(Ten years of Taiwanese companies in mainland China) Orchestra conductors do catering and make cafes a "spiritual home"
Chinanews.com, Nanning, October 6th Telegram: Orchestra conductors make catering and make cafes a "spiritual home"
Author Jiang Xuelin Li Weidong
Walking into the store, there is a piano on the left and many paintings on the wall. If it is not the cashier in front of you, people will mistakenly think that this is an art gallery rather than a restaurant.
This unique cafe, restaurant and bar is Yumen Cafe located outside the gate of the Champs-side Garden Community on Fengxiang Road, Nanning City, Guangxi.
Its owner is named Zhang Yuanheng (Stephen).
"My hobby after school was learning musical instruments, and I was the conductor of a symphony orchestra in Taiwan." Zhang Yuanheng, general manager of Nanning Yumen Catering Management Co., Ltd., said in an interview with reporters recently.
Zhang Yuanheng is from Taipei City, and his father is the first generation of Taiwanese businessmen to develop in Shenzhen.
In 2008, Zhang Yuanheng followed Max Shoes to Guangxi and served as a corporate executive. In 2012, he changed his career and worked with his wife to create a high-end themed roasted coffee bar.
"Because my wife studied art management in Taiwan, she used to work in a gallery and an auction company. At that time, we also liked drinking coffee and eating bread. We always had an idea to let my wife do what she likes." Zhang Yuanheng said.
The picture shows Zhang Yuanheng making coffee in a cafe.
Photo by Jiang Xuelin
In December 2012, Zhang Yuanheng, who resigned as a senior executive of Max Shoes, opened a coffee restaurant with his wife.
"From the very beginning, we tried to make every food from the source, we designed our own coffee roaster, made our own coffee, bread, and meals. The entire food supply chain is our own, and we can see every process of food production. , so that guests can eat safe and secure food." Zhang Yuanheng said.
"In the past ten years, Yumen Coffee has held a total of 78 concerts, and many famous Taiwanese orchestras and musicians who have won awards have come to Yumen Coffee to perform. Therefore, Yumen Coffee has become a favorite among many cross-strait music and art lovers. The spiritual home of the people." Zhang Yuanheng said.
In recent years, Zhang Yuanheng has teamed up with artists from both sides of the Taiwan Strait to hold a number of art exhibitions, photography exhibitions and art fairs in Nanning.
He said that he hoped to carry forward the living environment, especially the cultural life experience in Taipei, to Nanning, so that people in Nanning can also share the spiritual culture.
Sometimes Zhang Yuanheng will show his skills in the restaurant and bar to show his piano skills to customers.
Because of Zhang Yuanheng's own preference for art and the many art activities that Yumen Coffee has participated in, this small shop hidden in the busy city has become a popular place for many Nanning people who like music and art, and they are accustomed to their leisure weekends.
"Surrounded by plants, it is like a back garden. Entering the store is indescribably warm, simple and simple, listening to soothing songs, reading a book, ordering a cup of coffee and a dessert, you can enjoy comfort at Yumen Coffee. The petty bourgeoisie life." Ma Ningning, who lives in Nanning City, is a frequent customer of Yumen Coffee, so she also became Zhang Yuanheng's friend.
The picture shows Yumen Cafe.
Photo by Jiang Xuelin
After ten years of operation, Nanning Yumen Catering Management Co., Ltd. once owned 6 stores including Yumen Coffee, Yumen Kitchen Cafe, Yumen Foreign Restaurant, and Yumen Bakery Store, mainly engaged in specialty coffee and imported scented tea. , hand-made baking, professional meals, etc., the staff once reached more than 80 people.
Due to venue leasing and other reasons, the company now has two stores, and another store is under construction.
Zhang Yuanheng said that many old customers like Ma Ningning regard Yumen Coffee as part of their memories. As one of the oldest stores in the Hangyang International Business District in Nanning, some Nanning people have listened to concerts, After watching the performance, some brought friends to the store to read books, and some fell in love here and achieved a romantic marriage. No matter how the city develops, they have always been in love with Yumen Cafe.
"Because of this kind of affection, several stores in Yumen were not affected much during the epidemic, and some stores' business was better than before." Zhang Yuanheng said.
Zhang Yuanheng hopes that the epidemic will pass as soon as possible. He is looking forward to restarting cross-strait cultural exchanges. Using Yumen's stores as a platform, he will hold cultural activities such as concerts and art exhibitions, and continue to contribute to the promotion of cultural exchanges between Guitai and Taiwan.
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