More than 100 foreigners are expected to gather in this picturesque city of Hangzhou, capital of east China's Zhejiang province, to compete in cooking local delicacies on Jan.3.
As part of a provincial promotion of delicious local food and cuisines, the contest has attracted 108 contestants from over 20 countries and regions, all of whom are working and studying either in
Hangzhou or Nanjing, capital of Zhejiang's northern neighboring Jiangsu province.
Participants will be divided into 20 groups, to each cook a designated cuisine as well as create their own -- from their own countries' recipes if they wish -- and name it after one of Hangzhou's prestigious scenic spots.
Famed chefs from the cities of
Hangzhou and Nanjing, both in east China area, have given short-term training to these contestants before the official contest.
As famous
Hangzhou cuisines enjoy a high reputation for its leanness, delicate artistic presentation, moderate price and high quality, brand
Hangzhou restaurants' outlets have been booming all over China.
Foreigners compete in Chinese cuisine cooking
Foreigners cooked up their best
Hangzhou dishes on Jan.3 at a cook-off held just for them in this capital city of east China's Zhejiang Province.
More than 100 participants, coming from about 20 countries including the United States, France, Germany, Japan and the Republic of Korea, were divided into 20 groups.
Every group was assigned to cook one traditional
Hangzhou dish and one self-designed cuisine to be named for a tourism site in Hangzhou.
In the end, two groups were awarded first prize, four were awarded second prize and six were awarded third prize by evaluating the dishes' color, flavor and taste.
Chinese cuisine boasts a long and bright history. So far, it has developed into eight major categories, one of which is based in Hangzhou.
The year 2002 saw Zhejiang receiving 1.9 million overseas tourists and
Hangzhou alone received more than one million overseas visitors, up 29.3 percent and 28.8 percent respectively over the previous year.
Xiang Qin, deputy mayor of Hangzhou, said the cook-off will help more foreigners know the city which is a nationally well-known tourism destination, as well as the city's delicious cuisine.
