Sichuan's offerings shine in City of Light(2)

This marks the restaurant chain's third appearance at the Olympics, following its participation in the 2008 Beijing Games and the 2022 Beijing Winter Games. This year's Paris Olympics is its first venture into providing dining services for an overseas China House.

"French cuisine is celebrated as the 'pinnacle of Western dining', renowned for its delicate flavors, rich sauces, and elegant presentations. In contrast, Sichuan cuisine, with its millennia-old tradition, offers a rich variety and distinctive style," says Wang Gang, founder of the restaurant chain. "When representing Chinese cuisine, it must be unique, flavorful and presentable."

To deliver an exceptional dining experience, the restaurant chain assembled a 24-member service team, including 10 chefs with over 15 years of experience each.

"Our extensive experience at the Olympics has equipped us with a robust set of practices and techniques, enabling us to handle challenging situations with confidence — reflecting the true Olympic spirit," Wang says.

The carefully curated menu features traditional Sichuan specialties, such as Kung Pao shrimp, sugarcoated popcorn and iced jelly. Additionally, to meet diverse guest needs, the team prepared multiple menus, including daily offerings, banquet, halal, tea break, and Sino-French culinary exchange options.

Wang says that their dishes have been met with enthusiastic acclaim from international guests, staff, volunteers and athletes. "Guests have praised our offerings as 'delicious and a true taste of home', with particular acclaim for the spicy chicken and Kung Pao shrimp," Wang says.

"We remain dedicated to our mission of 'serving people around the world', embracing the Olympic spirit, pushing boundaries, and turning the impossible into possible," Wang says. "Our goal is to introduce the world to Chinese cuisine and foster a deep appreciation for Sichuan flavors."

Gold medal

The restaurant chain's first encounter with the Olympics was in 2008, when it served as the official catering provider for the Olympic Village (Paralympic Village) during the 29th Olympic Games.

"This was an incredibly exciting opportunity for our team. We provided catering services for 130,000 people over 106 continuous days and nights," Wang recalls.

The high-quality food and service earned them special honors and a gold medal for "Chinese Taste, Olympic Standards".

In 2022, they served as the "Official Catering Provider for China House" and "National Team Meal Service Provider" at the Beijing Winter Olympics. Their service received high praise from Bach, who referred to the restaurant chain's chefs as "Olympic chefs", according to Wang.

For the Paris Olympics, Wang states that they were fully committed to delivering a high standard of Chinese culinary culture and exceptional taste.

Zhu Zhiwei, 46, one of the chefs who worked in Paris, says that their preparations for the trip began right after the Lunar New Year. Together with his colleagues, he coordinated with the China House setup team on kitchen layout and dining equipment details.

In May, Zhu and food safety manager Song Jing visited Paris to inspect the venue and source ingredients. "The work required is comparable to opening a new restaurant in France," Zhu says.

On July 12, the first team of 10 members flew from Beijing to Paris to start setting up equipment, purchasing ingredients, and testing recipes. Eight days later, a second team of 14 joined them.

Key Sichuan seasonings, such as Doubanjiang (fermented bean paste), Sichuan peppercorns, and pepper, were transported from Beijing, while fresh ingredients were sourced locally.

Each morning in Paris, Zhu and his team scoured farmers' markets and Asian supermarkets to find seasonal vegetables and unique spices that best represent Sichuan cuisine.

"The salt and sugar here appear similar to those in China but taste different. For example, French salt is saltier, while French sugar is less sweet," Zhu explains. "This necessitated adjustments to our seasoning ratios and continual recipe refinements."

For instance, to match the flavor of Kung Pao shrimp in France, 35 grams of local sugar are required compared to 23 grams in China. Zhu and his team are dedicated to perfecting their recipes to bring an authentic taste of Sichuan to Paris.

"Spicy chicken is a beloved dish on many Sichuan family tables, but achieving perfection requires precise timing and ingredients," says Zhu, who has been crafting Sichuan cuisine for 27 years. "In Paris, spicy chicken is the most popular dish, and it's almost always ordered at every table."