Love thy neighbour’s food: Chinese carnival fills appetite of capital’s foodies

Delegation of culinary experts from China display their skills at food festival.

ISLAMABAD: Five master chefs descended on the capital from China to promote their culture through a stirring culinary experience, demonstrating their exemplary cooking skills live and made exquisite meals for guests at a local hotel on Wednesday evening.

The delegation of culinary masters, along with Bian Jiang, vice president of the China Cuisine Association, was sent by China Radio International to demonstrate their cooking skills for Islooites at the food carnival.



Chefs came on the stage to artfully cut fruit and create other tantalising dishes. They will be making 16 dishes from all over China — a cuisine which will definitely leave many wanting more.

Jiang said he was pleased to learn that several basic and core Chinese ingredients were available in Pakistan and there was an increasing demand of the cuisine in the country.

“This visit will give the Pakistani people an unforgettable feast” said Sun Weidong, the Chinese Ambassador to Pakistan. Weidong, while addressing a large gathering of members of the Chinese mission in Islamabad, government officials and members of the media, said 2015 was the year of friendly exchanges between China and Pakistan and the mission was increasing its work in the fields of education, culture, people-to-people contacts and think tank forums.



He said the cuisine was an essential part of Chinese culture which one must learn about. “It is great to see the presence of Chinese food in Pakistan. Many say it is perhaps not as authentic, but if they have to survive they have to localise” said Weidong. “However, the merger is not just for connectivity. This economic corridor should not just be around roads and railways, but also cuisine” said the ambassador.

“We have made remarkable efforts in the past few years. There is mutual trust and respect between the two countries that has deepened” said Weidong.

Rubina Akhtar, a government official at the event, said Chinese food is not something new to Pakistan as most Pakistanis grow up having this cuisine. “Cuisine and culture are important elements of bridging gaps between two countries,” she said.

The chefs will be going to Lok Virsa, a private school, the Prime Minister’s House and will make an appearance on the state-run TV channel. The carnival is under way at the hotel till December 6.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 4^th, 2014.