Chinese food festival enthralls food lovers in Bangladesh

by Naim-Ul-Karim

DHAKA， April 26 (Xinhua) — “Celebrate the Chinese Year of the Monkey with culinary delights presented by Chef Haiwei Wang and Chef Qianjin Ding from Beijing， Chef Mingjing Li from St. Regis Chengdu.”

“Sizzle your tastebuds for a week with exotic Sichuan and Cantonese cuisine from the northern， southern and western provinces of China at the Westin Dhaka!”

So writes the Westin Dhaka， a 5-Star luxurious business hotel in Bangladesh’s capital Dhaka， managed by Starwood Hotels and Resorts， on a popular social media site.

The pitch is aimed at encouraging hordes of food lovers to sample a wide array of fine Chinese cuisine at a festival which kicked off Sunday.

The Chinese embassy in Dhaka organized the festival in collaboration with Standard Chartered Bank (Bangladesh) Limited， Cathay Pacific， Pepsi and its Aquafnia purified water product.

The eventful festival is aimed at providing a seven-day food-filled wonderland of Chinese cuisine and drinks.

The famous chefs arrived from different parts of China， each serving their finest dishes and beverages for the ultimate gastronomical experience.

Sunday night’s inaugural ceremony saw hundreds of dignitaries from the Bangladeshi government and Chinese embassy in Dhaka in attendance.

For food lovers and food industry insiders， the festival is also providing an opportunity to exchange ideas and delve deeply into key elements and intricacies regarding Chinese food culture.

“I’m a big fan of Chinese food. I’ve come to the festival to see and eat something new. I’m very happy to see such a wide range of new Chinese cuisine with which I was previously unfamiliar，” Shukkur Miah， a self-professed food enthusiast， said.

He said the Chinese Food Festival will not only elate food lovers but also introduce the Bangladesh people to the culture of Chinese cuisine， which is deep rooted in the country’s history.

The festival， thus far， has received an enthusiastic response since opening and hundreds of locals have also flocked to the hotel to have a taste of authentic Chinese cuisine.

“I can see a great love of Chinese food in Bangladesh，” said Chinese Ambassador to Bangladesh Ma Mingqiang.

He said， “Of course we have a long history of cuisine in China dating back many thousands of years. Cuisine in China is not just about cooking. It’s a labor， it’s a creation， it’s an art， and， it’s also culture.”

“There are a myriad of flavors in our cuisine and I hope you enjoy the Chinese foods.”

Dilip Madhok， general manager of The Westin Dhaka， said， “It’s really exciting because China is close to my heart. We look forward to introducing various cuisine， such as Sichuan， Beijing and Cantonese food.”

The deeply-immersed Chinese culture has firmly established itself within the diverse and vibrant city of Dhaka. Chinese food’s diversity and evolution over the last few decades has made a profound impact on Bangladesh’s people’s perception of food and daily eating habits.

“We’re so encouraged to do this (extending support to arrange the festival) because Bangladesh-China relationship is centuries old，” said Abrar A. Anwar， chief executive officer of Standard Chartered Bank (Bangladesh) Limited.

He said， “We are delighted to see that our two countries are growing not only through business and investment， but also through increasing cultural and people-to-people exchanges. As you know， China is currently Bangladesh’s largest trading partner.”

“Not only in trade but also in investment， which has backed roads， bridges， highways and power projects here so much is connected to China. That’s why this is a small gesture of gratitude from our side， with the help of the Chinese embassy，” Abrar A. Anwar said.