my country relatives, they always had bread at every meal and used it to push the food as well as wipe the plate with it as well. They usually had gravy that remained on the plate after the other food was eaten.
Same as us then!
Yeah I do the same if I’m with a close family member like my tante I’ll eat veggie burgers and pizza with forks and knife 🍴 and I’ll look around to see if anyone is eating with their hands like if see more than 3 people eat with their hands then I’ll do the same .
Haha same!!
I can’t believe that it’s rude to put your hand in your lap but not to ask someone “what’s wrong with your life” bc they’re vegetarian.
I've never heard of a French person who didn't like french cheese! How can that be when there's more than two hundred types of cheese in France?Much love.❤
Eating with your hands is super normal in Bosnia and Herzegovina, you'll get weird looks for eating burek (meat pie) or ćevapi (beef sausages in a pita bread) with anything other than your hands!
So interesting!!
I definitely eat like a French person with portion sizes and I almost never finish my whole meal cuz the servings are so big but I hate bringing home leftovers but don't want to waste it either 🙃
I also don't normally share entrees unless it's just a bite to see if I like it, or something like ribs & sushi then I'll split it if I won't eat a whole roll of each kind
I hate automatically getting ice in beverages!
Haha same
Interesting that most of the French etiquette is the same for Canada. 😊
You aren't allowed to put your arm down on your lap? How do you keep your napkin from falling on the floor? Seriously, if I don't hold my napkin down, it's going to end up on the floor. Maybe it's because my legs are shorter that the legs of the chair, so my lap slants downward, but if putting your arm down is super rude, what am I supposed to do?
You can put your arm down once in a while to put your napkin back, as long as you don’t leave it there the whole meal it’s fine!
@@Edukalebylucie That sounds all right, then, since I couldn't leave it there the whole time and still use my cutlery.
Hi Lucie! I really wanna hear from you what you think about body detox. Like: doing a special detox diet. Since I heard from other professional nutritionist that it will not help or improve your body detox if you take special supplements or diet. The body already detoxes itself 24/7 since that’s its job. I wonder what what’s your opinion? Thanks 😊
Hi Natalya, I really think detox diets can do more harm than good and that the body doesn't need them, here's a video I made on the subject if you're interested!! ua-cam.com/video/lJkt7--t2eY/v-deo.html
Your videos are so interesting and you are stunning!
Thank you so much!!
Bonjour Lucie j'ai trouvé ta chaine youtube je suis italienne et j'habite aussi a Paris, les règles de conduite en Italie sont presque le même
I saw a video that showed Italians were appalled at people eating pasta with a piece of bread.
Very helpful video, thank you. I shall bear this in mind when I dine with French friends and on my holidays in France. As an Englishman living in England a lot of the French table etiquette is what we also constitute as good manners in the UK though everything is changing now because of US influence.
cleaning one's plate with bread was done in the french countryside 50 years ago, when stews and other sauces were a daily occurrence. you won't find that in a city. on the other hand, I find it very pleasant not to have a mountain of ice in a glass, I find this american habit exasperating. in addition to giving a water taste to everything, there is in fact nothing in the glass. in fact I dread every trip under american influence, the chicken without taste, the cheeses with wax taste and others.
I completely agree with the maxim that you should more or less adhere to the local rules and table manners. However, there is too much "fear of getting funny looks" going on. For instance, it is your right to ask for a doggy bag. France is not a far-off desert island, and the staff have definitely heard of this custom even if they're not used to it. Also, vegetarianism is not a rare phenomenon anymore, it's very common and I believe most restaurants are adapting to it. Yes, some waiters may say it's not possible to modify the meal and they would have their reasons, but you should never accept being "judged" for it. You're paying for a meal, not to be educated. Rant over, bon appétit!🙂
My main takeaway is no matter what you do in a French restaurant, you will be judged
Yes 😂
Never experienced any judgement...
Who cares if you are judged by a close-minded person or an animal-abuser. You should judge them for using tortured animals. And don't be ashamed or embarrassed to ask a plant-based substitute every time even if it annoys the staff! If you are having a lunch with your colleagues in a restaurant and there is no plant-based option which is sadly very often the case in Paris - that is THEIR shame!! Also, as a tourist, you have the right to visit Paris without having to respect the animal-protein based French kitchen (foie gras and cruel cheese and everything). When the proud French immigrate to Africa or America, nobody has a problem with them eating whatever the f*ck they want. Be proud of your conviction and solidarity with the animals. Tradition is never an excuse for animal cruelty. :)
So if you and your sweetie go out together and you each order something, do French people taste each other's plate?
Yes, tasting is fine!
Kind of intimidating! In Australia the food rules are much more relaxed, lol. Even in a nice restaurant it's weird if someone eats a burger or pizza with utensils; the people you're with will likely laugh or comment on it. The chef getting annoyed at you asking for no shrimp was surprising, especially since shellfish can be a serious allergy for some. Which made me wonder, are food allergies uncommon in France?
I am so surprised how similar this is to Australia (where I live in Australia anyway). Other than showing up slightly late which here is very rude (I was just at a dinner this past weekend where some people were this late and if was sooo awkward 😅). Everything else is the same at restaurants too (but is slowly changing), I have been explicitly told no to ice in a cocktail and a doggy bag before, so annoying!
Very interesting!! Thanks for sharing
So true about being late in Aus but I’m always late 😂
I love your videos 🥰
Thank you!!
How do you say a doggy bag in French please?
I don’t understand how it’s weird to ask for a to-go container if the French don’t eat past the point of fullness
My father is from Ukraine and he always tells me to keep my elbows off the table :)
It seems to me that this is a universal point of table manners - elbows should not be on the table.
Omg it made me happy to hear that you also don’t like cheese as a French person haha. 😂
I'm from Russia and in my family food rules are the same)
My family were from Russia. And we all have/had proper table manners. The US seemed to decide to have a different form of manners.
The Irish say ching it's so weird but cute.
Thank you!!!
Thanks for watching !!
Cant imagine eating pizza with a fork 🤔😳 Hello from Mexico 🖐🏻
It's really sad indeed 😭
as a british mum living in france with french kids i actually find all these differences annoying and i wish every country just had the same rules so that what i tell them can just be right. you didn't mention how the french think it's normal to not use a plate for breakfast. it drives me insane.
Haha you're right, I often put my croissant just on a napkin
@@Edukalebylucie yep, the single piece of kitchen towel (napkin) I know it well lol
The music was really annoying. But interessting topic :).
Sorry about the music and thank you!
Edukale by Lucie It was just really like a noise but not the whole time :).
coucou, marion cotillard, gros bisous à toi de la californie ! j’adore ta voix parce qu’elle est très relaxante !
alors, j’adore que tu nous aies parlé sur le pain à la table ! je faisais ça même avant que je sois allé en france pour la première fois 😊
en fait, je comprends totalement ce que les chefs-cuisiniers ressentent quand les clients leur disent de faire des modifications pour un plat. alors, en tant qu’américain, c’est vraiment énervant aux états-unis d’entendre un client qui commande qqch comme : « moi, je prends le burger mais pas d’oignon, pas de tomates, du mayo au lieu du ketchup, avec du pain au blé au lieu du pain normal » et des trucs comme ça 😄 les chefs, spécialement les français, ont tres fiers et ils pensent qqch comme : « voilà, je prépare le plat comme ça et je veux que les saveurs se fassent ressortir comme ça et les clients n’apprécient pas mon travail ou ma connaissance culinaire quand ils font des modifications ». bien sûr, je crois que les chefs devraient toujours pouvoir faire des petites modifications mais celles-ci à l’américaine m’énerveraient aussi haha
et une fois, quand j’étais à paris, j’ai demandé un doggy bag au serveur mais ce n’était pas pour moi mais plutôt pour une amie qui était trop malade pour pouvoir aller manger avec moi ! alors, j’ai commandé une pizza et je ne l’ai pas finie en sachant que j’allais lui donner les restes pour son dîner. donc, j’ai expliqué tout ça au serveur et ça, c’est bien allé : « puis-je prendre les restes chez moi à emporter, svp ? c’est pas pour moi, c’est pour une amie qui n’a pas pu être ici pour aller manger avec moi car elle était trop malade » et il m’a compris !
et enfin, je comprends que les français ne préfèrent pas partager de plats principaux en général mais moi, je préfère le truc espagnol où tous les plats sont à partager, les tapas en rations ! et cette manière culinaire devient de plus en plus populaire même chez moi à los angeles où les clients prennent des plats à partager pour maintenir la convivialité entre amis ! n’importe où, tout le monde me connaît pour toujours prendre des tapas, des plats à partager quand je vais manger ! ça fait une expérience culinaire très unique et memorable, je peux te promettre ça !
merci pour la vidéo, chère lucie ! j’ai hâte toujours les vendredis pour tes vidéos !
Merci beaucoup Justin pour ton long commentaire très intéressant! Je suis d'accord avec toi pour les modifications des plats, un peu ça va mais il ne faut pas trop. Et oui pour les pizzas généralement ça va car ils te donnent juste une boite à pizza! Oui, c'est vrai que les tapas c'est très convivial, mais moi je suis un peu "old-fashioned", j'aime bien avoir mon propre plat!
@@Edukalebylucie ah je comprends ça aussi. alors, tu préfères ton propre plat aussi car t’es végétarienne ? et les autres personnes qui se nourrissent traditionnellement, qui mangent de la viande, prenaient trop de nourriture de ton plat végétarien ? et à la fin, vous partagiez l’addition mais la personne qui mange du steak payait le même que toi qui manges que des légumes, même si les légumes sont moins chers ? 😬 donc, je fais trop de spéculations mdr 😄 et je suppose que tu n’ailles pas souvent manger asiatique ? tu ne partages pas de sushis avocats ?
de toute façon, merci d’avoir répondu à mon très long commentaire 😊
1960s - Bridgette Bardot
1970s - Catherine Denevue
1980s - Emanuelle Beart
1990s - Isabelle Huppert
2000s - Marion Cotillard
2010s - Lea Seydoux
2020s - You
To eat what you promote?
Super interesting! Do French people ever get a takeout delivered and eat in on their laps, in front of the TV?
Yes we do but not that often !! It’s like a treat
Classic example of why Europeans are naturally in better shape than Americans. I grew up in front of the TV at most meals and to this day I prefer to eat in my bedroom than at the dinner table. I love the table when I’m alone in the house because I prefer to eat alone. Good ole disordered eating rituals! Eek 😱
In the US no elbows at the table is also a thing but many people see it as old fashioned now. But I know it’s rude when you eat like stuffing your fasting or trying to clean the plate because my mom snapped at me as a kid to stop eating like i never ate before but i’d just be really hungry lol.
Haha that happened to me too sometimes!
À propos du vin, pour dire que tu ne veux plus de vin tu finis ton verre et tu en laisses un fond si tu en veux plus, c’est comme ça que l’homme de la maison sait si il doit te resservir. Et oui cette règle est debile
Go to the American South where folks have good table manners 🤣
Half true, half not. I married with french. So sad you don't like french cheese. You can spread or you can eat on top or just eat directly in your mount, feel free, it's depend on cheese types.
Waiting for the weird french words video))
9:50 that’s so rude 😢
Cheff must be very lazy for not like to please the costumers, no spread the cheese? That’s crazy, is not doggy bag it’s my food that I payed and can’t finish but Want to finish at home. 🙄
Thanks for watching !!
@@Edukalebylucie Thank YOU for making! ^.^
Is it just me or are those. Things are just universal and non thinkable
Except the ice thing
But it may be because they’re in a cold area
Boring what about the average person
Very boring culture