China News Service, Beijing, October 7th.

Question : [Ten Years of Chinese Style] Global Chinese flavor, who is the TOP1?

  Author Liu Yue

  In the past ten years, who has been the most popular TOP1 in "Chinese flavor"?

  If you ask this question on the Internet, you will get a variety of answers and hidden "swords and swords"——

Beyond the limitations of time and space, the taste of China "burns up"

  In an instant, fans of Sichuan cuisine, Cantonese cuisine, Hunan cuisine, Shandong cuisine and other major cuisines came to an end one after another, and fans of local snacks such as pancakes, stinky tofu, and donkey rolls were no less.

It can be described as "a big river with wide waves and unusual tastes on both sides".

At the Harbin Shida Night Market, citizens enjoy food on the spot.

Photo by China News Agency reporter Sun Hanlun

  China has a vast land and abundant resources, and Chinese children never get tired of eating.

In addition, in the past ten years, with the development of the economy, the flow of people and logistics, and the steady progress of the catering and related industries, the taste of China has become more and more colorful after crossing the limitation of time and space——

  People from Yunnan can eat authentic Northeast slaughtered pig dishes in Wuhan, and people from Tianjin drink Beijing Erguotou around Yanbian barbecue.

According to data from the China Internet Network Information Center, by the end of 2021, there will be more than 500 million online takeaway users.

The advancement of science and technology has made "ten mile different styles, a hundred miles different customs" into "enjoy the world's delicious food without leaving home".

  What would the answer be like if the question was replaced with "the favorite Chinese flavor for foreigners"?

Netizens are likely to hesitate and politely ask: "Uh...is it dumplings and roast duck?"

  So, what is the development trajectory of "Chinese flavor" in the past ten years overseas?

What is the "Chinese taste" overseas?

  Compared with the eclectic "Chinese stomach" of "Chinese foodies", the tastes of foreigners are a bit elusive.

However, in the past ten years, more and more Chinese delicacies have sailed to the sea, so that the authentic Chinese taste overseas has gradually become "traces" to follow.

  The export of Chinese catering culture has a long history and far-reaching influence.

Taking the data released by the Japanese Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare in recent years as an example, there are nearly 60,000 Chinese restaurants all over Japan.

However, there are two concepts about Chinese food overseas - "improved Chinese food" and "original Chinese food".

The former combines local tastes, while the latter is more authentic.

In Montreal, Canada, an Asian food market in Chinatown attracts diners.

Photo by China News Agency reporter Yu Ruidong

  In the interview, Xiaoxin was severely popularized by a wave of "foreign Chinese food assassins".

"There is an à la carte Chinese restaurant near the school, which is outrageously bad." Andre (pseudonym), a vocal teacher who studied in Italy for four years, recalled: "The most unpalatable dish in my memory is pot-wrapped pork. It's hard to swallow, chews like gummy candy, and tastes completely different from China."

  He Ke, who was the general representative of the Chinese branch of Japan's "Spicy Alliance", said that there are objective reasons for the improvement of Chinese food.

He introduced that when Sichuan cuisine was introduced to Japan, it lacked basic Sichuan seasonings and could only seek alternatives. For example, using Japanese miso instead of sweet noodle sauce to stir-fry the pork, the taste was naturally not authentic enough.

  In the past ten years, with the close international exchanges and the growing influence of Chinese culture, authentic Chinese food is also emerging.

Among them, hot pot performed well. According to store revenue, hot pot will account for 11.1% of the international Chinese catering market in 2021, or about 28.9 billion US dollars.

In addition, Lanzhou ramen, pickled fish, Cantonese morning tea and other delicacies have set sail to the sea, and the authentic Chinese taste has swept the world.

Why does "Chinese taste" shine in the world?

  In He Ke's view, the transmission of food culture is gradual.

  "After improvement, it will be more conducive to the spread of Chinese cuisine to make dishes that are more suitable for local tastes." In the blink of an eye, whether it is improved or original flavors, Chinese flavors have opened up a broader competition overseas. road.

According to a report by Frost & Sullivan, in 2021, the number of Chinese restaurants in the international market will exceed 600,000, with a market size of US$264.4 billion.

Japanese street Chinese restaurant.

Photo courtesy of Xiao Dong, an international student

  "In the past, an improved version of Chinese food was popular in Japan, but since last year, a trend of 'ガチ中中' has emerged in Japan, that is, Chinese food that pursues the original flavor." He Ke took Sichuan pepper as an example. In recent years, some locals who have opened restaurants in Japan have , they come to Chengdu every year to buy green peppercorns and bring them back to China. They like the fragrance and numbness of peppercorns.

  Why can Chinese taste shine in the world?

In addition to the taste charm of Chinese food itself, economic development promotes the enhancement of comprehensive national strength. A large number of Chinese go overseas to start businesses, study abroad, and travel, and the Chinese food consumer group is growing day by day. With the development of information on the Internet, food bloggers such as Li Ziqi and chef Wang Gang are popular all over the world, attracting foreign diners. I am eager to try a more authentic Chinese taste; at the same time, the external influence of Chinese culture is constantly increasing, radiating to all aspects of life.

Overseas Chinese restaurant.

Photo courtesy of international student Lu Xuan

  Food writer Li Zuomin believes that all food is essentially a cultural phenomenon. "How much influence Chinese food has in the United States or in the world depends on how much influence Chinese culture has on overseas."

  Who is the TOP1 popular "Chinese taste" at home and abroad?

Perhaps there is no universal answer to this question.

Chinese taste is not limited to cuisine, but lies in the food pattern of blooming flowers; Chinese taste is not limited by regions, we have the hard power of science and technology to "eat food all over the world without leaving home"; Chinese taste does not need to be entangled in "improvement" or "original taste" "——On these two tracks, the taste of China is becoming more and more fragrant around the world.