In Lyon, France, Chinese proprietor Cheng Yu runs a Chinese restaurant called "Bistro Zakka," where baozi (Chinese steamed buns), wontons, and guabao have been the signature items for a decade.
Beyond being the founder of Bistro Zakka, Cheng also works as a Chinese language teacher at a university. Through this role, he discovered that the French have limited knowledge of Chinese food, even holding some misconceptions.
"For example, they didn't know that baozi (steamed buns) and jiaozi (dumplings) are Chinese foods," Cheng said. Surprised by this, he came up with the idea of introducing traditional Chinese flour-based dishes to the people of Lyon.
As a result, alongside running the restaurant, Cheng offers culinary experience classes for locals. During these classes, Cheng shares insights into Chinese culinary culture, such as the origin and history of dumplings, explaining that they were invented by Zhang Zhongjing, China's "Sage of Medicine." Cheng noted that many locals refer to jiaozi as "gyōza," the Japanese term for pan-fried dumplings. To clarify this, he consistently uses the Chinese pinyin spelling "jiaozi" in his classes.
"This is also a reflection of cultural confidence," Cheng smiled and said.
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