中国·福州——热爱城市从热爱美食开始

According to information, the “Millennium-old Fujian Cuisine for Global Sharing” – Fuzhou’s Bid for “City of Gastronomy” Fujian Cuisine Promotion Conference was held in Macao on January 16.

The 2025 Fuzhou Fujian Cuisine Promotion Series kicked off in Macao, a city renowned as the “Garden on the Sea” and the “City of Gastronomy,” marking the first stop of the series of events. More than 100 participants were invited, including representatives from the Macao Government Tourism Office, the Macao Commerce and Investment Promotion Institute, the United Association of Food and Beverage Merchants of Macao, the Macau Society of Gastronomic and Culinary Arts, as well as those from the Fujian Provincial Department of Commerce, the Fuzhou Catering and Cuisine Industry Association, and Fujian cuisine catering enterprises.

This event provided participants with the opportunity to immerse themselves in the city’s vibrant atmosphere and savor its authentic flavors, a culinary tradition spanning a thousand years. The event featured multiple exhibition areas, each highlighting different aspects of Fujian Cuisine. The Fujian Cuisine Culture Exhibition Area showcased Fuzhou’s unique culinary culture to guests. The Fujian Cuisine Creative Exhibition Area offered an immersive Fotiaoqiang DIY cooking experience through interactive and innovative activities, attracting a large number of guests. In the Fujian Snack Tasting Area, renowned brands such as “China Time-Honored Brand” Tongli Pork Wonton and “Fujian Time-Honored Brand” Fuzhou Erlongbo Yuanxiao prepared traditional Fuzhou snacks on site for visitors. These exhibitions received high praise from the guests.

This promotion conference not only invited guests to sample authentic Fuzhou Pork Wonton and Yuanxiao, but also presented a performance of the classic Fujian Opera Spring Outing, showcasing the charm of traditional Fuzhou arts.

The Fujian Cuisine masters’ cooking demonstration was one of the highlights of this promotion conference. Renowned chefs such as Qiang Zhentao and Luo Shiwei prepared famous Fuzhou dishes like “Lychee Sweet and Sour Pork” and “Sauteed Sliced Neptunea Cumingi in Rice Wine Sauce” on site, while Master Chen Weijie provided lively explanations throughout the process. The Lychee Sweet and Sour Pork was meticulously prepared, with its shape and taste resembling lychees, sweet and slightly sour, with a tempting color, which showcased the mastery of cutting skills and seasoning. The Sauteed Sliced Neptunea Cumingi in Rice Wine Sauce highlighted delicate cutting skills, with the slices being fresh and crisp, and the fermented rice aroma leaving a lingering aftertaste, perfectly embodying the essence of Fujian cuisine. The exquisite culinary skills and unique flavors were so impressive that the guests couldn’t stop praising them.

Qiang Zhentao, a master chef of Fujian Cuisine and a Chinese culinary master, Luo Shiwei, the national-level Fotiaoqiang intangible cultural heritage inheritor, and Chen Junfan, a Fujian provincial intangible cultural heritage inheritor and the fourth-generation inheritor of Tongli Pork Wonton, shared the stories and cultural heritage behind classic Fujian dishes during the expert interview.

At the event, Huang Lyubing, President of the Fuzhou Catering and Cuisine Industry Association, presented the plaque “Fujian Cuisine Promotion Base” to Changsheng Hotel Management Co., Ltd., establishing a new bridge for Fujian Cuisine exchanges and cooperation. Huang Lyubing also exchanged souvenirs with Li Rurong, Chairman of the United Association of Food and Beverage Merchants of Macao. This symbolized the shared vision of promoting the high-quality development of the catering industry and the dissemination of Chinese culinary culture between the two regions with an open and friendly attitude.

Fuzhou, a city that rose and flourished through its connection to the sea, is a key birthplace and gateway of the ancient Maritime Silk Road. The fusion of Chinese and foreign cultures in this city has sparked a vibrant two-way exchange of culinary traditions, bringing in overseas ingredients like Champa rice, pepper, and sweet potatoes, which have fueled the ongoing innovation and integration of Fujian cuisine. Meanwhile, the unique flavors of Fujian have spread globally, becoming a culinary bridge that links the past and present, while connecting China to the world. Today, with the accelerated development of the “Belt and Road” initiative, the global acceptance of Chinese culinary culture continues to grow. As one of China’s most renowned hometowns for overseas Chinese, Fuzhou is home to over 4 million overseas Fuzhou-born Chinese. Filled with a deep longing for the flavors of their homeland, they are dedicated to promoting Fujian cuisine abroad, spreading its flavors around the world.

This promotion of Fujian cuisine in Macao is a splendid showcase of Fuzhou’s culinary culture, further highlighting the new culinary identity of “Millennium-old Fujian Cuisine for Global Sharing.” In the future, Fuzhou will continue to make great and comprehensive efforts to bid for “City of Gastronomy.” With food as a connection, it will further promote Fujian cuisine exchanges and cooperation, enabling it to write a new chapter of development on a broader stage. (fjsen.com Reporter: Chen Nan)