[Explanation] Recently, in the spacious kitchen of the "Spice Method" Indian Restaurant in Chengdu, Sichuan Province, the executive chef Bowen from India is teaching chefs to cook a new dish introduced by the restaurant-Tamarind Curry Shrimp.
While holding a spatula to skillfully add spices to the pot, while explaining in fluent Chinese, the unique and rich aroma of Indian cuisine is pervasive, which makes the index finger move.
[Explanation] It is reported that the 35-year-old blog post is from Dehradun, India. He came to China in 2010 and has been serving as the executive chef of the "Spices Law" brand. During this period, he worked in Chongqing, Xi'an, Wuhan, Kunming and other cities. Chengdu is attracted by the "easy" living environment and strong gourmet atmosphere, so I choose to settle here.
[Concurrent] "Spice Method" Indian Restaurant Executive Chef's Blog
When I first came, when I came to 2010, my own thoughts were that I couldn’t stay for a long time. When I was in China for almost two years, I would go home, and when I went home (and then to) other countries go.
But after staying for a year, I could not speak Chinese when I first came, but after I slowly learn Chinese, it is more convenient.
So I slowly got used to one year later, and the second year passed again, but I just got used to it, I am also used to eating in all aspects, I have more friends, work better, and it is more convenient to go out to play. Stayed slowly for 11 years.
[Explanation] According to the blog post, food is the most "down-to-earth" bridge to promote cultural exchanges.
He admitted that most of his knowledge of China comes from food.
Whenever he goes to a place, he will taste the local specialties, so as to understand the stories behind the food, the local culture and so on.
For him, food is like a business card of the city, and a special food can make him remember the whole city.
[Concurrent] "Spice Method" Indian Restaurant Executive Chef's Blog
I have a few friends in China, they can take me to this kind of (eating food) place, because I don't know many places.
Last time they took (me), a Chinese friend of mine took me to the hot pot restaurant in Kuanzhai Alley.
There is a performance in it (hot pot restaurant), and he (the performer) has changed his face.
(I) just talked (with my friend) and learned that his (face-changing) is an (ancient) old traditional culture in Sichuan.
So when I ate the hot pot, I stopped, because I didn't know this kind of thing before, and then I got to know this culture after I went there.
[Explanation] With my own experience of understanding China through food, as the executive chef of an Indian restaurant, Bowen also hopes to use his work to let more Chinese people understand the authentic Indian cuisine.
At the same time, while customers are tasting the food, he also hopes that they will be curious about the place where the dishes originated, so that they can get to know this place, and even travel there to further deepen their understanding of India.
[Concurrent] "Spice Method" Indian Restaurant Executive Chef's Blog
After he (customer) comes to eat here, sometimes I can also communicate (with them), maybe chat, he can also ask (questions) of other places in India, not (only) a food aspect, he can also Ask my recommendation for India.
He (some customers) came here to eat. After eating delicious food, he understood this thing. He didn’t know what India was like before. After communicating with them, they went to India, and then after going there for the first time, They felt differently, and then he went (again) twice and three times.
[Explanation] According to the blog post, not only is the Chinese people's understanding and acceptance of Indian cuisine and even India becoming more and more popular; Indian people are also very interested in Chinese culture, and Indian Chinese food is also a very popular foreign cuisine.
In the future, he hopes that he can also open a Chinese restaurant in India to convey Chinese food culture.
Yang Yudian reports from Chengdu, Sichuan
Editor in charge: [Wu Qingcai]