Vibrant Gadget That Took the World by Storm
October 8, 2024
Source: Reddit
Do you remember the first time someone passed you a chopstick and said, “Go ahead, just pick it up”? I do. Learning chopsticks does not come naturally to me; I was eight years old, locked in a staring contest with a plate of steaming dumplings the size of a boss battle. Two skinny sticks. Zero clue. Soy sauce was scattered all over the place from botched tries.
That is, until I encountered the IKEA learning chopsticks. Bright orange and yellow, like traffic cones rooting for you. These weren’t the sleek, dark-wood chopsticks that fancy restaurants carried. These had ridges at the tips, which did in fact cling to food. Actual grip! What a concept.
When Chopsticks Weren’t Just Tools—They Were Toys
They belonged to IKEA’s SMAL collection of the early 2000s — a collection designed to bring a little fun into the everyday. Ikea has a way of making the utilitarian sexy, and these chopsticks are no exception.
These were not about tradition. They were all about function and fun. Ideal for folks who tasted more food on the floor than they did in their mouths. I threw them in the food-drawer-kind-of-thing with the “real” chopsticks I had purchased at the nearby Asian grocery store. The fancy ones sat untouched. These got used.
Little Sticks, Big Feelings
My baby cousin used them to crack sushi, my dad tried them and didn’t grumble. Even my roommate, who previously at noodles with salad tongs, liked them.
They were comforting. Kind of like training wheels for chopsticks. They allow you to eat your meal without it becoming a game of “Will this dumpling drop to the floor?”
A Symbol of Global Flavor
Even something as minuscule as IKEA learning chopsticks signaled a larger change. More takeout from places we hadn’t been raised on. More eople tasting pad Thai, ramen, bibimbap. Except not everyone knew how to eat them like the locals.
Those chopsticks helped bridge the juxtaposition for people. Chopsticks etiquette is not something everyone gets the first time around. These gave folks a way in.
Bite by Bite, A Memory Stuck in Plastic
Whenever I think of those chopsticks, I think of the laughter. Someone throwing a gyoza across the room. One friend telling me there was a “right” and “wrong” way to hold chopsticks — and then watching me stumble around like a crab with arthritis.
They’re not longer on shelves near me, but I have recorded a pair. They’re a memory of the space between “I don’t get it” and “Hey, I do get the hang of this.”
IKEA Got It Right
IKEA learning chopsticks were not a status thing. They were fun, they were effective and they helped people grow more confident, one bite at a time.
I would still choose them over the fancy ones. Because food is not only about all that elegance. It’s about learning and laughing and eating what you love — however many dumplings fall onto the floor in the process.