The fifth London? Chinese food festival? With the tower bridge as the background, it has attracted many tourists. Photo courtesy of respondents

There are many national food festivals in London, including Japanese food festivals, Korean food festivals and Malaysian food festivals? But there is no Chinese food festival, so my partners and I have the idea of establishing a Chinese food festival. We want foreign friends to know more about China cuisine. ? Tang poetry, founder of London Chinese Food Festival, versus Zhongqing Daily? The reporter of China Youth Network said.

1989 Tang poetry has an innate love for food. Her father, Tang Shabo, devoted his life to the study of food culture. He was the president of Chongqing Chinese Food Culture Research Association. Before he retired, he made a special food program on Chongqing TV, which had an indissoluble bond with food. Tang poetry followed his father since childhood? Eat all over the country? Influenced by his father. While studying in Britain, Tang poetry became a food blogger, and she opened it on Sina? Food in England? Weibo account has more than 80,000 fans.

In 20 14, Tang poetry finished his second master's degree in Warwick Business School in England and went to London to look for entrepreneurial opportunities. At a party, she met another like-minded person? Eating food? Tang Zimu, two people hit it off, decided to set up a food festival belonging to China in London.

Eat? Always be at the forefront of cultural exchanges.

With enthusiasm, the two young people started the preparations for the food festival. As no one has experience, they can only cross the river by feeling the stones, and everything starts from scratch. They went to the London district government to consult the qualifications needed to hold large-scale activities, looked for venues suitable for holding activities all over London, and invited the owners of Chinese restaurants in London to participate from door to door. It takes a lot of time to study local food-related laws and regulations, and a lot of money needs to be invested in building activity venues, such as security, water and electricity, tents and food hygiene. Every detail needs to be put in place. The most unimaginable difficulty for them is actually persuading the owners of Chinese restaurants to participate in the food festival. After hearing about such a large-scale activity, 90% Chinese restaurant owners reacted coldly. They don't believe that two young people in their twenties, who have neither catering experience nor their own restaurant, will be able to hold such a large-scale event.

With what? Is it two young people who hear the most? Questioning? However, they were not discouraged. ? Eating is always at the forefront of cultural exchange. I believe that in an international city like London, Chinese food festival? This cultural brand will start sooner or later. ? Tang poetry said.

With their unremitting efforts, in September of 20 15, the first London? Chinese food festival? On the south bank of the Thames. There are 15 Chinese food enterprises in London participating in this food festival. In order to let British people taste more authentic China cuisine, Tang poetry also specially invited food merchants from Chongqing to participate in the exhibition in London. Authentic Chongqing noodles, hot and sour powder, etc. Chongqing local snacks for the first time? Break in? The British people's vision, let the British people praise.

In the second session? Chinese food festival? It has gained some popularity in London. This year, they moved the food festival to portes Field Park next to Tower Bridge, a landmark building in London. Are local lifestyle media such as TimeOut magazine, London Evening Standard and Metro newspaper right? Chinese food festival? Did a report, and local food bloggers in London are also competing? Photo wall? Facebook? Wait for the social platform to post yourself? Chinese food festival? Early adopters' photos. From the food festival? Chinatown egg? It became a online celebrity delicacy overnight, and diners had to wait in line for two hours to buy it. Photos with eggs and tower bridge as the background were once widely circulated on social networking sites. This year, two young people welcomed the first sponsor of the food festival? A local British food website.

The style and scale of the 3rd China Food Festival have reached a new level. The British Chinese Traditional Culture Research Institute, Chongqing Hot Pot Association and Chongqing Chinese Food Culture Research Association have come to help out. 10 hot pot enterprises have fried hot pot bottom materials under the tower bridge and held a Chongqing hot pot tasting meeting. Many merchants send emails to the organizers, hoping to set up stalls at the food festival. Not only did they reverse it? Is it difficult to attract investment? The dilemma can also be carefully selected from the merchants who signed up. Hunan, Sichuan, Yunnan, Hongkong, Taiwan Province and other local restaurants in China all joined the food festival. Hunan fried stinky tofu, Xi 'an Chinese hamburger, Yunnan rice noodles, Taiwan Province beef noodles, Chongqing noodles and other special foods make people of all colors? Eating food? Surprise gift. ? Chinese food festival? It has also become a springboard for some businesses preparing to open stores to test the British market? It is obviously smart to make an appearance at the food festival, test the products and do enough publicity before officially opening a store.

Show the beauty of Chinese food culture

In the impression of Tang poetry, the fourth Chinese food festival is probably the most popular. Due to the exceptionally good weather, there are also many guests visiting the food festival. In just three days, there are about 40,000 to 50,000 local residents, foreign tourists and international students who come to taste China cuisine. However, even so, they still lost money at the end of the year. ? In fact, we have been losing money for the past four years, and the sponsorship we have won and the booth fees collected from catering companies are far from enough to pay for tents, security and cleaning. Fortunately, the losses are decreasing every year. When the fifth food festival was held last year, the long-term cooperative company reduced the price for us, and we finally broke even. ? Tang poetry said.

Although each food festival lasts only three days, it takes them half a year to make preparations. Tang poetry said that the preparation work is very hard, and every time she finishes the activity, she has to rest for a long time before she can recover. Loss and fatigue make Tang poetry? Have you thought about giving up many times? However, whenever she sees the crowds of tourists at the food festival, the excited expressions of foreign diners when they taste China food, and when she hears them calling their friends to taste China food, she feels? Everything is worth it? .

Let foreign friends know more about China culture behind delicious food, which is what Tang poetry has always been obsessed with? Initial heart? . ? Food Festival is a platform for food exchange and cultural exchange. Showing the beauty of Chinese food culture to foreigners is what I think is the most meaningful thing and what I want to do most? .

Since the first Food Festival, two young people have been thinking about how to show the charm of China culture to foreigners besides the taste. Recreational activities such as dragon and lion dances, Hanfu performances or calligraphy demonstrations are indispensable scenery at every food festival. Diners can put on Hanfu after eating and drinking, and feel the joy of ancient China literati with a pen and ink; A temporary kitchen was set up next to the food stall, and the chefs from the Chinese food school gave live teaching demonstrations, so that people interested in Chinese food could experience the wonders of Chinese cooking in practice through interactive ways.

The fifth London held last year? Chinese food festival? We also received assistance from the London Tourism Office of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of China. The staff of the tourism office broadcast it live? Beautiful China? Video, distributing tourist souvenirs with China characteristics, and promoting related tourism, so that diners from all over the world can understand the scenery of China through food maps, and encourage them to embark on the discovery journey of exploring beautiful China. ? The tourist office has prepared hundreds of panda fans and sent them to the children who come to the food festival for free. The children especially like it, and they chase me for it, which makes me feel very proud. ? Tang poetry said.

This year, affected by the epidemic, Chinese food festival? The pause button was pressed along with other activities in London. However, Tang poetry has already planned and envisaged the content of next year's food festival. ? While tasting delicious food, we should use more modern technology to bring more interaction and experience to everyone. ? She also wants to open a food academic forum to introduce Chinese food more professionally from the perspective of health and health preservation, so as to attract more professional food professionals.