Latest news with #AmyGordy
Daily Mail
16-06-2025
- Lifestyle
- Daily Mail
Woman divides TikTok over the 'correct' way to use a knife and fork
An American woman has sparked debate on TikTok about the 'correct' way to eat after she filmed a video showing how Europeans hold their utensils. Amy Gordy, from Chicago, recently shared a video of herself trying to use cutlery the 'European way' on TikTok. In the European style of dining, the fork is typically held in the left hand and the knife is held in the right hand for the entire meal. The knife is used for assisting in moving the food onto the fork, and the prongs of the fork usually face down. Americans, on the other hand, usually only use the knife while cutting then put it down and switch the fork to their right hand, with the prongs facing upward. SCROLL DOWN FOR VIDEO In the clip, Amy struggled as she attempted to use the European method while eating a grain bowl with steak and eggs. 'I don't even know how to do this. What do I do? So I don't put this down, right? I'm keeping this in my hand,' she said, referring to the knife. Her husband replied: 'I'm talking to you right now and you're holding both? That's insane. I don't get it. In America, that's considered rude.' Amy added: 'I'm confused as to how I use my knife with my [right] hand,' she continued. 'Do you scoop things on the back of the fork? I am really struggling. I'm really trying you guys.' Hoards of Europeans rushed to the comment section, insisting the way they eat is actually 'proper etiquette' and roasting Americans over their style. 'It's not the "European Way," it's THE CORRECT WAY,' one user said. 'Scottish here. Absolutely baffled as to why you're struggling to use a knife and fork,' added another. A third chimed in: 'It's not insane, it's the correct etiquette.' 'It's the correct way. Americans are just one step up from eating with their hands,' joked another. Dining style: In Europe, the fork is typically held in the left hand and the knife is held in the right hand for the entire meal, and the prongs of the fork usually face down However, others defended Amy. One person wrote: 'Guys relax. It's almost like different countries and cultures have different norms and standards of etiquette. 'If you've developed the fine motor skill to do something a certain way for your entire life, doing it a different way will feel unnatural.' Another person added: 'Geez this comment section is so judgmental. The idea that Americans have a separate culture and therefore do things differently is so upsetting for some of you. Etiquette is different everywhere you go!' 'Guys America does suck I agree with you but damn different places do things differently leave us alone,' a third chimed in. Criticism: Some social media users insisted the European way is 'proper etiquette'
Newsweek
16-06-2025
- Lifestyle
- Newsweek
American Woman Tries To Eat 'The European Way'—Unprepared for Result
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. A Texas-born fitness nutrition coach has captivated viewers on TikTok after sharing her attempt to adopt what she calls the "European way" of eating, prompting both laughter and disbelief from international viewers. Amy Gordy, a 42-year-old fitness nutrition coach who was born and raised in Dallas but now lives in Chicago, Illinois, shared a video of her attempt on her TikTok account @amygordy1. The clip has amassed over 2.9 million views since it was posted on June 9. The video, filmed in the U.S., shows Gordy sitting outdoors at a table, fork and knife in hand, preparing to eat a meal using what she refers to as "the European way," which involves keeping a fork in the left hand while eating, rather than switching it to the right hand once the food has been cut, as is more typical in the U.S. Text overlaid the video says: "Trying to use silverware the European way (or I guess the rest of the world way)." In the clip, she narrates: "I'm gonna try not to switch my silverware for this be challenging for us Americans." Gordy told Newsweek: "It all started a few weeks ago when I went to Ireland with my husband and posted an eating video and several people in the comment section asked why I was switching my hands to eat." "Then I posted another video and the same comments appeared. So, when I got back to America, I decided to address the comments and then finally I attempted to eat the continental way. It was a lot harder than I thought," she said. In a later comment, Gordy explained: "In America we learn to switch our fork to our right hand after we cut." But Gordy's foray into "continental" or "European" etiquette left her struggling, and she wrote in the caption that she wasn't expecting it to be as hard as it was. 'Absolutely Baffled' TikTok viewers from across the globe were amused and confused by Gordy's table manners experiment. User AK99 commented: "Scottish here. Absolutely baffled why you're struggling to use a knife and fork." Suzyt wrote: "As a Brit it amazes me," while Sam added: "this is painful." Another viewer, user7829799290097, said: "This is mind blowing. It's like watching something from the Middle Ages." Questions flooded in from others unfamiliar with the American eating style. "Wait .... Do Americans not know how to use cutlery?" asked user Abigail followed up: "I'm confused, so how do Americans use cutlery?" Perhaps most bluntly, user thrdad90 weighed in with: "It's not the 'European Way', it THE CORRECT WAY." A screenshot from a viral TikTok video of an American woman attempting to use cutlery "the European way." A screenshot from a viral TikTok video of an American woman attempting to use cutlery "the European way." @amygordy1 on TikTok Some might assume Americans' surprise at foreign customs stems from a lack of international experience. But a June 2021 Pew Research Center study found that 71 percent of U.S. adults have traveled internationally at some point. However, the depth of that experience varies— only 11 percent reported having been to 10 or more countries, while 27 percent have never traveled abroad. Travel exposure is also influenced by socioeconomic status, with higher-income Americans "significantly more likely" to have visited multiple countries, according to the survey. It's not the first time that the cultural difference in how to use silverware has caused a stir online. A Quora thread dating back at least five years titled "What do Americans think of the European way of eating with a knife and a fork?" has dozens of comments from people weighing in on the issue, and the topic was also raised on Reddit three years ago. Do you have a travel-related video or story to share? Let us know via life@ and your story could be featured on Newsweek.
Daily Mirror
15-06-2025
- General
- Daily Mirror
'That's insane' - American bamboozled trying to eat 'the European way'
The video sparked a fierce debate online about the best way to eat A video of an American woman trying to eat 'the European way' has led to a fierce debate about etiquette. Amy Gordy was filmed trying to eat a meal at a restaurant holding her fork in her right hand with the prongs - known as tines - facing downwards. In a Tik Tok viewed more than 2.6million times and titled 'I don't expect this to be that hard', she held her knife in her left hand and used it to pile food onto the back of her fork as she tackled her bowl of meat, grains, and eggs. She also continued holding her cutlery while talking to a man out of shot who filmed the experiment. The results were interesting, with Amy struggling to pile enough food onto her fork and generally making a hash of feeding herself. She also said that talking in the US while holding your cutlery was 'rude'. "So, many around the world have spoken, so I'm going to try to not switch my silverware for this meal. It could be challenging for us Americans. What I do - I don't even know how to do this," she said, grappling with the cutlery. "What do I do? So I don't put this down, right? So I'm keeping this in my hand. I scoop it on here? Fork down," she continued, to which the man filming answered: "That's so rude looking, because I'm talking to you right now and you're holding both. That's insane. I don't get it. In America, that's considered rude." Amy continued: "I'm not supposed to speak with my mouth full either, which I agree is rude. That is bad manners, but. I'm confused how to use my knife with my left hand. I'm very inept at my left hand. Do you scoop things on the back of the fork? "Okay, but I am really struggling. Stabbing, I guess. But for the grains that are on here, I want to do this. Hey, you guys, I'm really trying. I really... Really am trying." Unsurprisingly, the comments were full of people bemused at Amy's difficulty with using her cutlery in this way. "Being able to use a knife and fork properly is considered rude in the US, said Danielle Kennedy, while thrdad90 said: "It's not the 'European Way', it THE CORRECT WAY." AK99 said: "Scottish here. Absolutely baffled why you're struggling to use a knife and fork", while Regiina Martin said: "Seems that etiquette is also illegal in US." Julesrules said: "If you're right handed, you cut with the knife and press the food against the back of the fork, which is in your left hand, then bring it to your mouth. While you are chewing, you're getting your next forkful ready. You don't wave your dirty knife around. You either get ready for next forkful or you just rest it on the plate until you're ready to use it again." How do Americans eat? According to Taste of Home, many Americans use a technique called 'cut-and-switch'. This would see the person holding their knife in their right hand and fork in their left as they cut into their food. They then put the knife down and use their fork in their left hand to bring the food up to their mouth. The 'cut-and-switch' was reportedly common in France well into the 19th Century before falling out of favour. American anthropologist James Deetz says that Americans used to hold a spoon in their right hand before the fork became more common. He adds that forks used to be used purely as an accessory for cutting, rather than bringing food up to the mouth. How do Europeans eat? As we know, Europe is a big place with huge variations on how people use cutlery. Food Republic says that in most western European countries, like France, people will usually use their left hand for their fork, regardless of whether they are right or left handed. People tend to hold onto their cutlery for the duration of the course, even when speaking - something Amy's partner said was 'rude' in the US. British etiquette coach William Hanson says that, in the UK: "Fork in the left hand and knife in the right, always. Start by holding your hand out flat palm upwards. Place the knife on your right palm with the blade facing upwards, resting along your index finger and handle resting in your palm. "Do the same with your fork with the tines. Then wrap all other fingers on both hands around the handles and flip over so the cutlery is facing downwards. Index fingers should be running down the top of the handles. "Holding cutlery is often taught with the caveat of 'this is how the British Royal Family would hold a knife and fork'. However, the following methods go beyond 'establishment' rules: it is also the most efficient as, after all, a knife is effectively a saw to cut food, and a fork a stabber to lift food to the mouth." But do not panic if you are wondering how to eat the likes of salad, spaghetti or - as in Amy's case - rice: "Some dishes (e.g. risotto, spaghetti, salad) require a fork only, in which case you hold it in your dominant hand with the tines facing upwards. The same applies to dishes for which you hold a spoon only."
Daily Mail
13-06-2025
- General
- Daily Mail
American woman sparks heated debate about the 'correct' way to eat after revealing how Europeans hold utensils
An American woman has sparked a heated debate about the 'correct' way to eat after she showcased how Europeans hold their utensils. Amy Gordy, from South Carolina, recently shared a video of herself trying to use silverware the 'European way' on TikTok. In the European style of dining, the fork is typically held in the left hand and the knife is held in the right hand for the entire meal. The knife is used for assisting in moving the food onto the fork, and the prongs of the fork usually face down. Americans, on the other hand, usually only use the knife while cutting then put it down and switch the fork to their right hand, with the prongs facing upwards. In the clip, Amy clearly struggled as she attempted to use the method while eating a grain bowl with steak and eggs. 'I don't even know how to do this. What do I do? So I don't put this down, right? I'm keeping this in my hand,' she said, referring to the knife. Her husband then interjected, 'I'm talking to you right now and you're holding both [utensils]? That's insane. I don't get it. In America, that's considered rude.' 'I'm confused as to how I use my knife with my [right] hand,' she continued. 'Do you scoop things on the back of the fork? I am really struggling. I'm really trying you guys.' 'It doesn't make sense, there's no way that's right,' her husband added. Amy's clip got over 2.6 million views and it launched a massive argument about how cutlery should be held during meals. Hoards of Europeans rushed to the comment section, insisting the way they eat is actually 'proper etiquette' and roasting Americans over their style. 'It's not the "European Way," it's THE CORRECT WAY,' one user scathed. 'Scottish here. Absolutely baffled [as to] why you're struggling to use a knife and fork,' added another. 'It's not insane it's the correct etiquette,' insisted someone else. 'It's the correct way. Americans are just one step up from eating with their hands,' joked a different user. 'This is mind blowing. It's like watching something from the Middle Ages,' read a fifth comment. A sixth simply said, 'This is painful.' 'Are you all OK in America?' asked another person. Others defended Amy. One person wrote, 'Guys relax. It's almost like different countries and cultures have different norms and standards of etiquette. 'If you've developed the fine motor skill to do something a certain way for your entire life, doing it a different way will feel unnatural.' 'Geez this comment section is so judgmental. The idea that Americans have a separate culture and therefore do things differently is so upsetting for some of you,' said someone else. 'Etiquette is different everywhere you go!' 'Guys America does suck I agree with you but damn different places do things differently leave us alone,' another user commented. 'It's interesting to me how people think cultural etiquette is right or wrong. Ever country has its own etiquette/practices,' penned a different viewer. It comes after an American woman living in the countryside in Wales lifted a lid on the shocking realities of residing in the UK exclusively with the Daily Mail. Hoards of Europeans rushed to the comment section, insisting the way they eat is actually 'proper etiquette' and roasting Americans over their style Jessica Hanson, 42, originally from Miami, Florida, purchased a house in a small village in Wales called Conwy in 2023 with her husband. She was excited to move to the quaint town, but soon after settling in, she quickly realized that life there was very different from life in America. From sky-high prices and terrible weather to unfriendly neighbors and strict rules, Hanson admitted to the Daily Mail there were a lot of downsides to residing in the UK that took her by surprise. Living in such a small village also meant there weren't a lot of food options, stores and restaurants closed super early, and things like Uber and DoorDash were non-existent there. It was a shocking adjustment for the Florida-native, who admitted it feels a little too 'dystopian' for her liking. She also slammed the immensely high cost of energy and gas - as well as the constant bleak weather. Jessica also claimed that the people are not nearly as outgoing in the UK as they are in the US. She added that there's a slew of bizarre 'rules' and 'expectations' in place that are hard for her to adjust to. 'The nanny state mentality creeps me out. They lowered the speeding limit in my entire county to 20 mph recently. That is bananas to me,' Jessica revealed. 'It feels a little dystopian. CCTV and speed cameras are omnipresent. 50 mph [speed limit] on the freeway. Why? 'In general, British freedom feels, to me, like a polite prison where there are rules for everything, forms for every exception, and you're expected to say thank you for the privilege.'
New York Post
12-06-2025
- Entertainment
- New York Post
Americans roasted by Europeans over ‘primitive' eating habit: ‘Worse than nails down a chalkboard'
It's a fork-and-knife fight. A viral TikTok video showing an American woman attempting the 'European way' of eating has sparked an international food fight — and critics say her table manners are downright barbaric. TikTok user Amy Gordy @amygordy1 posted a now-viral video of herself trying out the so-called 'continental' dining style — the one where you don't play musical chairs with your utensils. Gordy, channeling her inner Emily Post, did her best to keep the fork in her left hand and the knife in her right — unlike the typical American technique of cutting food, dropping the knife, then switching fork hands like it's a culinary square dance. But her continental makeover quickly went off the rails. Viewers couldn't believe their eyes — or her grip. 'This has spun me out, I've never thought about how I use cutlery,' wrote one confused diner. Another viewer declared, after the clip was reposted on X (formerly Twitter): 'Americans are so primitive for world leaders!!! Hold your knife in your right hand! It's your dinner sword. Watching Americans eat is worse than nails down a blackboard.' The video — which racked up more than 2 million views and thousands of comments — didn't just spark etiquette outrage online. It also triggered a domestic dispute because Gordy's husband is heard saying in the background that his wife holding both utensils while he's talking to her is 'rude.' That had TikTok users clutching their pearls — and their cutlery. 'Him saying you're doing it wrong and that it's rude to hold your cutlery when speaking,' one user wrote in disbelief. Another piled on: 'Am I missing something??!? Eating properly is rude in America??' '… Dude sounds like a piece of work. People talk with utensils in their hands all the time, it's never been rude,' tweeted @thisisvertrying, who also reposted Gordy's original video. The clip clocked over 2 million views and thousands of comments — igniting a full-blown Euro vs. American cutlery clash online. sonyachny – Meanwhile, some critics nitpicked Gordy's fork-and-knife form, pointing out that she'd flipped her hands from the standard European setup. 'It's not the 'European Way,' it THE CORRECT WAY,' one commenter fumed. Others were more forgiving, insisting there's no 'correct' way to eat — as long as you're not launching mashed potatoes across the room. Still, for some Europeans, watching Americans carve up dinner like it's an Olympic event remains a horror show. 'I'm confused, so how do Americans use cutlery?' asked one commenter, apparently still recovering from the cultural whiplash. Knife to meet you, indeed. And while Gordy's utensil swap stirred the pot online, Brits like etiquette expert William Hanson would likely argue it's just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to dining faux pas. Hanson — dubbed Britain's leading etiquette coach — recently stunned viewers by insisting there's only one proper way to eat a banana: with a knife and fork. 'No, we don't pick it up and peel it like a primate,' he said in a now-viral Instagram tutorial. 'Instead, we use a knife and fork. First, going from one end, cut it off, then cut off the other end, turning your knife on its side. Then score down the skin, peel back and eat like so.' His fruit-fueled formality didn't end there. As previously reported by The Post, in a follow-up, Hanson demonstrated the 'correct' way to eat grapes — using scissors to snip a smaller bunch onto a plate, naturally. At least that one didn't require cutlery.
