Source: People's Daily
A local woman makes a local specialty food called "Gusgus" at a cultural event in Algiers, algeria, on December 17, 2020.
Xinhua News Agency
A Turkish chef cooks a local-style steak.
Photo by Wang Chuanbao, a reporter of this newspaper
At the Vietnam Rice Noodle Day event, the chefs took a group photo in front of the huge rice noodle display board.
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Workers make Parma ham at a factory in Parma, Italy, on April 13, 2021.
More and more countries have launched their own food brand development plans, government agencies, industry associations, catering enterprises to participate in it, through the introduction of supportive policies, the establishment of food days, the organization of food tours and other ways, to promote the development of the domestic catering industry, while enhancing the sense of cultural identity of their own people, to promote the exchange and mutual learning of food culture between different countries
Turkey
Discover the cultural charm of traditional ingredients and craftsmanship
Reporter Wang Chuanbao
In the streets and alleys of Turkish towns, you can always see bagel vendors with their heads. Unlike bagels from other countries and regions, Turkish bagels are covered with a thick layer of sesame seeds, and the aroma of the sesame mixed dough is very attractive, making it the preferred breakfast and afternoon tea snack for locals. Earlier this year, Turkey's Ministry of Culture and Tourism selected the 10 most popular street food, and sesame bagels topped hundreds of street food recommendations from 81 provinces across the country.
Turks are very proud of their own food culture, and list indigenous food, along with Chinese and French food, as the world's three major cuisines. The Turkish government also regards the promotion of food as an important part of the country's soft power construction, and hopes to promote the development of national tourism through the promotion of food. The selection of street food is the country's effort to promote its cuisine. According to the official website of the Turkish Ministry of Culture and Tourism, the country's street food culture is like a gold mine to be mined, and its development will help enhance Turkey's cultural charm.
The annual International Food Festival is also a highlight of the Turkish government's gastronomy promotion. Organized by local governments in Turkey on a rotational basis, the festival is themed on the unique local gastronomic culture and invites well-known enterprises and gourmets from the catering industry around the world to participate. The last food festival was held in the southern tussle province of Gaziantep in September last year, which is known as the "Food Capital". At the food festival, desserts made from pistachios and grape juice are selected as the most popular delicacies.
While vigorously promoting food culture, the Turkish government also attaches great importance to its sustainable development issues and avoids harming the reputation of traditional food culture due to the blind pursuit of economic benefits. "Preserving Turkey's gastronomic heritage, passing on traditional ingredients and craftsmanship, is our long-term focus." Kakan, president of the Istanbul Gastronomy Association, said. It is understood that in the traditional gastronomic industry, the Turkish government has formulated a series of strict industry standards and strengthened regulatory measures to ensure food quality.
Feeling the impact of international chain fast food brands on the country's traditional food industry, more and more Turks are beginning to think about how to deal with it. Turkish culinary expert Felice Husukulu said: "Our ancestors' food was mainly cereals, vegetables, fruits, dairy products and a small amount of meat, which has been confirmed by scientists as a healthy way of eating and should be promoted." "The Turkish Association of Tourism and Catering Investors and Entrepreneurs is ready to increase its investment in the promotion of gastronomy, according to President De Milare, the association plans to increase the tourism development fund next year from 30 million US dollars this year to 150 million US dollars, of which a considerable part of the budget is used to support the opening of high-quality Turkish restaurants abroad.
Italy
Food Week is held in more than 120 countries
Reporter Han Shuo
In order to promote Italian food culture worldwide, since 2016, Italian consular agencies abroad have launched the World Italian Food Week. To date, the campaign has been promoted in more than 120 countries. Food Week 2020 attracted the participation of nearly 300 Italian diplomatic missions and italian cultural institutes, as well as diners from all over the world. "Gastronomy is the pride of Italy, and World Italian Food Week is now a fixture in the promotion of Italian cuisine." Gido Birancini, Consul General of Italy in Chongqing, said that the Chinese people's love for Italian cuisine is increasing, and food has brought Italy closer to people around the world.
The unique geographical location, superior natural conditions, developed agriculture and fisheries have bred a rich and unique gastronomic flavor of Italy. Italian food culture can be traced back to the 4th century BC, many cooking techniques are even inherited from the ancient Roman period, in its long development process by the Greek, Byzantine, Arab and other cultures of strong influence, ingredients and cooking methods from simple and simple to now fine and rich. In 2013, the Mediterranean diet was inscribed on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
As Italian cuisine has become famous, Italian restaurants have blossomed all over the world. Joel Ward fogel, an economist at the University of Minnesota in the United States, once lamented that "as long as there are Italians, it is possible to eat Italian handmade ice cream and Neapolitan pizza."
Conveying delicious food through images and expanding its influence through the media and social networks is a great way to "suck up the powder" of Italian cuisine. In 2018, the Italian Ministry of Cultural Heritage, Activities and Tourism, together with the Italian Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Forestry Policy, launched the Italian Year of Gastronomy and organized a series of events involving museums, archaeological parks, cultural attractions and more. Artists used tempera paintings, marble, ceramics and other artistic expressions to skillfully present food-themed works, which received praise from netizens on social media.
Tasting a country's cuisine is also a taste of its culture. In order to let tourists feel the beauty of Italy in all aspects, Italy has specially created a gastronomic tourism route. Places like Palma, Alba and Bergamo are not only beautiful but also rich in products. From Parma ham to Alba white truffles to the rich dairy products produced in Bergamo and its surrounding valleys, the gastronomic beauty is a one-stop experience. The Italian Tourism Board has also issued the "Taste of Italy" gastronomic passport, encouraging tourists to punch in the gastronomic passport to check in the specialties of the major regions. Collecting 20 punch cards will not only earn the title of "Ambassador of Italian Cuisine", but also participate in the raffle.
"Italy is world-renowned because of its thousand-year history, unique culture, reliable product quality and unparalleled beauty, all of which are included in Italian gastronomic culture." Italian Ambassador to China Luca Ferrari said.
Viet Nam
Fully develop the characteristics of diverse food cultures in various places
Reporter Liu Gang
Sparkling rice noodles, rib-textured beef, and carefully boiled beef bone broth, garnished with green chives and red millet spicy, the taste buds bloom with the aroma and make people salivate.
Rice noodles are the most common popular food in Vietnam. Since 2018, Vietnam has designated December 12 of each year as Vietnam Rice Noodle Day, a day on which the traditional values of Vietnamese cuisine are promoted through activities such as food making and tasting sessions.
In order to play the rice noodles card well, Vietnamese tourism enterprises have not only launched street food tour routes for foreign tourists, but also developed tourism products such as food cooking training. For about $35, foreign tourists can learn to make three kinds of Vietnamese cuisine, including rice noodles.
According to a 2017 report released by the World Tourism Organization, 82% of the respondents believe that gastronomy is an important driver of tourism and a booster of local economic development. The "Vietnam Tourism Development Strategy 2030 Vision" also emphasizes that it is necessary to fully develop the diversified food culture characteristics of various places, create differentiated tourism products, and attach importance to the close integration of history and culture with tourism products. Mobilize the resources of society and the state, especially give play to the role of Vietnamese institutions abroad and overseas Vietnamese, and do a good job in tourism promotion.
Using food as the medium, tourism and cultural promotion activities are held to enable more and more foreign people to enhance their understanding of Vietnam. When Vietnamese government departments hold promotion activities overseas, they will invite chefs to make authentic Vietnamese rice noodles on the spot for the locals to taste. At the Vietnamese Food Festival held in Russia in 2019, local people can not only taste the specialties of Vietnam such as rice noodles, but also immerse themselves in the Vietnamese cultural and artistic atmosphere composed of rich elements such as art exhibitions, photo exhibitions, and folk art performances.
Vietnam uses rice noodles as an important medium for spreading the image of the country in the Overseas Vietnamese Community. "Vietnamese rice noodles carry the feelings of hometown and the righteousness of compatriots, and at the same time become a bridge to enhance mutual understanding between overseas Vietnamese and the people of the host country." Vietnamese Deputy Foreign Minister Nguyen Kwok Dung said.
A bowl of rice noodles, stirring and resonating. Under the series of promotion measures, the international popularity of Vietnamese rice noodles is getting higher and higher. Wang Chung Ching, vice president of the VietnamEse Association of Ethnology and Anthropology and an expert in food research, believes that the origin and production process of Vietnamese cuisine are closely related to natural conditions, history and culture. He suggested further promoting Vietnamese cuisine as an important cultural business card of Vietnam.
Typography: Cai Huawei