Submitted by ciau on
With the support of Confucius Institute Headquarters/ Hanban, the Confucius Institute at Alfred University hosted two events on campus which expanded the appreciation of Chinese food by university faculty, students and other members of the community.
Yuanlin Ye and Yongbin Yu, two culinary masters, demonstrated their superb skills and the depth and breadth of Chinese cuisine in the two events.
On November 6th, the dining hall at Powell Campus Center was filled with distinguished guests, including Beth Ann Dobie, University Provost and VP for Academic Affairs; Kimberly Guyer, VP for student affairs; Gerar Edizel, Dean of the School of Art and Design; Mark Lewis, Dean of the College of Business; Daisy Wu, Director of the Confucius Institute; Josie Owens, AU Catering Director; Jason Milburn, AU Chef; Dale Mott Slater; Octavian Bishop; and other guests.
Our Mandarin teachers wore elegant classical cheongsams to welcome the guests. Decorative elements such as Chinese knots and Chinese lanterns attracted the eyes of passers-by.
Before the meal, Chefs Ye and Yu showcased their exemplary knife skills by methodically slicing cucumbers. With the help of observers, they extended each cucumber, revealing that the slices had created a spiral that allowed the cucumber to stretch to nearly four times its original length.
Six traditional Chinese dishes were presented after the demonstration: “Buddha Jumps Over the Wall” is strong and fresh; “State Banquet Steak” is juicy; “Cuttlefish Roe Soup” is appetizing and flavorful; “Crisp Codfish with Cheese” is crispy outside and soft inside; “Autumn Peppers with Lobster Stuffing” is tender and delicious; “Almond Custard with Fresh Fruit” is sweet and ambrosial.
This elegant meal showed the color, fragrance, taste, meaning, shape and cultivation of Chinese cuisine at the same time. All the guests thought highly of the demonstrations, as well as of the beautiful and delicious dishes.
Then, on November 7, a Chinese Community Table was held at Powell Campus Center. The two master chefs prepared a wide variety of Chinese dishes for students of Alfred University and people from the local area.
All the food was sold out within one hour. The number of people set a new record for the Community Table.
The Chinese food at the Community Table was praised by all participants.
Wonderful culinary performances and tasty dishes displayed a unique charm which crossed the barriers of language and culture. The Chinese cuisine and culinary culture paved a “delicious path” for mutual understanding and exchange between China and the United States.
