At a lavish event, Lily is surprised when a stranger gently lifts her hand and places a small, black, sticky mound on it. She wonders if she might accidentally inhale it. But as she watches others around her, delicately eating the same substance, she realizes: it must be caviar. This is an example of Caviar Etiquette, where the luxury food is traditionally eaten off the hand for the perfect taste experience.
In 2015, a BBC documentary, Billionaire’s Banquet, began with a group of ultra-wealthy individuals indulging in caviar priced at 3,000 RMB per bite. While the price alone grabbed attention, what stood out even more was how these elites consumed it. They used tiny spoons to scoop out a bit of caviar and placed it on the back of their hand, between the thumb and forefinger. Some viewers even compared the scene to a moment from a crime movie.
If you search for caviar on social media, you’ll often see it resting on gold watches, radiating an air of extravagance. Many YouTube tutorials and forums, like Quora, feature “corrective” guides on how to eat caviar, explaining why it should be eaten from the back of the hand. 
The Secret to Caviar’s Flavor
One explanation comes from a chef featured in Billionaire’s Banquet. According to him, caviar should never touch metal utensils, as doing so alters its delicate taste. Historically, caviar was seen as a royal delicacy, and even the utensils used to serve it were crafted from gold.
Eating caviar from the back of the hand protects its briny flavor and utilizes the warmth of the skin. This warmth provides a final “cooking” moment before the caviar reaches the mouth. It’s an elegant way to balance luxury and tradition, perfect for a food with such a prestigious reputation.
The History and Prestige of Caviar
Caviar, often dubbed “fit for royalty,” wasn’t always as revered as it is today. Harvesting caviar was once so specialized that it required a decade of training to handle the delicate eggs of sturgeon.
In the U.S., any fish eggs labeled as “caviar” are technically allowed to use the name. However, in France, only eggs from the sturgeon meet the official definition. The sturgeon, which dates back to the age of dinosaurs, produces the true caviar. Only three species—Sevruga, Oscietra, and Beluga—yield the prized eggs. Of these, Beluga caviar is the most expensive.
The Beluga sturgeon, which can live for over 60 years, provides the rarest and most expensive caviar. The finest Beluga caviar, sourced mainly from the Caspian Sea in Iran, can cost as much as $20,000 per pound. Some of the most exclusive Beluga caviar, known as Almas, is often packaged in 24-carat gold cans with pearl spoons, epitomizing ultimate luxury.
Although caviar is typically black, red caviar, from salmon eggs, is often mistaken for true caviar but is not considered the real deal.
The Ancient Origins of Caviar
The first recorded mention of caviar dates back to 1240, during the Mongol conquest of the Volga region. The grandson of Genghis Khan used it to show his “civilized” status. However, his wife reportedly found the smell unbearable, even before tasting it.
In earlier centuries, caviar often spoiled by the time it reached Europe. This made it rare and undesirable. Even famous figures like Galileo sent caviar as royal gifts, but it was discarded due to spoilage during long travels.
It wasn’t until the 18th century that Ioannis Varvakis, a Greek pirate and confidant of Empress Catherine the Great, invented a method to preserve caviar. This technique allowed it to be transported safely and retain its original flavor. It marked the start of caviar’s rise as a luxury food fit for royalty and the elite, and established an early Caviar Etiquette.
Why Caviar Is Eaten from the Hand: Different Cultural Views
While the tradition of eating caviar from the back of the hand is commonly seen among Western elites, it has a different cultural significance in Iran. There, it is a long-standing tradition, much like using chopsticks to eat rice in other cultures. Iranian fishermen were the first to use the back of the hand as a convenient and hygienic way to serve delicate caviar.
Today, the practice of eating caviar from the back of the hand is more than just a quirky custom. It represents a reverence for the food’s luxurious nature. For those who partake in this tradition, it transforms the experience into a sensory ritual, elevating the act of eating caviar to something truly special. This is the essence of Caviar Etiquette, a practice that has endured through centuries.
