Many restaurants in China have unveiled their traditional culture-themed catering services to attract customers who choose to dine out with their families to celebrate the lunar New Year's Eve, which falls on Jan 28 this year.
The Chinese Lunar New Year, or the Spring Festival, is the most important traditional festival in China.
The New Year's Eve dinner, also known as the "reunion dinner," is widely regarded as the most important meal of a year for Chinese people, as most restaurants across the country would see a signifanct surge in reservations for the "reunion dinner".
To seize the market opportunity brought by the Spring Festival, many restaurants have provided themed premium services for customers celebrating their family reunion.
"This year, my younger brother is returning with his friends from abroad. So we chose a customized banquet which can add a touch of formality while showcasing our local culture to friends from afar," said a customer surnamed Wang.
The restaurant, which specializes in traditional Shandong cuisine, has unveiled a variety of new dishes this year with historical, cultural connotations and local characteristics.
Wang Baosheng, chef of the restaurant, introduced a new dish that is based on the friendship between two ancient statesmen Guan Zhong and Bao Shuya during China’s Spring and Autumn Period (770BC-476BC).
"This dish incorporates elements of our Qi culture. The main ingredients used are abalone and squid. We have improved this dish so the sea food tastes more crispy and tender, and the broth is rich in flavors. So the dish can be a feast for both the eyes and the palate," said Wang Baosheng, a chef at the restaurant.
In Xi'an, northwest China’s Shaanxi Province, a restaurant featuring the cuisine culture of the Tang Dynasty (618-907) is recently sought-after by consumers. Known for replicating Tang Dynasty banquets that one would only see in history books, the restaurant has also introduced innovative new dishes inspired by Tang poetry.
"This dish is designed based on the classic verse 'amidst the dusty ride, the concubine smiles'. It is made with raspberry sauce and hawthorn cake, and the outside is cheese shrimp balls made in the shape of lychees," said Liu Yuanyuan, an employee of the restaurant.
A manager said the restaurant would receive over 20 bookings a day on average during the week around the Chinese Lunar New Year's Eve.
On Dec 4, 2024, the UNESCO inscribed Spring Festival - the social practices of the Chinese people in celebration of the beginning of the traditional new year - on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, marking a global recognition of this vibrant celebration and cherished cultural tradition.
Chinese restaurants unveil traditional culture-themed service for Spring Festival revelers
