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For decades, gastronomy predominantly focused on the design of dishes, as well as their shape and presentation, without considering how the food is actually consumed. However, recent scientific research has shed light on the benefits of eating with hands rather than utensils. Researchers have delved into how our perceptions of food change when we take a bite and put it in our mouth without any external interference.
A historical review published by the “International Journal of Gastronomy and Food Sciences” in late 2022 emphasized the importance of tactile interaction with food. Some chefs have also begun paying special attention to how their guests interact with the food they serve, aligning with the growing interest in manual consumption.
The practice of eating with hands is currently experiencing a notable surge in popularity, while the use of utensils appears to be gradually declining, especially in the UK and the US.
According to a survey cited by the British newspaper “Daily Mail,” a quarter of Britons express a desire to do away with knives, forks, and spoons. Out of the 2,500 participants in the study, 19% said they felt more comfortable eating with their hands, and 10% even claimed it made meals tastier. A psychologist emphasized that we could all benefit from eating with our hands.
The decline of Western dining customs is evident. By the late 19th century, the upper classes in the West used about 100 pieces of tableware for their meals. The foods permitted to be handled by hand were limited to bread, biscuits, olives, asparagus, and celery. Over the decades, the custom of using knife, fork, and spoon began to lose popularity, making way for dishes like burgers, hot dogs, chips, pizza, chicken wings, ice cream, and other fast foods that have become commonplace. Eating with hands is now considered normal and acceptable in public.
Recently, in New York, some high-end restaurants have introduced the tradition of placing food directly into the hands of guests during opening ceremonies, and even inviting couples to share a romantic dinner in this manner.
Some time ago, the Michelin-starred chef Luis Andone chose to serve the majority of the 20 dishes on his tasting menu without any tableware in his restaurant in the Spanish Basque Country.
Several London chefs now encourage their customers to try at least a few dishes without using utensils. According to Chef Joseph Youssef, this approach allows people to have a more conscious and intimate culinary experience.
As for Giulia Soldati, a renowned chef who encourages her guests to explore her dishes with their hands, she sees it as an interactive and sensory experience, far removed from the use of cutlery.
Nutrition experts explain why food seems more flavorful when eaten with hands. Professor Charles Spence from the University of Oxford asserts that forgoing utensils is the key to truly savoring food, as it makes us more aware of what we are eating, whereas a fork distances us from our senses.
Encouraging hand-eating, Kate Ng from the British newspaper The Independent suggests savoring the sensation of food at the fingertips, noting the freshness of the bread, detecting the ingredients, and experiencing a taste sensation vastly different from using cutlery.
She adds that bringing food to her mouth with her hands is a highly enjoyable experience that encourages her to think about each bite, from the flavors and textures she prefers to the amount she can consume.
Direct tactile contact with food can indeed enhance its taste, although this depends on individual eating habits and physical differences.
In summary, eating with hands significantly impacts the perception of flavors, scents, and textures, providing more accurate information than sight alone for assessing the freshness, ripeness, tenderness, or temperature of food.
Furthermore, there is genuine pleasure associated with the tactile sensation of food, an experience made accessible through the hands, whether it’s feeling the warmth of bread, the silky texture of a tomato, or the sensation of dipping a soft-boiled egg in salt.
Renowned American chef Alice Waters particularly enjoys eating salad with her hands, considering it a sensory, practical, and stimulating experience. She believes that when we eat with our hands, we engage all our senses in learning about our food.
Finally, Professor Spence highlights that from a scientific standpoint, eating with hands offers numerous health benefits. It goes beyond being a mere tradition and genuinely contributes to a healthy diet and well-being. Among the cited advantages are enhanced digestion, reduced overeating, stabilized blood sugar levels, and strengthened immunity through exposure to beneficial bacteria.