Another word of advice is to keep your hand loose and not grip your chopsticks too tightly. Larger pieces are easier to pick up until you get the hang of things. You should never spear your sushi with the chopsticks, and you should avoid pinching too hard because the sushi roll will fall apart. Once you have selected a piece of sushi, simply place your sticks on either side and use your forefinger to pinch the piece gently. You should be able to shift your forefinger slightly to open up the chopsticks without losing your grip on the stick that is pinned with your third finger. Remember, one of the sticks remains stationary, while the other stick is used to pinch and control the food. Now that you have the chopsticks positioned correctly in your hand, you can try to use them to pick something up.

This chopstick will not be doing much moving.

Next, place the second stick in the crease of your thumb, and use your ring finger to hold it in against your hand steadily. You should have a firm grip on this stick with your pointer finger and thumb so that you can control the end. Your hand will be placed near the top third of the sticks, not close to the bottom where you will be touching food.įirst, place one stick in your hand and hold it like a pencil except at the top instead of the bottom. Before you can use them, you must first make sure that both sticks are even in your hand. You might be wondering “is there a proper way to hold chopsticks?” The answer is yes.

Proper chopstick technique begins when you pick up your chopsticks for the first time. Here is a step-by-step guide to get you started so you can practice on your own. Sushi restaurants in Denver provide you with all the tools you need to learn, but it will still take some practice to get it down just right. Learning how to use chopsticks properly is a rite of passage in the world of sushi.

How to use chopsticks