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Chinese people have always treated food as part of their culture. There is an old saying still being quoted today ---"Food is the first necessity of the people." Delicious and nutritious food has been regarded as the basics of ordinary life.

Indeed, the greeting for most Chinese when meeting one another tends not to be "how are you", but more popularly, "Have you eaten?”! Everywhere in China, regardless if it's a big or small town, you can find Chinese restaurants and food stalls easily. In fact, Chinese restaurants are commonly found in cities all over the world!

Food in China is a communal affair. Chinese food is often taken together as a family unit with the emphasis on shared dishes. Only the rice or buns are served individually; everything else is shared from a communal bowl, including the main soup.

It is always a Chinese culture to greet each other while sitting down for a meal and wait for everyone to be seated before a meal can start. The most senior or elderly person at the table will take the first bite and only then, will the rest of the diners join in.