Seine food festival displays excellent taste

PARIS — French scallops with pineapple, Brittany lobster with fried rice and mille-feuille of red fruits with Bourbon vanilla are just a few of the signature dishes featured at a Sino-French gastronomy festival, set aboard a boat along the Seine.

Around 70 guests, including representatives from governments, cultural circles and culinary industries in China and France, embarked on the culinary journey on May 4.

The festival is one of this year's premium cultural exchange events between China and France as the two countries celebrate the 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations.

At the opening of the gastronomy festival, renowned Cantonese cuisine chef Ku Chi-fai from China and French Michelin-starred chef Regis Douysset served the guests seasonal ingredients, such as truffles, white asparagus and pineapples, blending the characteristics of Chinese and French cuisines.

Sharing his ideas and stories behind the menu, Ku says that Chinese cuisine has its unique charm yet faces challenges and cultural barriers as it seeks to gain international popularity. These include using foreign ingredients, adapting to different dietary habits and the demand for innovation.

On the sidelines of the feast were traditional cultural and artistic performances staged by Chinese and French artists, including guzheng zither and violin duets, and a collaborative rendition of a French song accompanied by Chinese dance.

During the event, the guests also observed traditional Chinese tea-serving techniques, which have been added to UNESCO's list of intangible cultural heritage.

Many French guests tasted biluochun, a well-known green tea from eastern China's Jiangsu province, and praised its rich flavor.

A trendy Chinese herbal tea, known as "cold tea" among Chinese consumers, also attracted many guests. Representatives from Guangzhou Wanglaoji Pharmaceutical Company, the owner of the Chinese herbal tea brand, introduced the attendees to the brand's stories and its idea to combine healthcare with gastronomy.

The gastronomy festival is one of the 16 major cultural exchange activities to be staged in China and France this year, according to a list agreed upon by the two governments.