Fuzhou’s Bid for “City of Gastronomy” Receives Support from Three Major National Associations!
Fujian Cuisine Showcases the Charm of Fuzhou’s Culinary Culture in Beijing!
Fuzhou’s Bid for “City of Gastronomy” Receives Support from Three Major National Associations!
Fish balls, pork wontons, yuanxiao (sweet glutinous rice balls), taro puree, crispy shrimp... After savoring these delicious Fuzhou snacks, you can also enjoy a fragrant cup of Fuzhou jasmine tea. On October 16, under the guidance of the Fuzhou Municipal Government, the Fuzhou’s Bid for “City of Gastronomy” Fujian Cuisine Promotion Conference was held by the Fuzhou Municipal Bureau of Commerce in Beijing at the Beijing Hotel, the site of China’s First State Banquet.
Beijing is not only China’s political and cultural center but also a world-renowned ancient city and a modern international hub where cultures from all over the world come together, and all eight major Chinese cuisines are showcased. Raising the profile of Fujian cuisine in Beijing holds monumental significance in promoting it to a global audience. For this promotion conference, the Fuzhou Juchunyuan Group and the Fuzhou Catering and Cuisine Industry Association fully leveraged their unique advantages, providing strong support in organizing a team of Fujian cuisine masters and designing the event’s agenda, ensuring the successful hosting of the event.
The event was attended by over 100 people, including leaders from more than 20 industry organizations and companies, such as the Ministry of Commerce, the China Cuisine Association, the China Hospitality Association, the World Federation of Chinese Catering Industry, the Beijing Municipal Commerce Bureau, Beijing Tourism Group, China Quanjude Group, the Fujian Provincial Department of Commerce, the Beijing Office of Fujian Provincial Government, the Beijing Culinary Association, the Beijing Food and Beverage Industry Association, and the Beijing Time-Honored Brands Association. Additionally, representatives from major media outlets, including China National Radio, People’s Daily Online, China Business Herald, Beijing Daily, Beijing TV, Beijing Business Today, Beijing News, Fuzhou Daily, and Fuzhou Radio and Television, also attended the promotion conference.
Fuzhou’s all-out effort to bid for “City of Gastronomy” receives strong support from various sectors
Fuzhou, known as the “City of Blessings and Happiness,” has a rich historical heritage and deep culinary traditions. Through this promotional event in Beijing, Fuzhou sincerely hopes to foster deeper exchanges and mutual learning between Fujian cuisine and other major Chinese culinary styles and schools, with the aspiration to see Chinese culinary culture thrive in the modern era and gain global recognition.
Site of the promotion conference
Yang Liu, President of the China Cuisine Association, Vice President of the China General Chamber of Commerce, and Chairman of the Supervisory Board of the World Federation of Chinese Catering Industry, highlighted the long-standing collaboration between the China Cuisine Association and Fuzhou. Last year, they successfully organized the 16th China International Catering Industry Expo and the 32nd China Chef Festival, both of which achieved remarkable success. The China Cuisine Association has also issued a recommendation letter to UNESCO supporting Fuzhou’s bid for “City of Gastronomy.” In April 2024, they organized a delegation from Fuzhou and other cities, focusing on Fujian cuisine, to showcase Chinese culinary excellence at the UNESCO headquarters in Paris.
Song Xiaoxi, Executive Vice President and Secretary-General of the China Hospitality Association, stated that the association has continuously partnered with Fuzhou to host the 22nd and 25th China Food Festivals, both of which received significant attention within the industry. The China Hospitality Association has also issued a recommendation letter to UNESCO in support of Fuzhou’s bid for “City of Gastronomy.” Furthermore, the association has signed a comprehensive strategic cooperation agreement with Fuzhou to further support the development of Fujian cuisine’s standards and industry systems, while driving the upgrading of both the Fujian cuisine industry and its brand.
Wu Li, Executive Vice President of the World Federation of Chinese Catering Industry, stated that the development of the Fujian cuisine industry’s supply chain and the ongoing innovations in its dishes have far exceeded consumer expectations. “The Fujian Cuisine Going Global” initiative is a key effort by the government to advance the development of Fujian cuisine and its culinary culture, with plans to further promote it overseas in the future. Fujian cuisine is known for its light flavors and nutritional balance, meeting international culinary standards.
In addition, the three leading national culinary associations have voiced their strong support for Fuzhou’s bid for “City of Gastronomy.” Together, they aim to establish Fujian cuisine as a new hallmark of the city, and they wish Fuzhou success in achieving this prestigious recognition as soon as possible!
At the promotion conference, the relevant official from the Fuzhou Municipal Bureau of Commerce, together with Huang Lyubing, President of the Fuzhou Catering and Cuisine Industry Association, awarded the “Fujian Cuisine Promotion Base” plaque to nearly 20 Fujian cuisine restaurants in Beijing, including Beijing Hotel, Empark Grand Hotel Beijing’s Xinfuxi Restaurant, and M’Master Hall Fortune Pot, along with other outstanding catering enterprises in the city. This initiative is intended to lay a strong foundation for Fujian cuisine to thrive and gain prominence in Beijing in the future.
At the event, the Fuzhou Catering and Cuisine Industry Association exchanged flags and gifts with the Beijing Culinary Association and the Beijing Food and Beverage Industry Association on behalf of the catering industries in both cities.
Dialogue with Fujian cuisine masters, and a reproduction of state banquet delicacies
At the promotional conference, Qiang Zhentao, honored with the titles of Fujian Cuisine Master and Chinese Culinary Master, shared the story of how his father, Qiang Mugen, and his uncle, Qiang Ququ, the two renowned masters of Fujian cuisine, prepared the State Banquet in Beijing for U.S. President Ronald Reagan in 1984. He explained that traditionally, Fotiaoqiang was made in large pots, but to cater to the dining preferences of foreign guests and improve service efficiency at the State Banquet, his father reformed the dish by replacing the large pot with a smaller one, transforming the classic Fujian dish into a modernized version that better suited the needs of the new era.
Master Yang Weihua, the eighth-generation inheritor of the Juchunyuan Fotiaoqiang making technique, shared the rich history of this authentic dish at the event. He explained that Fotiaoqiang was first created at Juchunyuan in Fuzhou. Over more than a century, successive masters of Fujian cuisine have passed down, innovated, and refined the recipe. In 2008, the “Juchunyuan Fotiaoqiang Making Technique” was recognized as part of China’s national intangible cultural heritage by the State Council.
Master Chen Junfan, the fourth-generation inheritor of Tongli Pork Wonton, a Fujian intangible cultural heritage, shared the deep connection between the delicate, flavorful pork wontons to Fuzhou’s local culture and the sentiments of its people. This time-honored establishment, which embodies the essence of “Fu culture,” will be passed down through him and his daughter, continuing the century-old legacy of delicious flavors.
At the event, four renowned Fujian cuisine masters -- National Intangible Cultural Heritage Inheritor Luo Shiwei, Chinese Culinary Master Chen Hui, China Famous Cooking Master Qiang Zhentao, and Lin Shuidi, a winner of Blue Ribbon at the World Chefs Championship -- joined forces to recreate iconic Fujian state banquet dishes, including Lychee Sweet and Sour Pork and Sautéed Neptunea Cumingi in Rice Wine Sauce. Their performance highlighted the meticulous knife skills and refined cooking techniques that define Fujian cuisine.
This promotion conference not only introduced the flavors of Fujian cuisine to Beijing but also highlighted the timeless elegance of Min opera. Talented young actors from the Fujian Provincial Experimental Min Opera Troupe took to the stage and performed the classic Min opera Phoenix Hairpin.
Accelerating the protection, exploration, and revitalization of the catering industry
In recent years, Fuzhou has successively introduced relevant policies such as the Regulations on the Protection of Fujian Cuisine Techniques and Culture and the Three-Year Action Plan for the Protection and Development of Fujian Cuisine. The city has also released the First Batch of Fujian Cuisine Protection List and established China’s first Fujian Cuisine Culture Museum dedicated to Fujian cuisine, fully promoting the preservation and transmission of Fujian culinary techniques. At the same time, Fuzhou has preserved and promoted eight Chinese time-honored brands, 25 Fujian provincial time-honored brands, and over 800 Fujian cuisine masters. The “Juchunyuan Fotiaoqiang Making Technique” has been included in the national intangible cultural heritage list, effectively fostering the thriving development of Fujian cuisine culture.
In 2022, Fuzhou officially launched its bid for “City of Gastronomy.” After two years of efforts, the bid has significantly promoted the integrated development of multiple industries centered around Fujian cuisine, while also contributing to a multi-dimensional enhancement of the city.
Driven by the bid for “City of Gastronomy,” Fuzhou’s catering industry has experienced a surge in vitality. In 2023, there were over 57,000 market entities in the city’s catering industry, with a total revenue of 51.12 billion yuan, marking a 12.6% year-on-year increase. From January to June 2024, Fuzhou’s catering revenue reached 26.58 billion yuan, a year-on-year growth of over 13.2%. Currently, the number of catering market entities stands at more than 50,000, with 251 high-end restaurants, an increase of 33 compared to the previous year.
In September of this year, Fuzhou Juchunyuan Group collaborated with China Quanjude Group to host the “Quan Ju Jing Min · Fu Ju Wei Lai” Beijing-Fujian Grand Feast and Intangible Cultural Heritage Food Week in Beijing. Moving forward, Juchunyuan Group will actively promote the introduction of Fujian cuisine into Beijing and Beijing cuisine into Fujian, further strengthening the communication and exchanges between the culinary traditions of both regions.
Moving ahead, Fuzhou will continue to pursue its bid for “City of Gastronomy” in a comprehensive and in-depth manner, steering the high-quality development of its catering industry. This will help establish Fujian cuisine as a prominent new symbol of the city, drive Fuzhou’s transformation into an international consumption center city, and further elevate its global influence.