Fuchsia Dunlop has been cooking and writing about Chinese food since the early 1990s, when she first traveled to the country soon after graduating from Cambridge University. A fluent Mandarin speaker, she was the first Westerner to train at the Sichuan Higher Institute of Higher Cuisine. She has since gone on to deepen her knowledge of all types of Chinese cooking, pouring her experience into several books. Her latest, Invitation to a Banquet, is a part-history, part-celebration of the world of Chinese cuisine, introducing readers to its often intricate processes and stunning diversity. In this lightly edited transcript of a recent interview we discussed the book’s themes, from what Chinese food can teach us about sustainability to the wonders of its flavors and sensuality.
Fuchsia Dunlop.Illustration by Lauren Crow
Q: You've been a longtime advocate of Chinese cuisine. Why do you think Chinese food though has tended to be looked down upon outside of the country?
A: It
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