Learning chopsticks By Gwen Robinson In the West, as well as in Asia, tastes and dining changing. etiquette 5"There is more understanding diners pour lots of of different cuisines and James and Brasserie Roux, seeing cultures," says Alan Yau, the people only sauce on their rice and sushi, innovative and successful believes are he accepted it and he beginning to understand but then mix founder of the Wagamama other cultures. He is shocked 50 even developed a special chain of Asian noodle ketchup for customers to pour in 10 restaurants in the UK. But 30 when customers put"On the other hand, people still don't understand on a traditional French dish sophisticated etiquette very wel For or when US guests insist on Japan, the more crowd are example, in one of my Thai drinking coffee with their restaurant-going styles ss very open to different restaurants, Western diners 35 The Japanese are leading and trends says Holland. The Japanisation of Western 15 insist on using chopstieks. cultures in other Asian They don't want to eat the adapting their own traditions. food and etiquette began Thai way, just with fork and when Noboyuki Matsuhisa many years ago. In Tokyo's spoon," says Yau, "so we give Nobu 60 chic Ginza district, for launched the them chopsticks. Then Thai 40 restaurants in the USA, he example, an Italo-Japanese 20 people say we are not a"real quickly learned what restaurant called Chop Stick Thai restaurant because w Americans like, says Laura serves innovative ltalian food provide chopsticks. Holland, translator of the that people can eat with Hugues Jaquier, general successful Nobu cookbook. 65 chopsticks. manager of London's example, 45 For at the 25 exclusive Hotel Sofitel St beginning, Nobu disliked FINANCIAL TIMES